Real-time PCR array to study effects of chemicals on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal axis of the Japanese medaka.

This paper describes the development and validation of a PCR array for studying chemical-induced effects on gene expression of selected endocrine pathways along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis of the small, oviparous fish, the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). The Japanese medaka HPG-PCR array combines the quantitative performance of SYBR Green-based real-time PCR with the multiple gene profiling capabilities of a microarray to examine expression profiles of 36 genes associated with endocrine pathways in brain, liver and gonad. The performance of the Japanese medaka HPG-PCR array was evaluated by examining effects of two model compounds, the synthetic estrogen, 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) and the anabolic androgen, 17beta-trenbolone (TRB) on the HPG axis of the Japanese medaka. Four-month-old medaka was exposed to three concentrations of EE2 (5, 50, 500 ng/L) or TRB (50, 500, 5000 ng/L) for 7d in a static renewal exposure system. A pathway-based approach was implemented to analyze and visualize concentration-dependent mRNA expression in the HPG axis of Japanese medaka. The compensatory response to EE2 exposure included the down-regulation of male brain GnRH RI and testicular CYP17. The down-regulation of AR-alpha expression in brain of EE2-exposed males was associated with suppression of male sexual behavior. Compensatory responses to TRB in the female HPG axis included up-regulation of brain GnRH RII and ovary steroidogenic CYP19A. Overall, the results suggested that the Japanese medaka HPG-PCR array has potential not only as a screening tool of potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals but also in elucidating mechanisms of action.