Neurobiology of vertebrate reproduction: neurotransmitter and peptitdergic control systems

脊椎动物繁殖的神经生物学：神经递质和肽能控制系统

• 批准号: 203152-2011
• 负责人: Trudeau, Vance
• 金额: $ 8.8万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=523365
• 关键词: Neurobiology; vertebrate; reproduction; neurotransmitter; peptitdergic

The long-term objective is to understand how the brain and pituitary gland release hormones that control the ovaries and testes in fish. Environmental signals such as light and temperature can regulate reproduction by changing the levels and activities of key genes and hormones. Moreover, many environmental pollutants can disrupt these fine-tuned processes such that fertility is reduced, or reproduction is totally inhibited. We know this because we have used methods that measure thousands of genes and hundreds of proteins in the brain following hormone treatments or experiments where we alter the environmental conditions. In the last few years my laboratory made two compelling recent discoveries in the goldfish model organism that provide the foundation for this proposal. We will specifically study the role of a major neurotransmitter called dopamine, and a novel neuropeptide called secretoneurin. They are key players in a complex pathway leading to the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland. Luteinizing hormone is the essential factor controlling egg production or sperm production, and sex steroid production in vertebrate animals, be they fish, frogs or humans. Moreover, our previous research indicates that the functions of dopamine to inhibit and secretoneurin to stimulate LH appear to be highly similar in fish and mammals. Therefore, the knowledge gained for one model species may help us understand reproduction control mechanisms in other species. On a more practical scale, establishing the factors that regulate LH release may have important applications for controlled reproduction in fish aquaculture. Also very important is that young scientists will conduct this research and get training in state-of-the art techniques. These include methods such as DNA microarrays (the so-called "DNA chip") and proteomics (a high powered method to measure hundreds of proteins at one time). These graduate and undergraduate students will be mentored on career development, will publish their results in scientific journals. They will be highly sought after by academia, industrial research and development organizations, or government research departments.

长期目标是了解大脑和脑垂体如何释放控制鱼类卵巢和睾丸的激素。光和温度等环境信号可以通过改变关键基因和激素的水平和活性来调节生殖。 此外，许多环境污染物会破坏这些微调过程，从而降低生育力，或完全抑制繁殖。 我们知道这一点，因为我们使用的方法测量了激素治疗或改变环境条件的实验后大脑中数千个基因和数百个蛋白质。 在过去的几年里，我的实验室在金鱼模式生物中取得了两项引人注目的新发现，为这一提议提供了基础。 我们将专门研究一种主要的神经递质多巴胺和一种新的神经肽分泌神经素的作用。 它们是导致垂体释放促黄体激素的复杂途径中的关键参与者。 黄体生成素是控制脊椎动物（无论是鱼、青蛙还是人类）卵子产生或精子产生以及性类固醇产生的重要因素。此外，我们以前的研究表明，多巴胺抑制LH和分泌神经磷酸酶刺激LH的功能似乎在鱼类和哺乳动物中高度相似。 因此，一个模式物种获得的知识可能有助于我们了解其他物种的生殖控制机制。 在更实际的规模上，建立调节LH释放的因素可能对鱼类养殖中的控制繁殖具有重要的应用。同样重要的是，年轻的科学家将进行这项研究，并接受最先进技术的培训。 这些方法包括DNA微阵列（所谓的“DNA芯片”）和蛋白质组学（一种同时测量数百种蛋白质的高功率方法）。这些研究生和本科生将接受职业发展方面的指导，并将在科学期刊上发表他们的成果。 它们将受到学术界、工业研究和开发组织或政府研究部门的高度追捧。