Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of estradiol-17b and 17a, 20b-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one on different phospholipids metabolism and histological changes in ovary during 

reproductive growth in the catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis  (Bloch)

P. B. Singh*, Vandana Singh, Shailly Srivastava and S. Pandey

*pratap_b_singh@rediffmail.com

Department of Zoology, Tilak Dhari (PG) College, Jaunpur-222 002, India

(Received: October 07, 2005 ; Revised received: May 20, 2006 ; Accepted: June 17, 2006)

Abstract: Effect of cumulative doses  of estradiol -17b (E₂- 7, 14 and 28 mg/kg body weight) and 17a,20b-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17a,20b P- 7, 14 and 28 mg/kg body weight) on total phospholipids (TP) and various phospholipids- phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) on liver, plasma and ovary were investigated during the reproductively active preparatory and prespawning phases of the annual reproductive cycle in the freshwater female catfish, H. fossilis. The effect of E₂ on TP was generally stimulatory and has pronounced effect than 17a,20b P  during both the phases. The levels of PC was promoted high during prespawning phase by E₂ comparatively very less than by 17a,20b P in studied tissues  during both the phases. The levels of PS after E₂ treatments was maximum in all tissues during prespawning phase whereas 17a,20b P  was effective only in liver during this phase. The PI was elevated in liver during preparatory phase but its elevation was in all studied tissues during prespawning phase after E₂ treatments. The levels of PI was most effective in ovary during preparatory phase in response to 17a,20b P. The levels of PE was declined in liver but elevated in ovary after E₂ treatments during both the phases. Treatments of E₂ during preparatory phase showed greater number of vitellogenic oocytes as compared to 17a,20b P treatments.  The present finding has demonstrated that estradiol-17b has more pronounced effects than the 17a,20b P in regulation of different phospholipids and ovarian recrudescence during reproductively active phases and among the phospholipids the PC is  the main phospholipids of vitellogenin / ovarian lipids in H. fossilis.  

Key words:   Sex steroids, Progestagens, Phospholipids metabolism, H. fossilis

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