title: The effects of progesterone on transcriptional expression profiles of genes associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes during the early development of zebrafish (Danio rerio).
abstract: Progesterone (P4) has been reported in surface water, and it may have adverse effects on aquatic organisms. This study provided the transcriptional effects of P4 during the early development of zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos were exposed for 144 h post fertilization (hpf) to 0, 6, 45 and 90 ng L(-1) P4, and transcriptional expression profiles of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes were assessed every day. For the receptor signaling pathways, P4 significantly induced the transcript of Pgr gene above 45 ng L(-1) at 72 and 144 hpf, but inhibited its transcript above 6 ng L(-1) at 96 and 120 hpf. A significant up-regulation of Vtg1 mRNA was observed at 6 ng L(-1) P4 or higher at 24, 96 and 144 hpf. For the steroidogenic pathways, the transcriptional expression of Cyp11a1 and Hsd17b3 mRNAs was mediated by 6 ng L(-1) P4 or higher according to different exposure time points. In addition, P4 resulted in a significant induction of Cyp19a1a and Cyp11b mRNA expression while it caused a significant inhibition of Hsd11b2 mRNA expression above 6 ng L(-1). For the other target genes related to hypothalamic and pituitary hormones, P4 mainly modulated the transcripts of Gnrh2, Fshb and Lhb genes at 6 ng L(-1) or higher. The overall results from the present study indicate that P4 at environmentally relevant concentrations could cause the potential effects on zebrafish reproductive and adrenal endocrine systems by interfering with the HPG and HPA axes.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Qiu
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Yong
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China. Electronic address: guangguo.ying@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Guang-Guo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Shuang-Shuang
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-Resources Sustainable Utilization, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Feng-Jiao
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis; Hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis; Progesterone; Zebrafish