Transcriptome analysis of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) provides insights into the ovarian maturation related genes and pathways in response to LHRH-A and dopamine inhibitors induction

Abstract Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (LHRH-A) and dopamine inhibitors have been widely used to induce oocyte maturation and ovulation in domesticated fishes. Although this approach represents a reliable method for regulating fish reproduction, the underlying molecular mechanisms mediating LH action are largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to determine the transcriptional profile of gene programming in hormone-treated common carp. In the present study, female common carp were intraperitoneally injected with LHRH-A together with dopamine inhibitors, and control fish were injected with saline. Ovarian morphological changes were analysed by both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, gene expression profiling of the brain and ovarian tissues was performed by Illumina sequencing. Compared to the control carp, hormone treatment resulted in morphological changes including disappearance of nuclear membrane, breakdown of germinal vesicle (GVBD), and fusion of yolk globules, reflecting that hormones significantly promoted oocyte maturation. In comparison to control, we have identified 867 and 9,053 differentially expressed genes in the hormone-treated female brain and ovary, respectively. In the brain, most of the identified genes were significantly enriched in 18 KEGG pathways. In the ovarian tissue, the identified genes were significantly involved in 9 pathways. In the hormone-treated carp, genes were involved in calcium signalling pathway, cAMP signalling pathway, insulin secretion, and oxidative phosphorylation pathway, which showed obvious associations with ovarian maturation. The present study provides transcriptomic information for hormone-treated carp, which might be useful for studying the endocrine regulation and mechanisms of ovarian maturation in domesticated fishes.