Does a ghrelin stimulus during zebrafish embryonic stage modulate its performance on the long-term?

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Endocrinology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Metabolic programming links early life stimuli to long-term physiological changes.
• Ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone, regulates appetite and growth.
• Understanding ghrelin's early-life effects is crucial for metabolic regulation insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term effects of in ovo ghrelin administration on zebrafish.
• To explore ghrelin's role in regulating food intake and metabolic pathways during larval development.

Main Methods:

• Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae were treated with acylated ghrelin during embryonic development.
• Assessed parameters included food intake, growth, protein metabolism, gene expression (igf1ra, gh1, pomca), and locomotor activity at 25 days post-fertilization.

Main Results:

• In ovo ghrelin administration did not enhance growth or food intake.
• Significant differences in mRNA expression were observed between fasted and fed larvae for igf1ra, gh1, and pomca.
• Ghrelin-treated larvae exhibited increased swimming activity, suggesting a role in foraging behavior.

Conclusions:

• Early embryonic ghrelin exposure in zebrafish does not promote growth or feeding.
• Ghrelin influences larval swimming activity, potentially impacting foraging.
• Further research is needed to elucidate ghrelin's role in metabolic regulation, including lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.