PUBLICATION
Loss of function of Vasoactive-intestinal peptide alters sex ratio and reduces male reproductive fitness in zebrafish
- Authors
- Yu, Y., Tanaka, S., Wong, T.T., Zohar, Y., Zmora, N.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240711-5
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Endocrinology 165(8): (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Yu, Yang, Zohar, Yonathan
- Keywords
- Vip, reproduction, steroidogenesis, teleost, testis
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Female
- Genetic Fitness
- Leydig Cells/drug effects
- Leydig Cells/metabolism
- Male
- Reproduction*/physiology
- Sex Ratio*
- Spermatozoa/drug effects
- Spermatozoa/metabolism
- Spermatozoa/physiology
- Testis*/metabolism
- Testosterone/analogs & derivatives
- Testosterone/metabolism
- Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide*/metabolism
- Zebrafish*
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 38984720 Full text @ Endocrinology
Citation
Yu, Y., Tanaka, S., Wong, T.T., Zohar, Y., Zmora, N. (2024) Loss of function of Vasoactive-intestinal peptide alters sex ratio and reduces male reproductive fitness in zebrafish. Endocrinology. 165(8):.
Abstract
Vasoactive-intestinal peptide (Vip) is a pleiotropic peptide with a wide range of distribution and functions. Zebrafish possess two isoforms of Vip (a and b), in which Vipa is most homologous to the mammalian form. In female zebrafish, Vipa can stimulate LH secretion from the pituitary but is not essential for female reproduction, as vipa-/- females display normal reproduction. In contrast, we have found that vipa-/- males are severely sub-fertile and sex ratio of offspring is female-biased. By analyzing all aspects of male reproduction with WT males, we show that the testes of vipa-/- are underdeveloped and contain ∼70% less spermatids compared to WT counterparts. The sperm of vipa-/- males displayed reduced potency in terms of fertilization (by ∼80%) and motility span and duration (by ∼50%). In addition, vipa-/- male attraction to WT females was largely non-existent, indicating decreased sexual motivation. We show that vipa mRNA and protein is present in Leydig cells and in developing germ cells in the testis of WT, raising the possibility that endogenous Vipa contributes to testicular function. Absence of Vipa in vipa-/- males resulted in downregulation of three key genes in the androgen synthesis chain in the testis, 3β-hsd, 17β-hsd1 and cyp11c1 (11β-hydrogenase), associated with a pronounced decrease in 11-ketotestosterone production and, in turn, compromised reproductive fitness. Altogether, this study establishes a crucial role for Vipa in the regulation of male reproduction in zebrafish, like in mammals, with the exception that Vipa is also expressed in zebrafish testis.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping