Figure 4.

DHA regulates transcription of cyp11a1 and activates HPG axis

A, B: Schematic of reporter plasmids for cyp11a1 promoter activity analysis. Luciferase assay showed only cyp11a1: luc-2 exhibited promoter activity in HEK293T cells. C: Luciferase assay of cyp11a1 promoter in HEK293T cells. GPR120 increased cyp11a1 promoter activity and DHA regulated activity of cyp11a1: luc-2 when co-transfected with GPR120 in HEK293T cells. D: Luciferase assay of cyp11a1 promoter in WT and elovl2^-/- embryos at 6 hpf. E: Luciferase assay of different types of cyp11a1 promoters in WT, fat1, and elovl2^-/- embryos at 6 hpf. F, G: Real-time qPCR of gene expression in HPG axis in brain and gonads of WT, fat1, and elovl2^-/- zebrafish. H: P5 content in WT, fat1, and elovl2^-/- zebrafish females on day after ovulation. At least four fish were measured per group. All values are mean±SD. Student’s t-tests were used in panels B, D, H. Multiple t-tests-one per row were used in panels C, E, F, G. ^*: P<0.05; ^**: P<0.01; ^***: P<0.001.