Domperidone treatment advances onset of puberty in the viviparous mosquitofish Gambusia affinis

Abstract

Background: Although dopamine (DA) exerts modulatory effect on reproduction in the majority of fishes, its role is not clearly understood in viviparous species. The aim of this investigation was to determine the influence of DA antagonist domperidone (DOM) on puberty in the viviparous species Gambusia affinis. Results: Treatment of 1.5 or 4 mg DOM to 25 days post-hatching (DPH) juveniles for a period of 35 days resulted in dense aggregations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-immunoreactive fibres in the proximal pars distalis (PPD) region of the pituitary gland in contrast to faintly seen fibres in treatment controls. In the ovary, the follicles belonging to stages I-IV did not differ significantly among different experimental groups. However, stage V (vitellogenic) follicles were completely absent in treatment controls in contrast to their presence in 1.5 or 4 mg DOM-treated fish. Besides, the diameter of stage V follicles was significantly higher in 1.5 mg DOM-treated fish compared with 4 mg DOM-treated fish. Conclusions: The results suggest that DOM treatment triggers the follicular development and promotes the early onset of puberty, possibly by attenuating the dopaminergic inhibition on GnRH fibres, for the first time in a viviparous species.