The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China; Qinhuangdao Marine Environmental Monitoring Central Station of SOA, Qinhuangdao 066002, PR China.
The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2024 Oct;243:106594. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106594. Epub 2024 Jul 29.
The estrogen receptor (ER), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, is critical for vertebrate reproduction. However, its role in bivalves is not well understood, with ongoing debates regarding its function in regulating reproduction similarly to vertebrates. To investigate ER's function, we conducted a 21-day RNA interference experiment focusing on its role in gonadal development in bivalves. Histological analyses revealed that ER inhibition significantly suppressed ovarian development in females and, conversely, promoted gonadal development in males. Additionally, levels of 17β-estrogen (E2) were markedly reduced in the gonads of both sexes following ER suppression. Transcriptomic analysis from RNA-seq of testes and ovaries after ER interference showed changes in the expression of key genes such as Vtg, CYP17, 3β-HSD, and 17β-HSD. These genes are involved in the estrogen signaling pathway and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Furthermore, ER suppression significantly affected the expression of genes linked to gametogenesis and the reproductive cycle. Our findings highlight ER's crucial, yet complex and sex-specific roles in gonadal development in bivalves, emphasizing the need for further detailed studies.
雌激素受体（ER）是一种配体依赖性转录因子，对脊椎动物的繁殖至关重要。然而，其在双壳类动物中的作用尚不清楚，关于其在调节繁殖方面与脊椎动物相似的功能仍存在争议。为了研究 ER 的功能，我们进行了为期 21 天的 RNA 干扰实验，重点研究其在双壳类动物性腺发育中的作用。组织学分析表明，ER 抑制显著抑制了雌性的卵巢发育，而相反地，促进了雄性的性腺发育。此外，ER 抑制后，雌雄两性的性腺中 17β-雌二醇（E2）水平明显降低。对 ER 干扰后睾丸和卵巢的 RNA-seq 转录组分析显示，关键基因如 Vtg、CYP17、3β-HSD 和 17β-HSD 的表达发生了变化。这些基因参与雌激素信号通路和类固醇激素生物合成。此外，ER 抑制还显著影响了与配子发生和生殖周期相关的基因的表达。我们的研究结果强调了 ER 在双壳类动物性腺发育中具有重要而复杂的性别特异性作用，需要进一步的详细研究。
