Stimulation of catalase activity in carp (Cyprinus carpio) ovarian follicles by gonadotropin in vitro

The changes in catalase activity in carp (Cyprinus carpio) ovarian follicles at different developmental stages were investigated. The effect of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on catalase activity and estradiol secretion by carp ovarian follicles was studied to establish a developmental role of catalase in folliculogenesis in fish ovary. The follicular homogenates from large follicles showed higher (9.45 ± 0.64 units/mg protein) catalase-specific activity than the small follicles (2.94 ± 0.22 units/mg protein). The FSH significantly (P < 0.05) stimulated the catalase activity in both size categories of the follicles in vitro. At the dose level of 100 ng FSH/ml culture medium, about 38 and 25% increase in catalase-specific activity was observed compared with the respective controls in small and large follicles respectively. The increase in catalase after FSH treatment was also accompanied by a similar increase in estradiol secretion. This study indicates that catalase might play a functional role in carp ovarian follicles.