title: The effect of dietary protein restriction on the secretory dynamics of 1 alpha-hydroxycorticosterone and urea in the dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula: a possible role for 1 alpha-hydroxycorticosterone in sodium retention.
abstract: The putative osmoregulatory role of the unique elasmobranch corticosteroid, 1 alpha-hydroxycorticosterone (1 alpha-OH-B), was investigated using dietary protein restriction as a means of limiting urea biosynthetic ability. Groups of dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) were adapted to either a high or a low protein diet (HPD and LPD respectively) and the secretory dynamics of urea and 1 alpha-OH-B were determined following acclimation to normal (100%), 130% and 50% sea water. In normal sea water, LPD fish showed significantly decreased blood production of urea compared with fish fed a HPD (P < 0.05), and the plasma urea concentration required to maintain iso-osmolality was achieved only by a substantial decrease in urea clearance from the plasma. Unlike HPD fish, LPD fish in 130% sea water had no apparent ability to increase plasma urea concentration. An alternative strategy adopted by these animals was the retention of high plasma concentrations of Na+ and Cl-, which increased plasma osmolality and tended to decrease osmotic water loss. Concomitant with the increased ion concentrations, plasma 1 alpha-OH-B concentration was also greatly elevated in LPD fish indicating that the steroid may be acting to minimize Na+ (and Cl-) excretion at osmoregulatory sites such as the rectal gland, kidney and gills. This and a previous study have also demonstrated that 1 alpha-OH-B concentration is elevated in 50% sea water. Decreases in plasma Na+ concentration are tolerated down to 75% sea water, whereafter Na+ is preferentially retained and further decreases in osmolality are achieved by reductions in plasma urea concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Cellular Signalling Group (HMCB), University of Sheffield Medical School, U.K.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Armour
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hazon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004284:Dogfish / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011488:Protein Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D012623:Seawater; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; C002529:1 alpha-hydroxycorticosterone; D014508:Urea; D012964:Sodium; D003345:Corticosterone