Regulation of ovarian steroidogenesis in vitro by gonadotropin in common carp Cyprinus carpio: interaction between calcium- and adenylate cyclase-dependent pathways and involvement of ERK signaling cascade.

Multiple signal transduction pathways mediating gonadotropin-induced testosterone and 17β-estradiol (E(2)) production were identified in carp ovarian theca and granulosa cells in short-term co-incubation. Inhibitors of voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) and calmodulin attenuated human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)-induced steroid production, whereas modulators of adenylate cyclase and protein kinase A (PKA) increased their production, indicating that both calcium- and PKA-dependent pathways are involved in the regulation of gonadotropin-induced steroidogenesis in carp ovary. Interactions between these two pathways are evident from the positive effect of elevated intracellular calcium on HCG-induced steroid production and the reduction of forskolin (FK)- and dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP)-induced steroidogenesis by inhibitors of VSCCs and calmodulin. In this study, we found the involvement of a third signaling pathway, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase), in the regulation of gonadal steroidogenesis in this fish. An antagonist of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 1/2 (MEK1/2; also known as MAP2K1/MAP2K2) markedly attenuated HCG-induced steroid production. Cells treated with HCG stimulated MEK1/2-dependent phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERKs1/2) in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Moreover, ERK1/2 activation in cells was mimicked by FK and dbcAMP suggesting that ERK1/2 transduce signal downstream of PKA in HCG-induced ovarian steroidogenesis. Evidence for presence of cross talk between calcium-dependent pathways and this MAP kinase cascade has been shown by demonstrating the inhibitory effects of verapamil and calmodulin on ERK1/2 activation after HCG stimulation. Our results suggest that activation of ERK1/2 by HCG as well as other agents may be a key mechanism for the modulation of gonadotropin-induced steroidogenesis in carp ovary.