Download Thyroid and sex steroid hormone levels in the fresh water carps

 European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience
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Volume 4; Issue 7; July 2016; Page No. 01-04
Thyroid and sex steroid hormone levels in the fresh water carps collected in wild from an aquatic body
Raghavendra S Kulkarni, Pruthviraj CB
Department of studies in Zoology, Gulbarga University, Kalaburgi, Karnataka, India
Abstract
The comparative studies on thyroid hormones triiodothyrinine (T3) ,thyroxin (T4),pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) and sex steroids
(testosterone and estrogen) level has been estimated in four fresh water carp fishes, Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhana mrigala,
Labeo fimbriatus collected from wild irrespective of sex before breeding period from a local aquatic body. The thyroxin (T4) is
the predominant hormone than triiodothyrinine (T3) in all the carps studied with highest level in the carp fish, Cirrhana mrigala.
The pituitary TSH level is uniformly same in all the carp fishes. Amongst the sex steroid hormones, testosterone is predominant
hormone with higher levels in the carp fish, Catla catla than other three carp fishes. The estrogen level is less compared to
testosterone in all the fishes with higher level in Catla catla compared to other carp fishes. Although all the carp fishes exhibited
normal levels of the hormones studied, the predominant hormones are thyroxin (T4) and testosterone indicating that all the fishes
belong to males.
Keywords: Haematology, Indian carps, Labeo rohita, Catla catla, Cirrhana mrigala and Labeo fimbriatus
1. Introduction
Hormones catalyze and control diverse metabolic processes.
Hormones are not only catalysts for all metabolic process,
they are living proteins that direct the life force into over basic
biochemical and metabolic process. The hormones help
transform store energy and activate other physiological
process including their participation in reproductive activities.
The regulatory actions of hormones are related to homeokinetic reactions of metabolism, salt and water balance etc.
The study pertaining to role of different kinds of hormones in
various physiological activities in fish has been reported. The
study related to changes in the hormone level at different
phases of reproductive cycle have been reviewed (Hontela and
Stacey,1990., Degani Boker, 1992), very few Indian fishes
have been worked on such aspects (Singh and Singh, 1987)
Although the changing titers of gonadal hormones during
different period of the reproductive cycle of the fish has been
studied and reviewed by several investigators, (vide Malhotra
et al, 1989 ), the studies related to the hormone levels of
different species of fish or fishes belonging to the same family
group are not available. Hence, in the present investigation
locally available four freshwater carp fishes, Labeo rohita,
Catla catla, Cirrhana mrigala, Labeo fimbriatus collected
from wild irrespective of sex before breeding period from a
local aquatic body ware used for the determination of
hormonal level on a comparative basis and in relation to the
particular aquatic body.
2. Materials and Methods
The freshwater fishes were collected during the prebreeding
(preparatory -March) phase. The fish were collected with the
help of local fisherman from Khaja kotnoor reservoir near
Gulbarga. The blood was collected from live fishes separately.
The serum content of hormone such as thyrotropin (TSH), T3,
T4, estrogen and testosterone were estimated by applying
CLIA (Chemiluminescence Immunoassays) method during
pre-breeding phase. The hormone assays were carried out at
M/s Diagnostic Hormone Laboratory, Gulbarga. For the
Chemiluminescence immunoassay of pituitary thyrotropin
hormone (TSH,) thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and steroid
hormones (Estrogen, testosterone) the fish taken to the
laboratory and each fish were sacrificed by cutting at the
caudal region. The flowing blood was collected in to the test
tube and is used for further processing.
The amount of blood sample required for the estimation of
each hormone is as follows:
Pituitary hormones
TSH
Thyroid hormones
Triidothyronine
Thyroxine
Sex steroid hormones
Estrogen
Testosterone
100 L
100 L
25 L
100 L
50 L
3. Observation
The comparative serum concentration of hormones such as
pituitary thyrotropin, thyroid and sex steroids in the carp
fishes collected in wild irrespective of sex has been estimated
during pre-breeding phase. The pituitary hormones such as
thyrotropin, thyroid hormones such as triiodothyrinine (T3)
and thyroxin (T4), gonadal hormones such as estrogen, and
testosterone has been estimated separately. The comparative
serum concentrations of these hormones are presented in the
Tables-1, Figs.1 & 2. Thyroid hormone (T3 and T4):
Triiodothyrinine (T3) and tetraiodothyronin (T4 – Thyroxin)
level presented in the Table-1 and Fig.-1 & 2 for all the four
carp fishes indicate that T4 concentration is higher than T3 in
all the fish during prebreeding phase. The increased level of
the hormone during prebreeding phase indicates energy
requirement during the phase. The fish, Cirrhana mrigala has
higher level of the hormone thyroxin (T4) compared to other
carp fishes. The thyroxin (T4) may be the predominant
1 European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience hormone in all the fishes. The pituitary TSH level is uniformly
same in all the fishes.
Sex steroid hormones: Testosterone: Table-1and Fig.-2 shows
serum concentration (mg/ml) for four fishes. In all the four
carp fishes testosterone level is higher compared to estrogen
hormone. The higher level of the hormone testosterone in all
the fish during pre-breeding phase suggests its role in
spermatogenesis. Estrogen: Table-1 and Fig.-2 shows serum
level of estrogen concentration (pg/ml) values for all four
fishes. The estrogen level is less compared to testosterone in
all the carp fishes with higher level in catla catla compared to
other fishes. Although all the carp fishes exhibited normal
levels of the hormones studied, the predominant hormones are
thyroxin (T4) and testosterone indicating that all the carp
fishes caught may be belonging to males. The study also
suggests that the fish, Cirrana mrigala is very active fish and
Catla catla are more reproductive than other carp fishes.
Table 1: Showing blood thyroid and gonadal hormones in four Indian carp fishes collected from a aquatic body
Fish Species
T3
T4
TSH
Testosterone
1.17 ± 0.163
90.45±0.008
0.20±0.012
147.00±1.673
1
Labeo rohita
(SE=0.007 )
(SE=0.003)
(SE=0.004)
(SE=0.683)
0.98 ± 0.008
79.45±0.014
0.01±0.000
335.83±0.752
2
Catla catla
(SE=0.003)
(SE=0.006)
(SE=0.000)
(SE=0.307)
1.16 ± 0.008
97.42±0.008
0.08±0.008
201.00±1.264
3 Cirrhana mrigala
( SE=0.003)
(SE=0.003)
(SE=0.003)
(SE=0.516)
1.01
± 0.009
85.96±0.005
0.28±0.008
196.83±1.169
4
Labeo fimbriatus
(SE=0.004)
(SE=0.002)
(SE=0.003)
(SE=0.477)
Each value is expressed as mean ± SD, N = 6. All values are significant P = < 0.01
Estrogen
95.50±1.378
(SE=0.562)
121.16±1.169
(SE=0.477)
96.66±1.632
(SE=0.666)
101.16±0.983
(SE=0.401)
Fig 1: Showing blood level of thyroid triiodothyrinine (T3) and pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) hormones in four
Indian carp fishes collected from a aquatic body
Fig 2: Showing blood level of thyroid- thyroxin (T4) and gonadal hormones (Testosterone and
Estrogen) in four Indian carp fishes collected from a aquatic body
2 European Journal of Biotechnology and Bioscience 4. Discussion
The plasma levels of various hormones produced from
pituitary and other endocrine glands in relation to seasonal
gonadal development and maturation have been reported in
several species of fish which has proved to be valuable tool in
determining the role of hormones in growth in the fish. These
studies also provide information in understanding of endocrine
control of physiology of fishes.
Matty, (1985) has discussed the role of thyroid in teleost
reproduction. Seasonal thyroid hormone levels have been
measured in salmonids. In the trout Salmo gairdneri. There
appears to be two peaks in plasma concentration (Osborn et
al., 1978), while in Lake Ontario cohosalmon, there is but one
peak of serum T4 and T3. It has been further suggested that
two thyroid cycles occur in teleost fish, one concerned with
temperature compensating mechanism and the other with
reproduction. The thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) measured in
the present study indicates that T4 level is higher than T3 level
in all carp fishes. The fish Cirrhana Mrigala has still higher
level compared to other carp fishes probably indicates that the
fish is on constant movement, needs higher metabolic rate
which may be the reason why the thyroid hormone found to
have higher level compared to the other three fishes. The
increase in the level of the hormone during prebreeding phase
may be related to still higher metabolic rate during high
temperature period in this are (Gulbarga where environmental
temperature goes upto 46 degree or more) and it may be
possible that the fishes regulate temperature compensatory
mechanism as reported by Matty (1985), or it may be also for
approaching active reproductive phase.
A number of workers have reported biosynthesis of steroids
from the gonads of variety of fishes and generally steroid
hormones such as 17-estradiol, testosterone estimated in the
present study in the carp fishes have been also identified in
number of teleosts (Vide, Fostier et al., 1983) during different
phases of reproductive cycle. The ovarian steroid hormones in
females includes 17-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone
along with other androgens and estrogens (Colombo et al.,
1982; Fostier et al., 1983). Testicular steroid hormones in
males include testosterone, estradiol 17 and progesterone
along with other androgen and estrogens (Vide Fostier, et al.,
1983). The steroid hormones such as estrogen and testosterone
have been also detected and quantitatively determined by RIA
using coat a method in carp fishes in the present investigation
during pre-breeding phase.
Correlation between seasonal changes in plasma levels of
gonadal steroids and gonad condition have been well
documented in a number of freshwater fish species (Van der
Merwe et al., 1987). Steroid hormone levels particularly
estradiol-17 and testosterone levels were low in
postspawning whle they gradually increased during
preparatory and prespawning phases in both the sexes. In the
present study although testosterone level is higher than
estrogen, they are at elevating since all the fishes are at
prebreeding phase. Similar study has been also reported on the
seasonal variation of steroid hormone level in an intertidal
resting fish, plain fish midshipman (a deep water teleost fish)
the plasma levels of testosterone and estradiol-17 were
determined and found very low throughout the year and
peaked during ovaries underwent seasonal recrudescence
(Sisneros et al., 2004).
Estrogen synthesis, mainly 17-estradiol and / or estrone has
been found in most teleosts examined (Fostier et al., 1983).
The estradiol-17 is secreted from the gonads in both male
and female fish. In general estradiol is responsible for
stimulating vitellogenesis and is also secreted by male gonads.
Estradiol has been reported to stimulate vitellogenesis in
teleosts (Campbell and Idler, 1976; De Valming et al., 1980;
Smith and Haley, 1988). There is decrease in the level of
estradiol during spawning phase compared to preparatory and
prespawning phase it may possibly indicate that a rapid
utilization of the hormone in stimulating vitellogenesis or
completion of vitellogenesis as the fish undergoes spawning
activity. In the fish Oreochrosmis mossambicus (Cornish,
1998) reported that during resting season there are generally
low levels of steroid hormones and during ovarian
recrudescence, there is an increase in trophic and steroid
hormones and suggests that this relates to vitellogenesis.
The plasma testosterone levels in carp fishes in the present
study found to be higher during preebreeding phase indicates
its role in gonadal growth particularly for spermatogenesis
The testosterone levels are higher in Cirrhana mrigala than
other fishes corresponds to its requirement for
spermatogenesis . The general increase in testosterone during
prebreeding phase in this study indicate the commencement of
spermatogenesis within the testis, such increase level of
testosterone in both male and female fish has been reported in
the fish, O. mossambicus (Cornish, 1998) and suggested its
need for spermatogenesis in males and growth of gonads in
females. Earlier studies also show that the androgen
production from the ovaries has been reported in fish species
in vitro studies (Fostier et al., 1983). In the grey mullet, Mugil
cephalus, the ovarian production of the ketotestosterone
increases with the development of vitellogenesis and then
decreases after spawning (Azoury and Eckskin, 1980).
5. Conclusions
The blood hormone level studied in four species of fishes such
as Labeo rohita, Cutla cutla, Cirrhana mrigala and Labeo
fimbriatus indicates that the values are more or less normal in
comparison to other fishes reported. Thus indicating all the
four types of fishes is healthy and regulating normal endocrine
activity. There is variation of hormone values between the fish
species studied and this could be the species specificity that
should be considered in accepting study specimens and
evaluating results.
6. Acknowledgement
The author R.S. Kulkarni is grateful to University Grants
Commission, New Delhi for selecting Emeritus fellowship
(2014-15 batch) No.F-6-6/2014-15/EMERITUS-2014-15GEN-3514 (SA-II) Dt.30-04-2015.we are also thankful to The
Chairman of the Department and to Gulbarga University for
the facilities to carry out this work and also to M/S. Pooja
Diagnostic Laboratory, Gulbarga.
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