losartan-potassium and Fish-Diseases

Aquatic hypoxia is both a naturally-occurring and anthropogenically-generated event. Fish species have evolved different adaptations to cope with hypoxic environments, including gill modifications and air breathing. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in the respiration of embryonic and larval fishes during critical windows of development. We assessed expression of the genes hif-1α, fih-1, nhe1, epo, gr and il8 using the developing tropical gar as a piscine model during three developmental periods (fertilization to hatch, 1 to 6 days post hatch (dph) and 7 to 12 dph) when exposed to normoxia (~7.43 mg/L DO), hypoxia (~2.5 mg/L DO) or hyperoxia (~9.15 mg/L DO). All genes had higher expression when fish were exposed to either hypoxia or hyperoxia during the first two developmental periods. However, fish continuously exposed to hypoxia had increased expression of the six genes by hatching and 6 dph, and by 12 dph only hif-1α still had increased expression. The middle developmental period was the most hypoxia-sensitive, coinciding with several changes in physiology and morphology. The oldest larvae were the most resilient to gene expression change, with little variation in expression of the six genes compared. This study is the first to relate the molecular response of an air-breathing fish to oxygen availability to developmental critical windows and contributes to our understanding of some molecular responses of developing fish to changes in oxygen availability.

Topics: Animals; Aquaculture; Erythropoietin; Female; Fish Diseases; Fish Proteins; Fishes; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Hyperoxia; Hypoxia; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; Interleukin-8; Male; Receptors, Glucocorticoid; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchanger 1

Erythropoietic responses of fed and starved species of teleosts, viz., Clarias batrachus and Heteropneustes fossilis, to human urinary erythropoietin and thyroxine have been examined. The effects of these hormones on energy reserves have also been evaluated. Twenty-four C. batrachus were divided into two groups: half were fed regularly; the remaining fish were starved 20 days. On the 21st day each group was further divided into three subgroups of four each and received either saline, thyroxine (8 micrograms), or erythropoietin (6 IU) over 4 consecutive days. The experimental protocol was identical for H. fossilis; however, for H. fossilis two identical studies were conducted approximately 1 year apart. A decline in the rate of erythropoiesis and a stimulatory response to human urinary erythropoietin followed starvation in both species of teleosts. In addition, erythropoietin had a pronounced effect on hepatic glycogenesis of fed H. fossilis and stimulated erythropoiesis in the fed teleosts of both species. Prolonged starvation drastically depleted hepatic glycogen in C. batrachus. In contrast, it had no effect on hepatic glycogen in H. fossilis and on muscle glycogen and protein in both species. In general, while both species could respond to erythropoietin and withstand prolonged starvation, H. fossilis alone exhibited remarkable tolerance to fasting.

Topics: Animals; Energy Metabolism; Erythrocyte Count; Erythropoietin; Fish Diseases; Fishes; Food; Glycogen; Hematocrit; Hemoglobins; Liver Glycogen; Muscle Proteins; Muscles; Starvation; Thyroxine