Preliminary data on 17alfa-hidroxyprogesterone effect on vitellogenin synthesis in the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus.

FERRÉ, L.E.; MEDESANI, DANIEL A.; RODRÍGUEZ, ENRIQUE M.; PAOLUCCI, MARINA

Atenas

Congreso; The Crustacean Society Summer Meeting - 10th Colloquium Crustacea Decapoda Mediterranea; 2012

The Crustacean Society

Introduction  In crustaceans, female reproduction is governed by a variety of hormonal and neuronal factors which include neuropeptide hormones, such as gonad stimulating hormone (GSH) and vitellogenin inhibiting hormone, terpenoids, such as methyl farnesoate, a stimulator of vitellogenesis; ketosteroids, a large family of steroids such as ecdysteroids, estradiol and progesterone. The regulatory effects  of the vertebrate-type steroids (estradiol and progesterone) on ovarian growth in decapod crustaceans have been reported by several authors. In this study we investigated the role of 17α-hidroxyprogesterone in the reproduction of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus by using vitellogenin as a biomarker. Among crustaceans there is evidence that vitellogenin is synthesized in several tissues including the hepatopancreas and the ovary itself.  Material and methods  In vitro incubations of ovary and hepatopancreas of adult females of  Cherax quadricarinatus in different phases of the reproductive cycle were carried out. 1.5 and 15 µM of 17α-hidroxyprogesterone were tested. Vitellogenin concentration was determined by an ELISA assay with specific antibodies raised against  Cherax quadricarinatus vitellin (Ferré et al., 2011).  Results  Vitellogenin ovarian content significantly (p<0.05) increased during the pre-reproductive period, at the highest 17α-hidroxyprogesterone assayed, while no differences  (p>0.05) were noted in the remaining periods and in the hepatopancreas.   Discussion  Based on our experiments we confirm that the ovary  of the crayfish  Cherax quadricarinatus is actively involved in vitellogenin synthesis. As reported in different species of crayfish, progesterone stimulates vitellogenin synthesis, but only during specific phases of the reproductive cycle (Coccia et al., 2010).    References  Coccia E., De Lisa E., Di Cristo C.,  Di Cosmo A.,  Paolucci M. (2010) Effects of estradiol and progesterone on the reproduction of the freshwater crayfish Cherax albidus. Biol. Bull. 218: 36-47. Ferré L.E., Medesani D.A., García C.F., Grodzielski M., Rodríguez E.M. (2011) Vitellogenin levels in hemolymph, ovary and hepatopancreas of the freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (Decapoda:Parastacidae) during the reproductive cycle. International Journal of Tropical Biology, 60: 253-261.