title: The biological role of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in growth and feeding behavior in juvenile fish.
abstract: To date, many technologies have been developed to increase efficiency in aquaculture, but very few successful biotechnology molecules have arrived on the market. In this context, marine biotechnology has an opportunity to develop products to improve the output of fish in aquaculture. Published in vivo studies on the action of the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in fish are scarce. Recently, our group, for the first time, demonstrated the biological role of this neuropeptide administrated by immersion baths in the growth and development of larval fish. In this work, we have evaluated the effects of recombinant Clarias gariepinus PACAP administration by intraperitoneal injection on growth performance and feeding behavior in juvenile fish. Our results showed the physiological role of this peptide for growth control in fish, including the juvenile stage, and confirm that its biological functions are well conserved in fish, since C. gariepinus PACAP stimulated growth in juvenile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. In addition, we have observed that the growth-promoting effect of PACAP in juvenile tilapia was correlated with higher GH concentration in serum. With regard to the neuroendocrine regulation of growth control by PACAP, it was demonstrated that PACAP stimulates food intake in juvenile tilapia. In general, PACAP appears to act in the regulation of the growth control in juvenile fish. These findings propose that PACAP is a prominent target with the potential to stimulate fish growth in aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Biotechnology Department, Animal Biotechnology Division, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, PO Box 6162, Havana 10600, Cuba.
authors.forename: Juana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lugo
authors.forename: Aymé
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Hilda Elisa
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Garay
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Ania
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabrales
authors.forename: Ever
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Mario Pablo
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Estrada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002397:Catfishes / Q000254:growth & development; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D017210:Tilapia / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D051219:Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide