The involvement of PDGF/VEGF related factor in regulation of immune and neuroendocrine in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

•The full-length cDNA of EsPVF1 was cloned from Chinese mitten crab.•The EsPVF1 mRNA was expressed in hemocytes and gonad with the higher levels.•The EsPVF1 mRNA was induced after microorganism challenge and tissue injury.•EsPVF1 could significantly provoke the release of norepinephrine and dopamine.

Members of the platelet-derived growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor (PDGF/VEGF) family have been implicated in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and cell migration, vascular development, angiogenesis and neural development. In the present study, a novel PDGF/VEGF related factor gene was cloned and identified in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis (designated as EsPVF1). The full-length cDNA of EsPVF1 was of 1173 bp, consisting a 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of 54 bp, a 3′ UTR of 1131 bp with a poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 588 bp encoding 196 amino acid residues. A signal peptide of 20 amino acid residues, a PDGF/VEGF homology growth factor domain of 81 amino acids, and a typical cysteine knot motif (CXCXC) were identified in the deduced amino acid sequence of EsPVF1. By fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR, the EsPVF1 mRNA was detected ubiquitously in the select tissues of hemocytes, gonad, heart, muscle, hepatopancreas and gill, with the high abundance in hemocytes and gonad. The mRNA expression level of EsPVF1 was up-regulated and reached the highest at 24 h after Vibrio anguillarum challenge, while it was induced at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h compared with the untreated group after Pichia pastoris GS115 challenge. Tissue injury also induced the mRNA expression of EsPVF1 in hemocytes of crabs, and the expression level increased obviously at 8 h. The cDNA fragment encoding mature peptide of EsPVF1 was recombined and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. Biogenic amine in hemolymph pre-incubated with recombinant protein of EsPVF1 (rEsPVF1) was detected by fluorimetric method. Norepinephrine and dopamine in hemolymph incubated with rEsPVF1 were higher than that in the blank group. Therefore, EsPVF1 could significantly provoke the release of norepinephrine and dopamine. The results collectively indicated that EsPVF1 was involved in regulation of the immune response and neuroendocrine system in crabs.