General and comparative endocrinology最新文献

{"title":"In memoriam: Dr. Erika M. Plisetskaya: December 8, 1929-August 7, 2026.","authors":"Jeffrey Silverstein, Cunming Duan, Mark Sheridan, Joaquin Gutierrez","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":" ","pages":"115002"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148887268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuronal control of hatching in fish: An emerging perspective","authors":"Deodatta S. Gajbhiye,&nbsp;Matan Golan","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hatching is a critical developmental transition during which an organism emerges from the protection of the egg into a different external environment. To date, most studies have focused on the environmental factors that affect hatching and the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying hatching enzyme secretion and chorion digestion, whereas the neuronal and sensory mechanisms that initiate and coordinate hatching remain poorly understood across the animal kingdom. Following our finding of a hatching hormone in fish, we present here a perspective on the neuroendocrine regulation of hatching, highlighting neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and sensory mechanisms that may regulate this process, with particular emphasis on fishes. This mini-review is meant to create further interest in the neuronal basis of hatching and encourage future studies to uncover the neural circuits and mechanisms that integrate environmental cues to regulate this dramatic developmental transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"386 ","pages":"Article 115024"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149148280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating genomics and endocrinology to investigate prolactin dysregulation in female African Savannah elephants housed in north American zoos","authors":"Jennifer T. Gregory,&nbsp;Jesús E. Maldonado,&nbsp;Janine L. Brown,&nbsp;Nancy R. McInerney,&nbsp;Rebekah Rogers,&nbsp;Michael G. Campana,&nbsp;Natalia A. Prado","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainability of the captive African savannah elephant (<em>Loxodonta africana</em>) population in the United States has reached a critical point and is no longer viable under current conditions. A major contributing factor is the high proportion of reproductively aged female African savannah elephants that are not cycling due to prolactin dysregulation (hyperprolactinemia). Because prolactin secretion plays a key role in normal ovarian function in mammals, its dysregulation can negatively affect both individual health and overall reproductive success. No treatments for this condition are currently known in elephants. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genomic variants associated with hyperprolactinemia in a cohort of 95 female African elephants in the North American zoo population; however, no variants were significantly associated with either cyclicity or prolactin status. Potential reasons for this outcome include limited sample size, genetic heterogeneity of the trait, and complex interactions between environment and reproductive outcomes. The lack of significant SNP associations underscores the complexity of prolactin dysregulation in elephants and the need for larger, more comprehensive studies, including the investigation of DNA methylation and gene expression to assess environmental or social influences on gene expression. These findings provide a foundation for future research on prolactin disorders in African elephants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115017"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glycoprotein hormone GPA2/GPB5: discoveries and insights from invertebrates","authors":"Areej N. Al-Dailami,&nbsp;Ian Orchard,&nbsp;Angela B. Lange","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vertebrate thyrostimulin and the other classical pituitary glycoprotein hormones are considered to have originated from a common ancestral hormone system early in Metazoan evolution. The invertebrate glycoprotein hormone, GPA2/GPB5, is the homolog of vertebrate thyrostimulin, and the only member of these glycoprotein hormones to be found in invertebrates. This review focuses on the GPA2/GPB5 signaling pathway in invertebrates, outlining its evolutionary origin and conservation, discovery, distribution, including receptor localization, and physiological relevance. Although the physiological roles of GPA2/GPB5 in invertebrates have only recently been investigated, the emerging evidence supports functions like that in the vertebrates, namely stress responses, development, and reproduction. In particular, the signaling pathway appears to act as an endocrine “switch” to integrate complex physiological processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115014"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148944625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Creb function is critical for hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced catch-up growth and the associated maintenance of neural crest cells in zebrafish embryos","authors":"Aira Sasaki,&nbsp;Yuto Nakagawa,&nbsp;Genki Yamagishi,&nbsp;Taiki Nagaya,&nbsp;Isao Kobayashi,&nbsp;Shin-Ichiro Takahashi,&nbsp;Naoko Hattori,&nbsp;Hiroyasu Kamei","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animal growth progresses under favorable conditions; however, it slows when environmental conditions deteriorate. Conversely, when unfavorable conditions are removed, growth accelerates, and underdeveloped animals rapidly catch up to age-equivalent body size. This process is known as “catch-up growth”, yet its molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Zebrafish embryos temporarily exposed to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation exhibit catch-up growth, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (Mapk) signaling plays essential roles in this growth spurt. Here, we show that a Mapk-target transcription factor, cAMP response element-binding protein (Creb), is indispensable for catch-up growth. Pharmacological inhibition of Creb significantly slowed the reoxygenation-induced catch-up growth but had a limited effect on normal growth in embryos that had never experienced hypoxia/reoxygenation. Although Creb had only a minor effect on cell proliferation, it significantly affected the expression of genes involved in the maintenance and differentiation of neural crest cells (NCCs) and their derivatives in the reoxygenated embryos. In addition, continued Creb blockade clearly affected the growth of pharyngeal and mandibular skeletons, which are largely derived from cranial NCCs. The effect of Creb inhibition on skeletal formation in reoxygenated fish was greater than that observed in normally developed fish. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis of isolated NCCs, followed by pathway analysis and gene set enrichment analysis, predicted Creb as an indispensable molecule contributing to reoxygenation-specific gene expression in NCCs of the catching-up embryos. These results reveal a previously unknown role for Creb in NCCs and suggest that this role is critical for embryonic catch-up growth in response to environmental oxygen fluctuations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115020"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149001823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estradiol predicts pausing during mate-choice updating in a stress-buffered treefrog","authors":"Alexander T. Baugh,&nbsp;Mark A. Bee,&nbsp;Joseph Eyiolowope,&nbsp;Jingchen Hou,&nbsp;Caleb Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute environmental stressors elevate circulating glucocorticoids on timescales of minutes to hours, raising the question of whether transient hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA) activation disrupts reproductive function during the brief breeding windows of seasonally breeding vertebrates. The conventional HPA-HPG crosstalk model predicts glucocorticoid-induced suppression of gonadal hormones and reproductive behavior, but seasonal breeders such as many frogs may be buffered against acute glucocorticoid elevation during peak reproductive readiness. Using an experimental cohort of Cope's gray treefrogs (<em>Hyla chrysoscelis</em>), we measured plasma 17β-estradiol (E₂) and tested a primary prediction of the buffering hypothesis: that acute corticosterone (CORT) manipulation will not suppress circulating E₂. We then explored whether endogenous E₂ covaried with mate-choice behavior in unmanipulated control females. Acute CORT manipulation did not alter circulating E₂, even at doses that increased plasma CORT by an order of magnitude, supporting the buffering hypothesis. Exploratory analyses revealed two complementary patterns: endogenous E₂ did not predict broad outcomes of mate choice (sexual proceptivity, locomotor effort, choice reversal probability, or initial preference for longer calls), but was positively associated with the duration of pauses made specifically at moments of decision reversal. Together, these findings support buffering of the female HPG axis against acute HPA activation during reproductive readiness while identifying decision deliberation as a fine-grained behavioral dimension that retains hormonal sensitivity during peak reproductive readiness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115019"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149037964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms underlying the cortisol response to acute warming in a freshwater teleost fish","authors":"Brittany Bard,&nbsp;Steven J. Cooke,&nbsp;Kathleen M. Gilmour","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although acute warming is well known to increase circulating concentrations of the glucocorticoid stress hormone cortisol in fishes, the mechanisms through which fish perceive high temperatures as a stressor and activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis remain poorly understood. Here, we probed these mechanisms using measurements of the cortisol response to thermal ramping, cortisol production by isolated head kidney preparations, and transcript abundances of key genes of the HPI axis. Rainbow trout mounted a significant (4.4-fold increase over baseline) cortisol response to thermal ramping at 27 °C. This ‘threshold’ temperature was lowered to 25 °C by 4 d of cortisol treatment and raised to 29 °C by acclimation to warmer (22 °C) water. Although transcript abundances of most HPI axis genes were unaffected by thermal ramping, expression of the steroidogenic factor (SF-1) paralogue <em>ff1d</em> was significantly higher (∼3.1-fold) in trout exposed to thermal ramping to 27 °C. Treatment with the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine decreased both the cortisol response to thermal ramping at 27 °C and <em>crf</em> transcript abundance; activation of TRPV1 using capsaicin was without effect. Together with the observation that adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulated cortisol production in vitro was not affected by increasing incubation temperature, these findings demonstrate plasticity in the HPI axis response to temperature and implicate TRPV1 as a thermosensor linked to HPI axis activation. Moreover, the heightened thermal sensitivity of cortisol-treated trout suggests that fish experiencing chronic stress will be more vulnerable to climate warming and other related challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115021"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149030289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 binds to a putative regulatory element in the major yolk protein gene promoter of the sea urchin Mesocentrotus nudus","authors":"Ichiro Higuchi,&nbsp;Yoshiki Gama,&nbsp;Shiori Tsue,&nbsp;Yasuaki Takagi,&nbsp;Kazuhiro Ura","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In sea urchins, major yolk protein (MYP) is a key nutrient-storage protein that is important for gonadal nutrient accumulation and gametogenesis in both sexes. Although nuclear receptors have been implicated in the transcriptional regulation of <em>myp</em>, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain largely unresolved. In this study, we evaluated the role of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4), a nuclear receptor with a putative binding motif in the promoter region of <em>Mesocentrotus nudus myp</em> identified through an <em>in silico</em> analysis. We cloned the open reading frame (ORF) of <em>M. nudus hnf4</em>. The cloned ORF encoded a 494-amino-acid protein that clustered with members of the HNF4 subfamily, and its DNA-binding domain showed high conservation across species. In male and female gonads, <em>M. nudus hnf4</em> mRNA levels were positively correlated with levels of <em>M. nudus myp</em>. An immunofluorescence analysis showed that <em>M. nudus</em> HNF4 was localized in nutritive phagocytes, including the nuclei, in both ovaries and testes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays further supported the possibility that <em>M. nudus</em> HNF4 binds to a canonical Direct repeat 1 (DR-1) element and to the HNF4-like element identified in the <em>myp</em> promoter. These findings identify HNF4 as a candidate transcriptional regulator of sea urchin <em>myp</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115018"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149001853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FKBP5 expression in Peromyscus leucopus reflects land cover and climate predictability","authors":"Nathaniel L. Gibson,&nbsp;Vania R. Assis,&nbsp;Gabriella Cifarelli,&nbsp;Kailey M. McCain,&nbsp;Bethany Beekly,&nbsp;Natalie C. Tronson,&nbsp;Ben Dantzer,&nbsp;John L. Orrock,&nbsp;Cedric Zimmer,&nbsp;Lynn B. Martin","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, agricultural expansion, and climate change create landscapes of stress for wildlife. In vertebrates, neurophysiological stress responses are regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, with the co-chaperone FKBP5, playing a key role in modulating glucocorticoid receptor (GR) sensitivity through negative feedback. Variation in <em>FKBP5</em> expression influences how individuals cope with stressors (i.e., endocrine flexibility): lower FKBP5 expression is associated with more efficient activation and termination of stress responses, whereas higher expression weakens negative feedback and prolongs HPA-axis activity. Here, we examined how <em>FKBP5</em> expression in blood relates to land cover (e.g., natural and anthropogenic) and climate predictability (Colwell's indices of temperature and precipitation) in white-footed mice (<em>Peromyscus leucopus</em>), a non-commensal rodent that serves as the primary reservoir host for <em>Borrelia burgdorferi.</em> Using samples from 126 mice captured across 12 NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network) sites and characterizing land cover composition using principal component analysis (PC1 captured 54% of variance, loading positively for tree cover and negatively for grass, cropland, shrub, and built cover), we found forest-dominant sites (higher PC1) predicted elevated <em>FKBP5</em> expression in blood. We also found that sites with increasingly predictable precipitation predicted lower <em>FKBP5</em> expression, indicating greater endocrine flexibility being favored in predictable environments. While unexpected, the positive association between <em>FKBP5</em> expression and increasing tree cover suggests natural <em>P. leucopus</em> habitat may induce prolonged HPA activation due to local ecological conditions such as predation or competition. Future work should address how individuals vary in <em>FKBP5</em> over time and during stressful events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115016"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptional regulation of the membrane progestin receptor α gene PAQR7 underlying progesterone responsiveness in sperm storage tubules of Japanese quail","authors":"Mei Matsuzaki,&nbsp;Kennosuke Ichikawa,&nbsp;Takumi Terada,&nbsp;Ryo Ezaki,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Horiuchi,&nbsp;Takeshi Ohkubo,&nbsp;Tomohiro Sasanami","doi":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ygcen.2026.115015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In birds, sperm storage tubules (SSTs) located at the uterovaginal junction (UVJ) facilitate long-term sperm storage and regulate sperm release in coordination with ovulation. In Japanese quail (<em>Coturnix japonica</em>), sperm release from SSTs might be mediated by membrane progestin receptor α (mPRα), encoded by the progestin and adipoQ receptor family member 7 (<em>PAQR7</em>) gene. Although <em>PAQR7</em> plays an important role in reproductive functions, the mechanisms regulating its transcription remain unclear.</div><div>Therefore, in this study, we investigated the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of <em>PAQR7</em> in Japanese quail SSTs. Reporter assays using serial deletion constructs identified multiple positive and negative regulatory regions within the 5′ upstream region of <em>PAQR7</em>. Analysis of the proximal promoter region revealed a putative initiator element and non-canonical promoter structure. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays identified several nuclear protein-binding regions within the upstream regulatory region. Candidate transcription factors potentially binding to these regions were predicted using JASPAR and RNA-Seq transcriptome data. Quantitative PCR further revealed that <em>FOS</em>, <em>JUN</em>, <em>FOXN1</em>, and <em>SOX17</em> levels were significantly upregulated in SST-containing tissues compared to those in non-SST epithelial tissues.</div><div>Overall, our findings suggest that <em>PAQR7</em> expression in SSTs is regulated by an SST-specific transcriptional environment involving activator protein-1 (AP-1; FOS–JUN complex), JUN, FOXN1, and SOX17. These findings provide new insights into the transcriptional regulation of progesterone responsiveness in avian reproductive tissues and advance our understanding of endocrine mechanisms underlying sperm storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12582,"journal":{"name":"General and comparative endocrinology","volume":"385 ","pages":"Article 115015"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}