Chauvigné François, Ollé Judith, González Wendy, Duncan Neil, Giménez Ignacio, Cerdà Joan
Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA)-Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.
IRTA, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain.
PLoS One. 2017 Mar 22;12(3):e0174387. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174387. eCollection 2017.
Captive flatfishes, such as the Senegalese sole, typically produce very low volumes of sperm. This situation is particularly prevalent in the first generation (F1) of reared sole males, which limits the development of artificial fertilization methods and the implementation of selective breeding programs. In this study, we investigated whether combined treatments with homologous recombinant follicle-stimulating (rFsh) and luteinizing (rLh) hormones, produced in a mammalian host system, could stimulate spermatogenesis and enhance sperm production in Senegalese sole F1 males. In an initial autumn/winter experiment, weekly intramuscular injections with increasing doses of rFsh over 9 weeks resulted in the stimulation of gonad weight, androgen release, germ cell proliferation and entry into meiosis, and the expression of different spermatogenesis-related genes, whereas a subsequent single rLh injection potentiated spermatozoa differentiation. In a second late winter/spring trial corresponding to the sole's natural prespawning and spawning periods, we tested the effect of repeated rLh injections on the amount and quality of sperm produced by males previously treated with rFsh for 4, 6, 8 or 10 weeks. These latter results showed that the combination of rFsh and rLh treatments could increase sperm production up to 7 times, and slightly improve the motility of the spermatozoa, although a high variability in the response was found. However, sustained administration of rFsh during spawning markedly diminished Leydig cell survival and the steroidogenic potential of the testis. These data suggest that in vivo application of rFsh and rLh is effective at stimulating spermatogenesis and sperm production in Senegalese sole F1 males, setting the basis for the future establishment of recombinant gonadotropin-based hormone therapies to ameliorate reproductive dysfunctions of this species.
圈养的比目鱼，如塞内加尔鳎，通常产生的精子量非常低。这种情况在养殖的鳎雄性第一代（F1）中尤为普遍，这限制了人工受精方法的发展和选择性育种计划的实施。在本研究中，我们调查了在哺乳动物宿主系统中产生的同源重组促卵泡激素（rFsh）和促黄体生成素（rLh）联合处理是否能刺激塞内加尔鳎F1雄性的精子发生并提高精子产量。在最初的秋冬实验中，在9周内每周肌肉注射递增剂量的rFsh，导致性腺重量增加、雄激素释放、生殖细胞增殖并进入减数分裂，以及不同精子发生相关基因的表达，而随后单次注射rLh则增强了精子分化。在与鳎自然产卵前和产卵期相对应的第二个冬末/春初试验中，我们测试了重复注射rLh对先前用rFsh处理4、6、8或10周的雄性产生的精子数量和质量的影响。后一组结果表明，rFsh和rLh联合处理可使精子产量增加多达7倍，并略微提高精子的活力，尽管发现反应存在高度变异性。然而，在产卵期间持续施用rFsh会显著降低睾丸间质细胞的存活率和睾丸的类固醇生成潜力。这些数据表明，rFsh和rLh的体内应用在刺激塞内加尔鳎F1雄性的精子发生和精子产生方面是有效的，为未来建立基于重组促性腺激素的激素疗法以改善该物种的生殖功能障碍奠定了基础。
