In the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis and Clarias batrachus, ovarian oestrogen-2-hydroxylase (OE-2-H) activity increased significantly at 8 h after the injection of an ovulatory dose (0.15 microg/g body weight) of a mammalian GnRH analogue ([d -Ala(6)-Pro(9)]-LHRH ethylamide) and was restored to the 0 h (control) level after egg-stripping at 16 h. On the other hand, ovarian oestradiol-17beta (OE2) level and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity decreased significantly at 8 h. While the OE2 level was restored to the 0 h level, COMT activity increased significantly at 16 h. Changes in ovarian OE2 level and enzymes indicate higher synthesis of 2-hydroxylated catecholoestrogens and their degradation during the periovulatory period. Under in vitro conditions, the synthetic catecholoestrogens (CEs, 2- and 4-hydroxylated oestradiol17beta and oestrone (OE1)) induced germinal vesicle break down (GVBD) in a dose- (0.01-10 microg/ml) and duration- (1-36 h) dependent manner, the mean values of the responses being in the order 2-OH OE2>4-OH OE2> 2-OH OE1>4-OH OE1. The CE-induced GVBD response (8 h induction) was not blocked by prior and subsequent incubations with steroid synthesis inhibitors (cyanoketone, epostane and aminoglutethimide) up to 36 h, suggesting that de novo steroidogenesis is not essential for the response. The percentage of GVBD response to 2-h induction by CEs was significantly inhibited by actinomycin D (a transcriptional inhibitor) and cycloheximide (a translational inhibitor), indicating the involvement of both RNA and protein synthesis. The CE-induced 8-h stimulation of GVBD was mildly blocked by propranolol, the beta-adrenergic inhibitor, suggesting the response was partly mediated through a beta-adrenergic receptor mechanism. Incubations with phentolamine, an alpha-adrenergic inhibitor, did not interfere with the CE-induced GVBD response. The results demonstrate CE-related enzymatic changes in teleost (catfish) ovaries and maturation-inducing substance activity of CEs.

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