Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Guilan
2
Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Guilan, Iran
3
Department of Fisheries, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
4
Laboratory of Integrative Neuroendocrinology, Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5B4, Canada
10.22124/japb.2026.33792.1590
Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of kisspeptin (Kiss) on physiological indices and reproductive response in female sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) broodstock. In this experiment, twenty broodfish at stage IV of gonadal maturity with an average body weight of 1295.20 ± 144.24 g were selected and distributed into four circular concrete tanks (950 L). In the first stage, the fish were assigned to four experimental treatments and injected with different doses of human kisspeptin: 0 (physiological saline; control, C), 25 (Kiss25), 50 (Kiss50), and 100 (Kiss100) μg/kg body weight. Blood samples were collected before the first injection (first sampling), before the second injection (second sampling), and 12 h after the second injection (third sampling). In the second phase, five days after kisspeptin administration, ovulation was induced using LHRH-A2 at a dose of 4 μg/kg. The results showed that the highest plasma glucose concentration was observed in the control group during the second sampling time, while the lowest values were recorded in the Kiss50 and Kiss100 treatments during the third sampling time (P<0.05). Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not significantly affected by the treatments (P>0.05). Total protein levels in the first sampling were significantly lower than the third sampling (P<0.05). Regarding hormonal indices, plasma cortisol levels were affected by both treatment and sampling time and showed a significant increase at the third sampling time (P<0.05). In contrast, the highest concentration of 17β-estradiol was observed at the second sampling time (P<0.05), while testosterone levels were not significantly influenced by treatment or sampling time (P>0.05). The highest changes in the germinal vesicle migration were observed in the Kiss100 treatment, whereas the lowest values were recorded in the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, the shortest latency time was observed in the Kiss100 group, and the ovulation rate was 100% in all treatments. Overall, the results indicated that administration of human kisspeptin at a dose of 100 μg/kg was the most effective for improving and accelerating reproductive induction in female sterlet broodstock due to its pronounced effect on germinal vesicle migration and reduced latency time.
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