Expression of gonadotropin alpha, follicle-stimulating hormone beta, and luteinizing hormone beta genes of the hermaphroditic fish Kryptolebias marmoratus exposed to octylphenol, 17beta estradiol, and tamoxifen.

In order to study the expression of the gonadotropin alpha subunit and beta subunit [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-beta and luteinizing hormone (LH)-beta] cDNAs in the hermaphroditic fish Kryptolebias marmoratus, we cloned these genes and analyzed their modulatory effects in the brain/pituitary tissue after exposure to 17beta estradiol (E2), tamoxifen (TMX), and octyphenol. Gonadotropin beta subunit (FSH-beta and LH-beta) showed E2-dependent upregulation in most hermaphrodites, whereas TMX did not show elevated expression. Octyphenol also showed a similar effect of upregulation on FSH-beta expression but not for the LH-beta gene. These results suggest that the expression of FSH-beta and LH-beta in K. marmoratus is associated with their expression on endocrine-disrupting chemicals in this species.