Participation of nitric oxide in the color change induced by UV radiation in the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus

Abstract

The ability of UV radiation to stimulate color change in vertebrates is well known; however, the signaling pathway involved is not fully explained. Since nitric oxide (NO) is among the candidates for this role, in this study the participation of NO signaling in the pigment migration induced by UV radiation in melanophores of the crab Chasmagnathus granulatus was investigated. When the NO donor, SIN-1, was incubated with pieces of epidermis, there was an induction of a dose-dependent pigment dispersion (in vitro assays). When male adults were exposed to different doses of UVA and UVB, N(G)-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester, an NO synthase (NOS) blocker produced a decrease of the pigment dispersion induced by UV (in vivo assays). However, in similar assays, 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide, an NO scavenger, decreased only the pigment dispersion induced by UVA. Interestingly, buthionine sulfoximine did not produce any change in pigment dispersion induced by UVA (in vivo assays) and SIN-1 (in vitro assays). Our results using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry and immunocytochemistry against nNOS indicated the production of NO by epidermal cells. In conclusion, we suggest that NO is a key molecule for the induction of pigment dispersion in the melanophores of Chasmagnthus granulatus, and also that NOS activation is a fundamental step for this process.

Nitric Oxide‐dependent Pigment Migration Induced by Ultraviolet Radiation in Retinal Pigment Cells of the Crab Neohelice granulata

“…In other groups of vertebrates, UVA and UVB exposure increases melanogenesis and also induces pigment dispersion in tegumental pigment cells (6,7). Similar responses have also been observed in the tegument of crustaceans (8–10).…”

“…Nitric oxide and NOS analysis. To investigate NOS participation in pigment dispersion, the cells were incubated with 250 μ m l ‐NAME (10), a NOS blocker. After 15 min of l ‐NAME incubation, the exposure to UVA (3.3 J cm − ²), UVB (0.9 J cm − ²) or β‐PDH (20 n m ) was performed.…”

Diffusible gas transmitter signaling in the copepod crustacean Calanus finmarchicus: Identification of the biosynthetic enzymes of nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) using a de novo assembled transcriptome

“…Aonuma et al, 2000; Aonuma and Newland, 2001, 2002; Christie et al, 2003; Lee et al, 2000; Mahadevan et al, 2004; Scholz et al, 2001, 2002; Schuppe and Newland, 2004; Stein et al, 2005). In addition, there is growing evidence for the involvement of NO in the control of bioluminescence (Krönström et al, 2007), color change (Filgueira et al, 2010; Milograna et al, 2012; Vargas et al, 2008), immune response ( e.g. Fu et al, 2010; Jiang et al, 2006; Labbé et al, 2009; Rodríguez-Ramos et al, 2011; Yeh et al, 2006), molting/metamorphosis (Kim et al, 2004; Lee et al, 2007; McDonald et al, 2010; Zhang et al, 2012), and neurogenesis (Benton et al, 2007).…”

Impact of UV-B Radiation on the Physiology of Freshwater Carp Labeo rohita Larvae and Evaluation of UV-B Protective Properties of Seeds of Achyranthes aspera and Vitamin C

“…The digestive physiology and immune system of catla were affected by UV-B radiation [34]. Biological protection from UV-B may be achieved by specific responses, like the intensification of melanin pigmentation and antioxidant defenses, and by improvement of cell-repair mechanisms [4,7,11,38]. However, these responses give only incomplete protection and UV-B may cause molecular damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, besides inducing oxidative stress on living organisms [18,19].…”