Mechanism of hypoxia down-regulation of reproductive neuroendocrine function in Atlantic croaker.

缺氧下调大西洋黄花鱼生殖神经内分泌功能的机制。

• 批准号: 1119242
• 负责人: Peter Thomas
• 金额: $ 51万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1119242&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Mechanism; hypoxia; down; regulation; reproductive

Recently there has been a dramatic increase in the number and size of low oxygen (hypoxia) regions in coastal waters worldwide due to human activities, but the long-term impacts of this global change on coastal fisheries and ecosystems are unknown. Marked reductions in egg production and hormone levels are found in Atlantic croaker collected from hypoxic coastal regions which are associated with inhibition of the brain hormone controlling reproduction, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). These studies suggest hypoxia may target three enzymes in the brain critical for GnRH function, tryptophan hydroxylase, aromatase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase. This project will test the hypothesis that all three enzymes in croaker brains are altered by hypoxia exposure through a specific mechanism resulting in down-regulation of GnRH and reproductive functions. The results are expected to show, for the first time in any vertebrate, the existence of a specific brain mechanism by which hypoxia prevents reproduction as an adaptive mechanism to conserve energy. The results will be valuable for making policy, management and regulatory decisions by resource protection agencies. Undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers, including underrepresented Hispanic minorities, will conduct independent projects and receive training on all aspects of the research and its analysis, the results of which will be communicated via different media to the general public, high school students, teachers and scientific community. Trainees will be taught how their basic research findings can be utilized to benefit society by developing their skills in recognizing the potential broader societal impacts of their research.

最近，由于人类活动，全球沿海沃茨低氧（缺氧）区域的数量和面积急剧增加，但这种全球变化对沿海渔业和生态系统的长期影响尚不清楚。在从低氧沿海地区收集的大西洋黄鱼中发现了产蛋量和激素水平的显著降低，这与控制生殖的脑激素、促性腺激素释放激素（GnRH）的抑制有关。这些研究表明，缺氧可能针对脑中对GnRH功能至关重要的三种酶，色氨酸羟化酶，芳香化酶和神经元型一氧化氮合酶。该项目将测试这一假设，即通过特定机制导致GnRH和生殖功能下调，通过缺氧暴露改变了黄鱼大脑中的所有三种酶。这些结果有望首次在脊椎动物中表明，存在一种特定的大脑机制，通过这种机制，缺氧可以阻止繁殖，作为一种保存能量的适应机制。研究结果将对资源保护机构制定政策、管理和监管决策具有参考价值。本科生，研究生和博士后研究人员，包括代表性不足的西班牙裔少数民族，将进行独立的项目，并接受研究及其分析的各个方面的培训，其结果将通过不同的媒体传达给公众，高中生，教师和科学界。学员将学习如何利用他们的基础研究成果，通过发展他们的技能，认识到他们的研究的潜在更广泛的社会影响，造福社会。