Abstract
The neuroendocrine mechanism regulates reproduction through the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis which is evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates. The HPG axis is regulated by a variety of internal as well as external factors. Serotonin, a monoamine neurotransmitter, is involved in a wide range of reproductive functions. In mammals, serotonin regulates sexual behaviors, gonadotropin release and gonadotropin-release hormone (GnRH) secretion. However, the serotonin system in teleost may also play unique role in the control of reproduction as the mechanism of reproductive control in teleosts is not always the same as in the mammalian models. In fish, the serotonin system is also regulated by natural environmental factors as well as chemical substances. In particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly detected as pharmaceutical contaminants in the natural environment. Those factors may influence fish reproductive functions via the serotonin system. This review summarizes the functional significance of serotonin in the teleosts reproduction.
Introduction
Reproduction is a biological process that results in the production of new individual. The nervous and the endocrine system work together (neuroendocrine) to control vertebrate reproduction. The neuroendocrine mechanism regulates reproduction through the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis which is evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates. The hypothalamus is the major site responsible for the production of neuropeptide, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain of vertebrates. In vertebrates, reproductive and sexual functions are mainly controlled by the pulsatile secretion of GnRH from the hypothalamus (Knobil, ; Pozor et al., ; Dellovade et al., ; Bancroft, ). GnRH binds to its cognate receptors located on the pituitary gonadotropes to regulate the synthesis and release of gonadotropins: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (McCann and Ojeda, ; McCann et al., ). These gonadotropins control gonadal development and maturation, and stimulating steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis in male testes and folliculogenesis and oogenesis in female ovaries (Pierce and Parsons, ; Orth, ; Bousfield et al., ). Furthermore, kisspeptin, the peptide product of KISS1/Kiss1 gene and its cognate receptor (GPR54 = kisspeptin receptor) has been recognized as a potent regulator of GnRH release in mammals (Tena-Sempere, ; Roseweir and Millar, ). Those reproductive neuroendocrine signaling pathways are evolutionarily highly conserved in mammals and non-mammalian vertebrates. However, mechanism of reproductive control in non-mammalian vertebrates is not always the same as in mammalian models (Zohar et al., ). For example, in teleost fish, the pituitary gland is directly innervated by neurosecretory fibers and lacka hypothalamo-pituitary portal system of the median eminence (Peter et al., ). Many teleost species possess at least two or three GnRH types (GnRH1, GnRH2, and GnRH3) (White et al., ) or multiple GnRH neuronal populations in the brain (Parhar, ). Recent studies have revealed the presence of two types of kisspeptin encoding genes (kiss1 and kiss2) and two forms of kisspeptin receptor genes (kissr1 and kissr2) in teleosts (Lee et al., ; Akazome et al., ; Um et al., ; Tena-Sempere et al., ; Gopurappilly et al., ). The multiplicity of neuroendocrine signaling pathways in teleosts are probably due to a gene duplication event (Lethimonier et al., ; Um et al., ), but several evidences have suggested their unique roles and functional significance in the variety of reproductive strategies in teleosts (Peter et al., ; White et al., ; Parhar, ; Lethimonier et al., ; Um et al., ; Zohar et al., ).
In vertebrates, the HPG axis is regulated by a variety of internal and external factors. For example, one of the endogenous key factors controlling reproductive processes are sex steroids feedback mechanism exerted by the gonads to the hypothalamus and pituitary (Fink, ). In addition to gonadal steroids, several factors such as stress, nutrition, and neurotransmitters are involved in the control of the HPG axis, in particular modulation of gonadotropin release (Gallo, ; Genazzani et al., ; Zohar et al., ). Neurotransmitters such as monoamine, amino acids and peptides are involved in the neuroendocrine control of reproduction (Gallo, ; Nock and Feder, ). In mammals, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine), a monoamine neurotransmitter is involved in a wide range of reproductive functions such as GnRH secretion, gonadotropin release, gonadal maturation and socio-sexual behaviors. On the other hand, serotonin system can be modulated by reproductive factors. In mammals, ovarian steroids such as progesterone and estrogen regulates the content of serotonin in the brain (Pecins-Thompson et al., ). In several mammalian species, serotonergic neurons are colocalized with estrogen receptor beta (Gundlah et al., , ). These results indicate that serotonin and reproductive endocrine signaling pathways are closely associated. The functional interactions between serotonin and reproductive functions have also been demonstrated in teleosts (Somoza et al., ; Khan and Thomas, ). However, the serotonin system in teleost may play a unique role in the control of reproduction because of the variety of neuroendocrine signaling. This review summarizes the functional significance of serotonin in the teleosts reproduction.
Serotonin system in teleost
Organization of serotonin system
The organization of serotonin in the central nervous system is evolutionarily well conserved in the vertebrates (Lillesaar, ). In the brain of teleosts, three major serotonergic neural groups exist: (i) pretectal population, (ii) posterior tuberculum/hypothalamic populations, and (iii) raphe populations (Kah and Chambolle, ; Ekström and Van Veen, ; Frankenhuis-van den Heuvel and Nieuwenhuys, ; Margolis-Kazan et al., ; Johnston et al., ; Corio et al., ; Ekström et al., ; Batten et al., ; RodrıìGuez-Gómez et al., ; Lillesaar, ). In addition, serotonin-positive cells are also present in the pineal gland, area postrema, medulla oblongata and spinal cord in the brain of teleosts (Lillesaar, ). In teleost, serotonergic fibers from the brain directly project to the pituitary (Kah and Chambolle, ; Corio et al., ; Khan and Thomas, ; RodrıìGuez-Gómez et al., ). In some teleosts species, serotonin-immunoreactive cells also present in the pituitary (Kah and Chambolle, ; Ekström and Van Veen, ; Margolis-Kazan et al., ; RodrıìGuez-Gómez et al., ).
In mammals, serotonin is synthesized from the essential amino acid, L-tryptophan with help of catalysis by two enzymes: tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and amino acid decarboxylase (Fitzpatrick, ), whereas knowledge about mechanism of the control of brain serotonin synthesis in teleosts is still limited (Höglund et al., ). However, teleosts fish also preserve the molecules that are involved in homeostasis of serotonin such as TPH, serotonin transporter (SERT), which reuptakes serotonin into the presynaptic serotonergic nerve terminals to recycle serotonin (Murphy et al., ), and monoamine oxidase (MAO), the enzyme for degradation of serotonin (Bortolato et al., ).
Most teleosts have two TPH genes (tph1 and tph2), two SERT genes (slc6a4a and slc6a4b) but only one type of MAO gene (mao) (Chen et al., ; Setini et al., ; Norton et al., ; Rahman and Thomas, ). In some teleosts, such as zebrafish, stickleback and medaka, there are three genes (tph1a, tph1b, and tph2) encoding TPH (Lillesaar, ). In the brain of zebrafish, tph1a is present in the posterior tuberculum and hypothalamus, and also in the pineal organ, in amacrine cells of the retina, and tph1b is transiently expressed in a preoptic cell cluster during late embryonic stages (Bellipanni et al., ), and tph2 is mainly expressed in serotonergic neurons of the raphe nuclei (superior raphe and inferior raphe) (Lillesaar, ) (Figure 1). In some teleosts, TPH is expressed in the pituitary (Boularand et al., ; Rahman and Thomas, ), indicating that serotonin may be locally produced in the pituitary. In the zebrafish, slc6a4a is expressed in the superior raphe and pretectal diencephalic cluster, and slc6a4b is seen only in the paraventricular organ and caudal zone of periventricular hypothalamus (Wang et al., ; Norton et al., ). In the serotonergic raphe nuclei, serotonergic neurons in the superior raphe project to the forebrain and midbrain, and the serotonergic cells in the inferior raphe project to hindbrain-spinal cord region in the teleosts brain (Lillesaar, ).
Figure 1
Serotonin receptors
In teleosts, serotonin receptors have been identified and characterized in several species such as zebrafish, European flounder (Platichthys flesus), Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta), and puffer fish (Yamaguchi and Brenner,
Serotonin receptors are also expressed in peripheral tissues including gonadal tissues in teleosts. In the zebrafish, 5-HT2C receptor gene is expressed in the ovary (Schneider et al.,
Serotonin in teleost reproduction
GnRH release
Serotonin modulates fish reproductive function via multiple pathways including through central (preoptic-hypothalamic area and pituitary) and peripheral (gonads) actions. In the hypothalamus, GnRH neurons play major role in the control of vertebrate reproduction. Immunohistochemical study in the Atlantic croaker have demonstrated close association of serotonin fibers with olfactory bulbular and hypothalamic GnRH neurons (Khan and Thomas,
Kisspeptin, a ligand for G-protein coupled receptor GPR54, has recently emerged as a key player for GnRH release (Tena-Sempere,
Gonadotropin release
In Atlantic croaker increasing serotonin concentrations are associated with levels of gonadotropin release from the pituitary (Khan and Thomas,
In the Atlantic croaker, serotonin combination with GnRH stimulates LH secretion (Wong et al.,
Gonadal maturation
In addition to its central action on the reproductive axis, serotonin directly acts on gonads. In the Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), 10 days of daily injection of serotonin precursor with dopamine precursor increases gonadosomatic index in male (Emata et al.,
Although the expression of serotonin receptors in the testis has not been reported in teleosts, in freshwater catfish (Channa punctatus Bloch), MAO activity has been noted in the testis (Katti and Sathyanesan,
Social and reproductive behaviors
The role of serotonin in social behavior has been well demonstrated in fish (Winberg and Nilsson,
Modulation of serotonin activity
Gonadal steroids
In teleosts, serotonin levels in the brain and pituitary are modulated by reproductive cycles and gonadal steroids (Subhedar et al.,
Endocrine disruptors
Endocrine disruptors such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can modulate serotonergic activity (Stephanou et al.,
Environmental and social factors
In teleosts, the brain serotonergic activity displays diurnal or seasonal variations (Khan and Joy,
In the protogynous fish, Hawaiian saddleback wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey), serotonin inhibits both initiation and completion of sex reversal (Larson et al.,
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely used as antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders (Lesch,
SSRIs also have influence on not only endocrine system, but also behaviors. In male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), exposure to sertraline, a SSRI decreases shelter-seeking behavior, suggesting that sertraline elicits an anxiolytic effect (Valenti et al.,
A variety of influences of SSRIs on fish reproduction could be due to different doses, administrations, duration of SSRI treatments and physiological, reproductive status and sex of fish treated and species differences (Sumpter et al.,
Summary
Serotonin is one of the classic neurotransmitter and the structure of its related molecules such as TPH and SERT, and their brain organization are highly conserved in mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrates, suggesting functional conservation of the role of serotonin system in vertebrate reproduction. Several physiological studies have demonstrated the role of serotonin in a variety of reproductive functions including the control of GnRH release, LH release, gonadal maturation, and socio-sexual behaviors in teleosts (Figure 2). However, the serotonin system in teleost may also play unique role in the control of reproduction as the mechanism of reproductive control in teleosts is not always the same as in the mammalian models (Xiong et al.,
Figure 2

Schematic model illustrating the serotonergic action on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis of teleosts. Serotonin (5-HT) modulates the reproductive system at multiple levels: the hypothalamus (via GnRH neurons), the pituitary (via gonadotrophs) and the gonads. 5-HT system is modulated by several factors such as gonadal steroids, environmental factors and social cues. In addition, central 5-HT system is also influenced by chemical substances such as endocrine disrupters and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which exist in surface waters and sewage effluents as contaminants. Exposure of fish to those chemical substances may have significant impacts on reproductive functions.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Statements
Acknowledgments
This work is supported by Monash University Malaysia (M-NEU-RS-014), and Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS/2/2010/ST/MUSM/03/02, FRGS/1/2013/SKK01/MUSM/03/02 and FRGS/1/2014/ST03/MUSM/02/1), and Malaysian Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation (02-02-10-SF0161). We also thank Monash University Malaysia for the Higher Degree Research Scholarship to PP.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
teleost fish, 5-HT, GnRH, gonadotropins, pituitary, SSRI antidepressants
Citation
Prasad P, Ogawa S and Parhar IS (2015) Role of serotonin in fish reproduction. Front. Neurosci. 9:195. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00195
Received
10 March 2015
Accepted
18 May 2015
Published
05 June 2015
Volume
9 - 2015
Edited by
Hubert Vaudry, University of Rouen, France
Reviewed by
Andreas Stengel, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; Anderson O. L. Wong, The University of Hong Kong, China
Copyright
© 2015 Prasad, Ogawa and Parhar.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Ishwar S. Parhar, Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500 Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia ishwar@monash.edu
This article was submitted to Neuroendocrine Science, a section of the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience
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