The maturation-inducing hormone 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one regulates gene expression of inhibin βA and bambi (bone morphogenetic protein and activin-membrane-bound inhibitor) in the rainbow trout ovary

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) superfamily members are important paracrine and autocrine regulators of ovarian development and steroidogenesis in mammals and birds, but their reproductive roles in fish are not well understood. The activin system, Tgfb, and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15) participate in the regulation of follicle maturation in some fish species. In addition, transcript levels of TGFβ superfamily members and their inhibitor, bambi (bmp and activin-membrane-bound inhibitor), change in the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ovary during reproductive development including the transition from vitellogenesis to follicle maturation. The objective of the present study was to determine if the maturation-inducing hormone (MIH) in trout, 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one, regulates gene expression of TGFβ superfamily members and their inhibitors. Transcript levels of inhibin βA subunit (inhba) were increased and bambi decreased in isolated follicles incubated overnight without hormones compared to abundance in freshly excised tissues from the same fish, suggesting systemic factors influenced transcript abundance. Incubation with MIH decreased inhba and increased bambi expression in a dose-dependant manner and MIH was the most potent steroid examined. The transcripts’ responses to incubation with and without MIH were observed in maturationally competent follicles, which are follicles competent to resume meiosis in response to MIH, and incompetent follicles, although the responses to MIH were greater in competent follicles. In summary, MIH regulates inhba and bambi expression in a stage specific manner supporting a role for MIH regulation of the TGFβ superfamily system and participation of the TGFβ superfamily system in the regulation of follicle maturation in rainbow trout.