title: Chronic exogenous kisspeptin administration accelerates gonadal development in basses of the genus Morone.
abstract: The present study assesses the effects of chronic administration of peptides to fish, termed kisspeptins, which are the products of the KISS1 and KISS2 genes, and have been shown to control the development of puberty in animals. Using ecologically and commercially important species (white bass, Morone chrysops, striped bass, Morone saxatilis, and their hybrid) as comparative models, we determined that repeated bi-weekly injections (over 7 weeks) differentially accelerate puberty, as evidenced by increases in the prevalence of spermatozoa in the testes of juvenile fish. Moreover, in sexually mature fish, kisspeptin treatment led to increased gonad weight, gonadosomatic index, and spermatocrit in some white and striped bass. Additionally, mature white bass treated with kisspeptins showed an advancement in oocyte development as determined by histological examination. These gonadal changes occurred in the absence of any photothermal manipulation or hormone injections. To date, this is the first description of kisspeptin-mediated pubertal initiation in fish, and the first evidence that kisspeptins could modulate gonad maturation. Although it remains to be determined how kisspeptins may best be utilized in practice, our findings are a basis for future studies to characterize the molecular underpinnings of the KISS system in various fish species.
authors.affiliation: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center, Post Office Box 1050, Stuttgart, AR 72160, USA. benjamin.beck@ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Benjamin H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: S Adam
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Peatman
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McEntire
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darwish
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011627:Puberty / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D059648:Kisspeptins