title: α-MSH and melanocortin receptors at early ontogeny in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.).
abstract: Temporal patterns of whole-body α-MSH concentrations and of transcripts of melanocortin receptors during early development as well as the endocrine response (α-MSH, cortisol, MCR mRNAs) to stress at the end of the larval period were characterized in Dicentrarchus labrax. Immunohistochemistry showed α-MSH positive cells in the pituitary pars intermedia in all stages examined. As development proceeds, α-MSH content gradually increases; mRNA levels of mc2r and mc4r remain low until first feeding where peak values are observed. Mc1r expression was constant during development, pomc mRNA levels remain low until the stage of flexion after which a significant increase is observed. At the stage of the formation of all fins, whole-body cortisol and α-MSH concentrations responded with peak values at 2 h post stress. Additionally, the stress challenge resulted in elevated transcript levels of pomc, mc2r and mc4r but not in mc1r, with a pattern characterized by peak values at 1 h post stress and a strong correlation with whole body α-MSH concentrations was found. Our data provide for the first time a view on the importance of the α-MSH stress response in early development of European sea bass, an additional and relatively poorly understood signal involved in the stress response in teleosts.
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, P.O. Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.|University of Crete, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 2208, GR-714 09, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsalafouta
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorissen
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T N M
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Pelgrim
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, P.O. Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papandroulakis
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flik
authors.affiliation: University of Crete, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 2208, GR-714 09, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013997:Time Factors; D000521:alpha-MSH / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D000521:alpha-MSH; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D006854:Hydrocortisone