PUBLICATION
Brain monoamine changes modulate the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1-mediated behavioural response to acute thermal stress in zebrafish larvae
- Authors
- Rajeswari, J.J., Gilbert, G.N.Y., Khalid, E., Vijayan, M.M.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-250217-1
- Date
- 2025
- Source
- Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology : 112494112494 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Vijayan, Mathilakath
- Keywords
- HPI axis, corticotropin-releasing hormone, cortisol, epinephrine, heat shock protein, serotonin, stress response
- MeSH Terms
-
- Zebrafish*/genetics
- Zebrafish*/metabolism
- Serotonin/metabolism
- Animals
- Brain*/metabolism
- Behavior, Animal*/drug effects
- Biogenic Monoamines/metabolism
- Stress, Physiological
- Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone*/genetics
- Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone*/metabolism
- Hydrocortisone/metabolism
- Larva*/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 39956313 Full text @ Mol. Cell. Endocrinol.
Citation
Rajeswari, J.J., Gilbert, G.N.Y., Khalid, E., Vijayan, M.M. (2025) Brain monoamine changes modulate the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1-mediated behavioural response to acute thermal stress in zebrafish larvae. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. :112494112494.
Abstract
While central monoamines play a role in regulating stress-related locomotory activity, the modulation of monoamines by the corticosteroid stress axis in shaping acute behavioural responses are unclear. We investigated whether the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (Crhr1) modulation of stress-related behavioral response involves monoamine regulation by subjecting Crhr1 knockout (crhr1-/-) zebrafish (Danio rerio) to an acute thermal stressor (TS: + 5 °C above ambient for 60 min). The TS-induced cortisol response and hyper locomotory activity in the WT larvae was abolished in fish lacking Crhr1. However, both genotypes induced a heat shock protein response to the TS. The crhr1-/- larvae showed a region-specific difference in the distribution of serotonin (5-HT)- and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the brain. This corresponded with increases in whole-body transcript abundance of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, tryptophan hydroxylase 2, and solute carrier family 6-member 4a. Cotreatment with either epinephrine or 5-HT, but not cortisol, was able to rescue the TS-mediated hypo locomotory activity and thigmotaxis seen in the crhr1-/- larvae. Together, these results indicate that Crhr1 is essential not only for mediating the TS-induced hyperactivity but also for maintaining the basal locomotory activity and anxiogenic response during stress. The latter response depends on the central monoamine regulation by Crhr1 in zebrafish larvae.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping