Abstract
The cortisol stress response and the molecular programming of the corticoid axis were characterized for the first time during early ontogeny in a Mediterranean marine teleost, the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Sea bass embryos, pre-larvae and larvae at specific points of development were exposed to acute stressors and the temporal patterns of cortisol whole body concentrations and the expression of genes involved in corticosteroid biosynthesis, degradation and signaling were determined. Expression of genes (gr1, gr2, mr, crf) involved into the corticoid response regulation combined with histological data indicated that, although a cortisol stress response is evident for the first time around first feeding, a pattern becomes established in larvae at flexion until the formation of all fins. Moreover, mRNA transcript levels of 11β-hydroxylase and 11β-hsd2 showed a strong correlation with the whole body cortisol concentrations. Concluding, our data reveal the presence of an adaptive mechanism in European sea bass at early ontogeny enabling to cope with external stressful stimuli and provide a better insight into the onset and regulation of the stress response in this species.
Highlights
Ontogenesis of the HPI axis and molecular regulation of the cortisol stress response during early development in Dicentrarchus labrax
We examined the temporal patterns of cortisol and genes related to the corticosteroid signaling, corticosteroid synthesis (11b-hydroxylase) and cortisol metabolism or inactivation (11b-hsd2) at various stages during early ontogeny in order to assess the ontogenesis of the corticosteroid-signaling pathway
These results are in agreement with results obtained in this study as well as in studies in Japanese flounder[16], tilapia[38], rainbow trout[25], Asian sea bass[39], common carp[33], gilthead sea bream[27], Atlantic salmon[40], zebrafish[28], and in previous work in E. sea bass[30]
Summary
Ontogenesis of the HPI axis and molecular regulation of the cortisol stress response during early development in Dicentrarchus labrax. The cortisol stress response and the molecular programming of the corticoid axis were characterized for the first time during early ontogeny in a Mediterranean marine teleost, the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Marine teleosts undergo dramatic changes in morphology, growth and www.nature.com/scientificreports metabolism in order to accomplish their metamorphosis into juvenile fish. Throughout this period, cortisol regulates osmoregulatory function[21,22] and is implicated in the metamorphosis from larvae to juveniles[23,24]
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