title: Activin stimulation of zebrafish oocyte maturation in vitro and its potential role in mediating gonadotropin-induced oocyte maturation.
abstract: Activin plays important roles in the regulation of vertebrate reproduction. Using zebrafish, Danio rerio, as a model, the present study aimed at investigating the role of activin in the regulation of final oocyte maturation. Administration of recombinant goldfish activin B significantly increased the rate of oocyte maturation in vitro in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The effect of activin seemed to be additive to the effects of gonadotropin (hCG) and 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxyprogesterone, a potent maturation-inducing hormone in teleosts. The specificity of the activin action was confirmed by coincubation with recombinant human follistatin, which completely abolished the stimulatory effect of activin B. Interestingly, follistatin also significantly inhibited hCG-induced oocyte maturation, suggesting that endogenous activin may be a downstream mediator of gonadotropin actions. No effect of activin B was observed in the presence of actinomycin D, indicating that the action of activin may involve changes in transcriptional activity. These results, together with the demonstration that activin and its type II receptor are expressed in the zebrafish ovary, strongly suggest a paracrine/autocrine role for activin in the controlling of final oocyte maturation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II; D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D038681:Follistatin; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009842:Oligopeptides; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D038681:Follistatin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; C044147:activin B; D028341:Activins; C048617:myelopeptides; C021012:17 alpha,20 beta-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one; D003609:Dactinomycin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D030301:Activin Receptors, Type II