Changes in progesterone levels and distribution of progesterone receptor during vitellogenesis in the female mud crab (Scylla paramamosain)

Abstract

Vertebrate-type steroids, such as progesterone, have been identified in crustaceans. The physiological activity of progesterone during vitellogenesis is still not well understood. In this study, progesterone levels in the female mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Peak levels of progesterone were detected during the previtellogenic stage in the hemolymph, ovary, and hepatopancreas, whereas the progesterone level decreased significantly in vitellogenic stage I. During vitellogenic stage II, progesterone levels rose again in the hemolymph and ovary, but continued to decrease in the hepatopancreas. By using western blotting, progesterone receptor (PR), with an apparent molecular weight of 70 kDa, was identified in the ovary during both vitellogenic stages I and II. By means of immunohistochemistry, PR was detected mainly in the follicle cells during vitellogenic stage I and in the nuclei of oocytes in vitellogenic stage II. Our results strongly suggest that progesterone promotes vitellogenesis in the mud crab, S. paramamosain via a classical genomic mechanism.

Keywords:

• crab
• hormones
• progesterone
• progesterone receptor
• vitellogenesis
• Scylla paramamosain

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant nos 40406030 and 40776084), the National High Technology Research, and Development Program of China (Grant no. 2006AA10A406). We are grateful to Prof. Paul K. Chien for editing the manuscript.