Disruption of pituitary-ovarian axis by carbofuran in catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch).
We investigated whether carbofuran (CF), a carbamate pesticide, at sub-lethal concentration had any adverse effects on reproductive function of the Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis. 17beta-Estradiol content of serum and ovary of pre-spawning (P) and spawning (S) fish was reduced after sub-lethal concentration of carbofuran treatment (0.5-2 mg/ml, 30 days). After 30 days of CF treatment, the serum and ovarian vitellogenin levels of fish at the P stage were also reduced but remained unaltered in the S stage. The staining intensity of the pituitary gonadotrophs of the pre-spawning fish was significantly higher in CF-treated fish compared to controls suggesting the inability of the pituitary gonadotrophs to release gonadotropin following CF treatment. CF thus acts as an antiestrogenic, endocrine-disrupting agent in fish, possibly targeting the pituitary-gonad axis.
Chatterjee
S
S
Department of Animal physiology, Bose Institute, P-1/12 CIT Scheme VII-M, 700 054, Calcutta, India.
Kumar Dasmahapatra
A
A
Ghosh
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002235:Carbofuran / Q000633:toxicity*; D002397:Catfishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000097:blood
D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D007306:Insecticides; D014819:Vitellogenins; D004958:Estradiol; D002235:Carbofuran