Feedback regulation of 17β-estradiol on two kisspeptin genes in the Dabry's sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus)

Abstract In tetrapods, kisspeptins are a group of peptides that play essential roles in the regulation of the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion, and may participate in the feedback regulation of sex steroids as well. In this study, two kiss paralogs, designated as dskiss1 and dskiss2 were identified in Acipenser dabryanus . The full-length cDNA sequences of dskiss1 and dskiss2 are 1265 and 744 base pairs (bp), encoding 130 and 146 amino acids, respectively. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that both Kiss1 and Kiss2 decapeptides were highly conserved among vertebrates. Besides, Kiss1 of Dabry's sturgeon shared closer evolutionary relationship with the holostean species spotted gar ( Lepisosteus oculatus ), while Kiss2 of Acipenser dabryanus was conservatively grouped with the early sarcopterygian coelacanth ( Latimeria chalumnae ) in the phylogenetic analysis. Tissue distribution analysis showed that dskiss1 transcribed exclusively in the brain, whereas dskiss2 exhibited wider tissue distribution including brain, testis and ovary. Furthermore, male Dabry's sturgeons were intraperitoneally injected with 17β-estradiol (E2) and the effect of E2 on hypothalamus kiss and its receptors kissr mRNA levels was evaluated by relative real-time PCR. The transcription levels of dskiss2 and dskissr1 were significantly increased by E2 injection ( P dskiss1 and dskissr2 were not changed in E2-treated group compared to the control group. These results indicate that E2 exerts positive feedback effects through dskiss2 / dskissr1 in male Dabry's sturgeon.