Comparative analysis of steroid levels in blood serum of female Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus, induced by hormonal treatment

The aim of this study was to measure sex steroid levels before and after induction of ovulation using luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (LH-RH-A) 2 in female Persian sturgeons. A total of ten females were induced by LH-RH-A 2 hormone. Seven females were ovulated successfully, and rest of breeders did not respond to hormonal treatment (non-ovulated fish). The serum cortisol (C), testosterone (T), oestradiol-17b (E 2 ), progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), FSH, and LH concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. In ovulated and non-ovulated females, C and P4 levels tended to increase after LH-RH-A 2 injection. Serum E 2 levels in ovulated and non-ovulated females decreased dramatically after LH-RH-A 2 injection. Following hormonal treatment, T levels increased slightly in ovulated and non-ovulated females, but values were not statistically different. An increase was observed in FSH levels of ovulated fish, but this trend was not observed in non-ovulated females. The data clearly illustrated that induction of ovulation in female Persian sturgeons using LH-RH-A 2 led to change in steroid hormones. Also, the rise in C levels may indicate an interaction between corticosteroids and gamete maturation in Persian sturgeon.