| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927830 | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications | 2016 | 5 Pages |
•GnIH and melatonin was significantly decreased during the sex change process.•GnIH and melatonin receptor proteins were co-expressed in the hypothalamus.•GnIH and melatonin plays an important role in the negative regulation of maturation during sex change.
The present study aimed to determine the relationship between melatonin and gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and their effect on reproduction in cinnamon clownfish, Amphiprion melanopus. Accordingly, we investigated the expression pattern of GnIH, GnIH receptor (GnIH-R), and melatonin receptor (MT-R1) mRNA and protein, as well as the plasma levels of melatonin, during sex change in cinnamon clownfish. We found that GnIH and MT-R1 mRNA and melatonin activity were higher in fish with mature brain than in fish with developing gonads, and using double immunofluorescence staining, we found that both GnIH and MT-R1 proteins were co-expressed in the hypothalamus of cinnamon clownfish. These findings support the hypothesis that melatonin plays an important role in the negative regulation of maturation and GnIH regulation during reproduction.
