Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)

In this study, we investigated the effects of cortisol on the regulation of the glycogen metabolism biomarkers glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) in the glycogen-rich cells of the gills of tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>). In the gills of tilapia, GP, GS, and...

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Main Authors: Chien-Yu Wu, Tsung-Han Lee, Deng-Yu Tseng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-05-01
Series:Fishes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/5/267
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author Chien-Yu Wu
Tsung-Han Lee
Deng-Yu Tseng
author_facet Chien-Yu Wu
Tsung-Han Lee
Deng-Yu Tseng
author_sort Chien-Yu Wu
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we investigated the effects of cortisol on the regulation of the glycogen metabolism biomarkers glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) in the glycogen-rich cells of the gills of tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>). In the gills of tilapia, GP, GS, and glycogen were immunocytochemically colocalized in a specific group of glycogen-rich cells adjacent to the gills’ main ionocytes and mitochondria-rich cells. Cortisol plays a vital role in the regulation of physiological functions in animals, including energy metabolism, respiration, immune response, and ion regulation. However, no studies have elucidated the mechanisms regulating cortisol and glycogen-rich cells in the gills. Therefore, we treated tilapia larvae with exogenous cortisol and a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist to investigate the regulatory mechanisms between cortisol and glycogen-rich cells in the gills. Our results showed that cortisol promoted the expression of gill glycogen phosphorylase isoform (GPGG) mRNA via GR, whereas the GS gene expression remained unaffected. We also found that GR mRNA was colocalized with some glycogen-rich cells in the gills, further confirming our hypothesis that cortisol directly acts on glycogen-rich cells in the gills of tilapia and regulates glycogen metabolism by promoting GPGG mRNA expression.
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spelling doaj.art-379305c0b56346228b219e1c873b013d2023-11-18T01:20:03ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882023-05-018526710.3390/fishes8050267Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)Chien-Yu Wu0Tsung-Han Lee1Deng-Yu Tseng2Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402202, TaiwanDepartment of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City 402202, TaiwanDepartment of Biological Sciences and Technology, National University of Tainan, Tainan City 700301, TaiwanIn this study, we investigated the effects of cortisol on the regulation of the glycogen metabolism biomarkers glycogen synthase (GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (GP) in the glycogen-rich cells of the gills of tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>). In the gills of tilapia, GP, GS, and glycogen were immunocytochemically colocalized in a specific group of glycogen-rich cells adjacent to the gills’ main ionocytes and mitochondria-rich cells. Cortisol plays a vital role in the regulation of physiological functions in animals, including energy metabolism, respiration, immune response, and ion regulation. However, no studies have elucidated the mechanisms regulating cortisol and glycogen-rich cells in the gills. Therefore, we treated tilapia larvae with exogenous cortisol and a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist to investigate the regulatory mechanisms between cortisol and glycogen-rich cells in the gills. Our results showed that cortisol promoted the expression of gill glycogen phosphorylase isoform (GPGG) mRNA via GR, whereas the GS gene expression remained unaffected. We also found that GR mRNA was colocalized with some glycogen-rich cells in the gills, further confirming our hypothesis that cortisol directly acts on glycogen-rich cells in the gills of tilapia and regulates glycogen metabolism by promoting GPGG mRNA expression.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/5/267cortisolglycogen-rich cellglycogen phosphorylaseglycogen synthaseionocytesglucocorticoid receptor
spellingShingle Chien-Yu Wu
Tsung-Han Lee
Deng-Yu Tseng
Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
Fishes
cortisol
glycogen-rich cell
glycogen phosphorylase
glycogen synthase
ionocytes
glucocorticoid receptor
title Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
title_full Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
title_fullStr Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
title_full_unstemmed Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
title_short Glucocorticoid Receptor Mediates Cortisol Regulation of Glycogen Metabolism in Gills of the Euryhaline Tilapia (<i>Oreochromis mossambicus</i>)
title_sort glucocorticoid receptor mediates cortisol regulation of glycogen metabolism in gills of the euryhaline tilapia i oreochromis mossambicus i
topic cortisol
glycogen-rich cell
glycogen phosphorylase
glycogen synthase
ionocytes
glucocorticoid receptor
url https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/8/5/267
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AT tsunghanlee glucocorticoidreceptormediatescortisolregulationofglycogenmetabolismingillsoftheeuryhalinetilapiaioreochromismossambicusi
AT dengyutseng glucocorticoidreceptormediatescortisolregulationofglycogenmetabolismingillsoftheeuryhalinetilapiaioreochromismossambicusi