Temporal and periovulatory changes in ovarian catecholamines in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis

A high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection method was employed to demonstrate temporal and periovulatory changes in ovarian catecholamines in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Tyrosine, l-DOPA, dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine showed significant seasonal and diurnal changes during the reproductive cycle. A high concentration of tyrosine was detected, the values increased in day and decreased in night during recrudescence from preparatory to spawning phases. Similarly, l-DOPA increased during the breeding phase giving the day value concentration peak in the spawning phase and the night value peak in the postspawning phase. DA activity or turnover index (calculated as a ratio of DA to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, DOPAC) showed a bimodal pattern with the major activity peak in the postspawning phase and the minor one in the prespawning phase, the spawning phase registered the lowest activity. NE activity or turnover index (ratio of NE to normetanephrine, NME) increased during the recrudescent phase to give the peak in the spawning phase and decreased in the quiescent phase. Epinephrine elicited an inverse relationship in the day–night pattern, the day values increased to the peak in the spawning phase. All the study correlates showed significant periovulatory changes after hCG treatment. DA activity dropped to the nadir at 8 h but recovered at 16 and 24 h. NE activity showed only a marginal decrease up to 16 h but decreased drastically at 24 h. Epinephrine levels remained unchanged but only to increase at 24 h. The seasonal patterns and periovulatory changes strongly point to important functions for catecholamines in the ovary. The occurrence of tyramine (an invertebrate neurotransmitter) suggests the presence of alternate catecholamine pathway in fish ovary.