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Heliyon Jun 2024Vertebrate testosterone, an androgen present in the testes, is essential for male fertility. Vertebrate-type steroid hormones have been identified in insects, but their...
Vertebrate testosterone, an androgen present in the testes, is essential for male fertility. Vertebrate-type steroid hormones have been identified in insects, but their function remains unknown. Insect vitellogenin (Vg) is usually a female-specific protein involved in reproductive processes. However, males of some species, such as the green lacewing , have Vg. Here, we demonstrated that the knockdown of male by RNAi significantly shortened the lifespan of males, suppressed the reproduction of post-mating females, and strikingly reduced the abundance of several immune-related compounds, including testosterone. LC-MS/MS revealed that male testosterone had the same structure and molecular mass as vertebrate testosterone. Topical testosterone application partially restored the lifespan of -deficient males and the reproduction of post-mating females. These results suggest that vertebrate-type testosterone maintains male longevity and female reproduction under the control of the male in . .
PubMed: 38933978
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32478 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024To enhance our understanding of teleost reproductive physiology, we identified six Sichuan bream () vitellogenin genes (-) and characterized their sequence structures....
To enhance our understanding of teleost reproductive physiology, we identified six Sichuan bream () vitellogenin genes (-) and characterized their sequence structures. We categorized them into type Ⅰ (,, and ), type Ⅱ () and type Ⅲ () based on differences in their subdomain structure. The promoter sequence of has multiple estrogen response elements, and their abundance appears to correlate with the responsiveness of gene expression to estrogen. Gene expression analyses revealed that the vitellogenesis of Sichuan bream involves both heterosynthesis and autosynthesis pathways, with the dominant pathway originating from the liver. The drug treatment experiments revealed that 17β-estradiol (E) tightly regulated the level of mRNA in the liver. Feeding fish with a diet containing 100 μg/g E for three weeks significantly induced gene expression and ovarian development, leading to an earlier onset of vitellogenesis. Additionally, it was observed that the initiation of transcription required E binding to its receptor, a process primarily mediated by estrogen receptor alpha in Sichuan bream. The findings of this study provide novel insights into the molecular information of the vitellogenin gene family in teleosts, thereby contributing to the regulation of gonadal development in farmed fish.
Topics: Animals; Vitellogenins; Estrogens; Vitellogenesis; Estradiol; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Female; Fish Proteins; Phylogeny; Gene Expression Regulation; Multigene Family; Liver; Genome; Estrogen Receptor alpha
PubMed: 38928442
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126739 -
Insects Jun 2024Honeybees ( L.) have to face many challenges, including infestation, associated with viral transmission. Oxalic acid is one of the most common treatments against ....
Honeybees ( L.) have to face many challenges, including infestation, associated with viral transmission. Oxalic acid is one of the most common treatments against . Little is known about the physiological effects of oxalic acid, especially those on honeybees' immune systems. In this study, the short-term effects (0-96 h) of oxalic acid treatment on the immune system components (i.e., glucose oxidase, phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase activities, and vitellogenin contents) of house bees were preliminarily investigated. Oxalic acid contents of bee bodies and haemolymphs were also measured. The results confirm that oxalic acid is constitutively present in bee haemolymphs and its concentration is not affected by treatment. At 6 h after the treatment, a maximum peak of oxalic acid content was detected on bees' bodies, which gradually decreased after that until physiological levels were reached at 48 h. In the immune system, the oxalic acid treatment determined a peak in glucose oxidase activity at 48 h, indicating a potential defence response and an increase in vitellogenin content at 24 h. No significant changes were recorded in phenoloxidase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase activities. These results suggest a time-dependent response to oxalic acid, with potential immune system activation in treated bees.
PubMed: 38921124
DOI: 10.3390/insects15060409 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jun 2024Finasteride, a steroid 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, is commonly used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and hair loss. However, despite continued use, its...
Finasteride, a steroid 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, is commonly used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and hair loss. However, despite continued use, its environmental implications have not been thoroughly investigated. Thus, we investigated the acute and chronic adverse impacts of finasteride on Daphnia magna, a crucial planktonic crustacean in freshwater ecosystems selected as bioindicator organism for understanding the ecotoxicological effects. Chronic exposure (for 23 days) to finasteride negatively affected development and reproduction, leading to reduced fecundity, delayed first brood, reduced growth, and reduced neonate size. Additionally, acute exposure (< 24 h) caused decreased expression levels of genes crucial for reproduction and development, especially EcR-A/B (ecdysone receptors), Jhe (juvenile hormone esterase), and Vtg2 (vitellogenin), with oxidative stress-related genes. Untargeted lipidomics/metabolomic analyses revealed lipidomic alteration, including 19 upregulated and 4 downregulated enriched lipid ontology categories, and confirmed downregulation of metabolites. Pathway analysis implicated significant effects on metabolic pathways, including the pentose phosphate pathway, histidine metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. This comprehensive study unravels the intricate molecular and metabolic responses of D. magna to finasteride exposure, underscoring the multifaceted impacts of this anti-androgenic compound on a keystone species of freshwater ecosystems. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the environmental repercussions of widely used pharmaceuticals to protect biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems.
PubMed: 38896907
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116606 -
Insects May 2024Honey bees ( L.) play vital roles as agricultural pollinators and honey producers. However, global colony losses are increasing due to multiple stressors, including...
Honey bees ( L.) play vital roles as agricultural pollinators and honey producers. However, global colony losses are increasing due to multiple stressors, including malnutrition. Our study evaluated the effects of four pollen substitute diets (Diet 1, Diet 2, Diet 3, and Control) through field and cage experiments, analyzing 11 parameters and 21 amino acids. Notably, Diet 1 demonstrated significantly superior performance in the field experiment, including the number of honey bees, brood area, consumption, preference, colony weight, and honey production. In the cage experiment, Diet 1 also showed superior performance in dried head and thorax weight and () gene expression levels. Canonical discriminant and principle component analyses highlighted Diet 1's distinctiveness, with histidine, diet digestibility, consumption, gene expression levels, and isoleucine identified as key factors. Arginine showed significant correlations with a wide range of parameters, including the number of honey bees, brood area, and consumption, with Diet 1 exhibiting higher levels. Diet 1, containing apple juice, soytide, and as additive components, outperformed the other diets, suggesting an enhanced formulation for pollen substitute diets. These findings hold promise for the development of more effective diets, potentially contributing to honey bee health.
PubMed: 38786917
DOI: 10.3390/insects15050361 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Cyanobacteria bloom and the secondary metabolites released by the microorganism are extremely harmful to aquatic animals, yet study on their adverse effects in...
Cyanobacteria bloom and the secondary metabolites released by the microorganism are extremely harmful to aquatic animals, yet study on their adverse effects in zoobenthos is rare. Corbicula fluminea widely distributed in freshwater environment with algal blooms. It is a typical filter feeding zoobenthos that may be affected by the secondary metabolites of cyanobacteria due to its high filtering rate. In this study, C. fluminea was exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa exudates (MaE) for 96 h, which was obtained from 5 × 10 cells/mL and 2.5 × 10 cells/mL exponential stage M. aeruginosa culture solution that represented cyanobacteria cell density needs environmental risk precaution control and emergent control, respectively. The responses of C. fluminea critical organs to MaE were analyzed and evaluated based on histopathological sections, antitoxicity biomarkers, and organ function biomarkers. The results showed that all the organs underwent structural disorders, cell vacuolization, apoptosis, and necrosis, and the damage levels increased as MaE concentration increased. The detoxification and antioxidant defense systems biomarkers in each organ response to MaE exposure differently and the level of reaction improved when MaE concentration increased. The siphon rate and acetylcholinesterase activity showed that the filtration function decreased significantly as the MaE concentration increased. Increased activity of glutathione S-transferase and amylase in the digestive gland indicate that it is the major detoxification organ of C. fluminea. Increased vitellogenin concentration and enlarged oocytes in the gonad indicate that MaE may have an estrogenic effect on C. fluminea. This study demonstrates that cyanobacteria threat benthic bivalves by inducing oxidative stress, inhibiting filtering feeding system, and disturbing digestion system and reproduction potential of C. fluminea.
Topics: Animals; Microcystis; Corbicula; Reproduction; Filtration; Biomarkers
PubMed: 38740841
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61333-7 -
PloS One 2024The survival of the honey bee (Apis mellifera), which has a crucial role in pollination and ecosystem maintenance, is threatened by many pathogens, including parasites,...
The survival of the honey bee (Apis mellifera), which has a crucial role in pollination and ecosystem maintenance, is threatened by many pathogens, including parasites, bacteria, fungi and viruses. The ectoparasite Varroa destructor is considered the major cause of the worldwide decline in honey bee colony health. Although several synthetic acaricides are available to control Varroa infestations, resistant mites and side effects on bees have been documented. The development of natural alternatives for mite control is therefore encouraged. The study aims at exploring the effects of cinnamon and oregano essential oils (EOs) and of a mixed fruit cocktail juice on mite infestation levels and bee colony health. A multi-method study including hive inspection, mite count, molecular detection of fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens, analysis of defensin-1, hymenoptaecin and vitellogenin immune gene expression, colony density and honey production data, was conducted in a 20-hive experimental apiary. The colonies were divided into five groups: four treatment groups and one control group. The treatment groups were fed on a sugar syrup supplemented with cinnamon EO, oregano EO, a 1:1 mixture of both EOs, or a juice cocktail. An unsupplemented syrup was, instead, used to feed the control group. While V. destructor affected all the colonies throughout the study, no differences in mite infestation levels, population density and honey yield were observed between treatment and control groups. An overexpression of vitellogenin was instead found in all EO-treated groups, even though a significant difference was only found in the group treated with the 1:1 EO mixture. Viral (DWV, CBPV and BQCV), fungal (Nosema ceranae) and bacterial (Melissococcus plutonius) pathogens from both symptomatic and asymptomatic colonies were detected.
Topics: Animals; Varroidae; Bees; Mite Infestations; Oils, Volatile
PubMed: 38713668
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302846 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Apr 2024The molecular mechanisms that govern the metabolic commitment to reproduction, which often occurs at the expense of somatic reserves, remain poorly understood. We...
The molecular mechanisms that govern the metabolic commitment to reproduction, which often occurs at the expense of somatic reserves, remain poorly understood. We identified the F-box protein FBXL-5 as a negative regulator of maternal provisioning of vitellogenin lipoproteins, which mediate the transfer of intestinal lipids to the germline. Mutations in partially suppress the vitellogenesis defects observed in the heterochronic mutants and both of which ectopically express at the adult developmental stage. FBXL-5 functions in the intestine to negatively regulate expression of the vitellogenin genes; and consistently, intestine-specific over-expression of FBXL-5 is sufficient to inhibit vitellogenesis, restrict lipid accumulation, and shorten lifespan. Our epistasis analyses suggest that functions in concert with , a cullin gene, and the Skp1-related gene to regulate vitellogenesis. Additionally, acts genetically upstream of , which encodes the core mTORC2 protein Rictor, to govern vitellogenesis. Together, our results reveal an unexpected role for a SCF ubiquitin-ligase complex in controlling intestinal lipid homeostasis by engaging mTORC2 signaling.
PubMed: 38712300
DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.18.590113 -
Poultry Science Jul 2024In laying hens, fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is a common metabolic disorder, which can affect egg production and nutritional value. However, the impact of...
In laying hens, fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is a common metabolic disorder, which can affect egg production and nutritional value. However, the impact of FLHS on the lipid content in egg yolks was not clear. In this study, FLHS model was induced by using high-energy low-protein diet, and the egg quality was evaluated. Egg yolk lipids were quantitatively analyzed by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with multivariate statistical analysis. Gene expressions of the lipoprotein were determined by qRT-PCR and antioxidant capacity of the egg yolk were determined by kits. The elevated blood lipids and extensive lipid droplets observed indicated successful establishment of the FLHS model in laying hens. Measurements of egg quality showed that egg yolk weight was increased in the FLHS group. Lipidomics revealed that 1,401 lipids, comprising 27 lipid subclasses in the egg yolk. According to score plots of principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, different lipid profile was observed between the control and FLHS groups. A total of 97 different lipid species were screen out. Sphingolipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism were identified as key pathways. Free polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) exhibited an increase in the FLHS group (P < 0.05). Notably, the form of PUFAs was changed that the FLHS group showed an increase in triacylglycerol-docosahexenoic acid and triacylglycerol-arachidonic acid in the egg yolk, while triacylglycerol-α-linolenic acid was decreased (P < 0.05). Total superoxide dismutase was decreased in the egg yolks affected by FLHS. Gene expressions of vitellogenin 2 (VTG2), VTG3, very low-density apolipoprotein II and apolipoprotein B were increased in the liver of laying hens with FLHS (P < 0.05). In conclusion, FLHS promoted the lipid transport from the liver to the yolk by upregulating lipoprotein expression, which altered lipid profile, and reduced antioxidant capacity in the yolk. This study provided a foundation for understanding the changes in lipids, lipid transport and lipid antioxidation capacity in egg yolk from laying hens with FLHS.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Egg Yolk; Poultry Diseases; Lipidomics; Female; Antioxidants; Fatty Liver; Diet; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Animal Feed
PubMed: 38688137
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103785 -
Environment International May 2024Combined oral contraceptives, comprising of both an oestrogen and a progestin component, are released in aquatic environments and potentially pose a risk to aquatic...
Estetrol/drospirenone versus 17α-ethinylestradiol/drospirenone: An extended one generation test to evaluate the endocrine disruption potential on zebrafish (Danio rerio).
Combined oral contraceptives, comprising of both an oestrogen and a progestin component, are released in aquatic environments and potentially pose a risk to aquatic wildlife by their capacity to disrupt physiological mechanisms. In this study, the endocrine disruptive potential of two mixtures, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic oestrogen, or estetrol (E4), a natural oestrogen, with the progestin drospirenone (DRSP) have been characterised in three generations of zebrafish, according to an adapted Medaka Extended One Generation Reproduction Test. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to a range of concentrations of EE2/DRSP and E4/DRSP (∼1×, ∼3×, ∼10× and ∼30× predicted environmental concentration, PEC). Survival, growth, hatching success, fecundity, fertilisation success, vitellogenin (VTG), gonad histopathology, sex differentiation, and transcriptional analysis of genes related to gonadal sex steroid hormones synthesis were assessed. In the F0 generation, exposure to EE2/DRSP at ∼10 and ∼30× PEC decreased fecundity and increased male VTG concentrations. The highest concentration of EE2/DRSP also affected VTG concentrations in female zebrafish and the expression of genes implicated in steroid hormones synthesis. In the F1 generation, sex determination was impaired in fish exposed to EE2/DRSP at concentrations as low as ∼3× PEC. Decreased fecundity and fertility, and abnormal gonadal histopathology were also observed. No effects were observed in the F2 generation. In contrast, E4/DRSP induced only minor histopathological changes and an increase in the proportion of males, at the highest concentration tested (∼30× PEC) in the F1 generation and had no effect on hatching success of F2 generation. Overall, this study suggests that the combination E4/DRSP has a more favourable environmental profile than EE2/DRSP.
Topics: Animals; Zebrafish; Ethinyl Estradiol; Androstenes; Endocrine Disruptors; Female; Male; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Vitellogenins; Reproduction
PubMed: 38678935
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108702