Effect of oral administration of GnRHa plus nanoparticles of chitosan in oogenesis acceleration of goldfish Carassius auratus

Several methods have been used to accelerate previtellogenesis and vitellogenesis stages in fish, including hormonal induction, sustained-release delivery systems, and oral delivery of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). In this study, we proposed the oral administration of GnRH analog + nanoparticles of chitosan to accelerate oogenesis in goldfish as a model fish in reproductive biology and aquaculture. In this regard, adult female goldfish were fed with six experimental groups: chitosan, 50 mu g GnRHa/kg b.w., 100 mu g GnRHa/kg b.w., chitosan + 50 mu g GnRHa/kg b.w., and chitosan + 100 mu g GnRHa/kg b.w., and diet without any additive as the control for 40 days in triplicate. Every 10 days, ovarian samples were collected, and gonadosomatic index (GSI), oocyte diameter (OD), zona radiata thickness (Zr), and diameter of the follicular layer (Fl) were measured to assess ovarian developmental stage for each treatment. Additionally, blood sampling was done to measure serum 17 beta-estradiol concentration at the end of the experiment. All parameters remained unchanged during the experiment in the chitosan-fed group. In the group fed with 100 mu g GnRH or chitosan nanoparticle + 100 mu g GnRHa, these parameters in general were increased. However, the effects in 50 mu g GnRHa or chitosan nanoparticle + 50 mu g GnRHa treatments were uncertain; they affected serum E2 levels as a trend toward a significant increase was observed in goldfish treated with chitosan nanoparticle + 100 mu g GnRHa. Finally, the results indicated the oral administration of chitosan + 100 mu g GnRHa/kg b.w. significantly accelerated the oocyte development and growth of ovary.

Automated summary

The study showed that oral administration of chitosan + 100 μg GnRHa/kg b.w. significantly accelerated oocyte development and ovarian growth in goldfish.