Insulin-Like Growth Factors-1 Receptor (IGF-1R) Expression and the Phosphorylation of Endogenous Substrates Lead to Maturation of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas.

This study investigated the IGF-1 signal in specific tissues using Pacific oysters artificially matured via water temperature elevation. Pacific oysters were subjected to water temperature elevation from March to June, and 20 were randomly sampled each month. The condition index (CI) and tissue weight rate (TWR) were examined by measuring shell length, shell height, shell width, and soft tissue weight. The IGF-1 signal in tissues (adductor muscle, digestive glands, gills, labial palps, mantle edges, and gonads) was analyzed by sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. From April to June, the TWR of females and males increased from 19.1±2.9 to 21.0±3.6 and 18.2±2.0 to 19.2±2.5, respectively, while the CI remained the same. The IGF-1 signal in each tissue differed. IGF-1 was expressed in the adductor muscle, while tyrosine was expressed in all tissues. The phosphor (p)-ERK and p-AKT activities were high in the adductor muscle, mantle edge, and gonads. IGF-1 signaling affected the growth and maturity of the Pacific oysters examined.