Hepatic insulin-like growth factor binding protein (igfbp) responses to food restriction in Atlantic salmon smolts

• The growth hormone (Gh)/insulin-like growth-factor (Igf) system plays a central role in the regulation of growth in fishes. However, the roles of Igf binding proteins (Igfbps) in coordinating responses to food availability are unresolved, especially in anadromous fishes preparing for seaward migration. We assayed plasma Gh, Igf1, thyroid hormones and cortisol along with igfbp mRNA levels in fasted and fed Atlantic salmon (Salmo solar). Fish were fasted for 3 or 10 days near the peak of smoltification (late April to early May). Fasting reduced plasma glucose by 3 days and condition factor by 10 days. Plasma Gh, cortisol, and thyroxine (T-4) were not altered in response to fasting, whereas Igf1 and 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T-3) were slightly higher and lower than controls, respectively. Hepatic igfbp1b1, -1b2, -2a,-2b1 and -2b2 mRNA levels were not responsive to fasting, but there were marked increases in igfbp1a1 following 3 and 10 days of fasting. Fasting did not alter hepatic igf1 or igf2; however, muscle igf1 was diminished by 10 days of fasting. There were no signs that fasting compromised branchial ionoregulatory functions, as indicated by unchanged Na+/K+-ATPase activity and ion pump/transporter mRNA levels. We conclude that dynamic hepatic igfbp1a1 and muscle igf1 expression participate in the modulation of Gh/Igf signaling in smolts undergoing catabolism.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Insulin-like growth-factor

Binding proteins

Growth hormone

Atlantic salmon

Liver

Fasting

trout oncorhynchus-mykiss

messenger-rna expression

rainbow-trout

coho

salmon

factor-i

skeletal-muscle

gene-expression

post-smolts

na

k

2cl(-) cotransporter

transcriptional regulation

Endocrinology & Metabolism

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)