Sex steroid
profiles in female and male stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus
Pallas) during final maturation induced by hormonal treatment
T. Semenkova, I. Barannikova, D.E. Kime,
B.G. McAllister, L. Bayunova, V. Dyubin, N. Kolmakov-2002
Journal of
Applied Ichthyology, 18(4-6): 375-381
Abstract:
Serum cortisol, testosterone,
11-ketotestosterone (11KT), oestradiol-17β, progesterone, 17,20 β,
21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20 β S) concentrations were measured by
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in stellate sturgeon (Acipenser
stellatus Pallas) held at the fish farm during final maturation induced
using pituitary preparation (PP) in females and luteinizing
hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LH-RH-A) in males. Testosterone had
surged by 5 h after the first injection of PP (5% of total dose), tended to
increase after the second injection of PP (95% of total dose) and then the
sharp decrease in females was followed by ovulation. Serum 20 β S
levels in females increased dramatically after the second injection of PP
and decreased sharply after ovulation. Following hormonal treatment, 11KT
levels decreased slightly in females, but increased significantly in males
24 h after LH-RH-A injection. Mean 11KT concentrations were significantly
higher in males than in females. The results suggest that in sturgeon 11-KT
is the dominant androgen and 20 β S the maturation inducing steroid.
(Central Laboratory of Fish Reproduction,
24 Prof. Papova, St Petersburg 197022, Russia E-mail: cpl@it4257.spb.edu)