ABSTRACT
The oviduct of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) expands specifically during prehibernation instead of in the breeding period. In this study, we investigated the expression of leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) in Rana dybowskii oviduct during the breeding period and prehibernation. Histologically, the oviduct of Rana dybowskii consists of glandular cells, tubule lumen, and epithelial cells. The oviductal weight and pipe diameter also revealed significant differences, which were higher in prehibernation than that of the breeding period. Ob-Rb was observed in stromal cells of oviductal tissue in both the breeding period and prehibernation. The mean protein and mRNA levels of the Ob-Rb were significantly higher in prehibernation as compared with the breeding period. In addition, oviductal content of leptin was also higher in prehibernation than that of the breeding period. These results suggested that oviduct of Rana dybowskii might be a target organ of leptin, and leptin may play an autocrine/paracrine role mediated by Ob-Rb in regulating the oviductal hypertrophy during prehibernation.
Subject(s)
Amphibian Proteins/metabolism , Oviducts/metabolism , Ranidae/metabolism , Receptors, Leptin/metabolism , Amphibian Proteins/genetics , Animals , Breeding , Female , Gene Expression Regulation , Hibernation , Organ Size , Oviducts/anatomy & histology , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Ranidae/anatomy & histology , Ranidae/genetics , Receptors, Leptin/genetics , ReproductionABSTRACT
The cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) mediates a wide range of inflammatory and immune responses. Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNF-α) has a myriad of pro-inflammatory effects on the skin. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) is a transcriptional factor that regulates a battery of genes that are critical to immune system. In this study, we investigated the localizations and expression levels of IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB in the skin of Rana dybowskii during the breeding period and pre-hibernation. Histologically, the skin of Rana dybowskii consisted of epidermis and dermis. Four kinds of cells were identified in the epidermis, while the dermis was composed of homogenous gel, mucous glands and granular glands. IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB were immunolocalized in the epithelial and glandular cells in both periods. Western blotting showed that IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB were significantly higher in the pre-hibernation compared to the breeding period. Real- Time PCR revealed that the relative mRNA levels of IL-6 and NB-κB in the pre-hibernation increased significantly compared with the breeding period, while the TNF-α mRNA expression levels were not significantly different between these two periods. These results suggested that IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB might collectively be involved in the skin immune system of Rana dybowskii during the breeding period and pre-hibernation.
Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation/immunology , Interleukin-6/genetics , NF-kappa B/genetics , Ranidae/genetics , Ranidae/immunology , Skin/immunology , Animals , Blotting, Western , RNA/genetics , RNA/metabolism , Real-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
The cytokine interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) is an evolutionarily conserved molecule that was originally identified in the immune system. Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) plays a critical role in the activation of immune cells by upregulating the expression of many cytokines. In this study, we investigated the localization and expression level of IL-1ß, its functional membrane receptor type I (IL-1R1) and NF-κB in the skin of Rana dybowskii during the breeding period and pre-hibernation. Histologically, the skin of Rana dybowskii consists of epidermis and dermis, and four kinds of cells were identified in the epidermis during the breeding period and pre-hibernation, while the dermis was composed of homogenous gel, mucous glands and granular glands. IL-1ß, IL-1R1 and NF-κB were immunolocalized in the epithelial and glandular cells in both periods. Western blotting showed that there was no significant difference in the expression of IL-1ß between the breeding period and pre-hibernation, whereas IL-1R1 and NF-κB were significantly higher in the pre-hibernation compared to the breeding period. These results suggested that IL-1ß and NF-κB may collectively play important roles in the skin immune system of Rana dybowskii during the breeding period and pre-hibernation.
Subject(s)
Dermis/immunology , Epidermis/immunology , Immunity, Innate , Interleukin-1beta/immunology , NF-kappa B/immunology , Receptors, Interleukin-1 Type I/immunology , Animals , Dermis/ultrastructure , Epidermis/ultrastructure , Epithelial Cells/immunology , Epithelial Cells/ultrastructure , Female , Gene Expression Regulation , Hibernation/genetics , Hibernation/immunology , Immunohistochemistry , Interleukin-1beta/genetics , Male , NF-kappa B/genetics , Ranidae , Receptors, Interleukin-1 Type I/genetics , Reproduction/genetics , Reproduction/immunologyABSTRACT
The Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) has one special physiological phenomenon, which is that its oviduct expands prior to hibernation rather than in the breeding period. In this study, we investigated the immunolocalization and expression levels of prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2, as well as one of its receptor subtypes 4 (EP4) in the oviduct of Rana dybowskii during the pre-hibernation and breeding period. PGE2, COX-1, COX-2 and EP4 have been observed in glandular and epithelial cells in the breeding period, whereas only in the epithelial cells during the pre-hibernation. Consistently, the protein levels of COX-2 and EP4 were higher in the pre-hibernation as compared to the breeding period, but the diversity of COX-1 was not obvious. In addition, oviductal PGE2 concentration was also significantly higher in the pre-hibernation. These results suggested that prostaglandin-E2 may play an important autocrine or paracrine role in oviductal cell proliferation and differentiation of Rana dybowskii during pre-hibernation.
