Exploring the effect of dihydrotestosterone on nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor expression in spotted snakehead Channa punctata (Bloch 1793)

Sex steroids are known to modulate immune responses and as a result many of the immune parameters in seasonally breeding organisms show reproductive-phase dependent variation. Androgens, the male sex steroids, are largely reported to be immunosuppressive. Together with other pattern recognition receptors, the nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) serve as intracellular sentinels and are essential to defense mechanisms. Interestingly, to date the transcriptional modulation of NLRs by androgens has not been explored. In the present study, we investigated the reproductive-phase dependent expression of NLRs in the male spotted snakehead Channa punctata. Furthermore, the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on NLR expression was studied. The expression of NLRs was observed to be most pronounced during the spawning phase of the fish, which is marked by the highest testosterone level. In vivo as well as in vitro studies showed the diverse effect of DHT on NLR expression depending on the duration and mode of treatment, as well as the immune tissue studied.

Automated summary

Sex steroids modulate immune responses, resulting in reproductive-phase dependent variation of immune parameters in seasonally breeding organisms. Androgens, the male sex steroids, are widely reported to be immunosuppressive. However, the transcriptional modulation of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) by androgens has not been explored. This study investigated the reproductive-phase dependent expression of NLRs in the male spotted snakehead and studied the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on NLR expression.