Sex-related differences in aerobic capacities and reactive oxygen species metabolism in the silver eel.

• Published in: Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
• Main Authors: Amérand, A., Vettier, A., Moisan, C., Belhomme, M., Sébert, P.
• Other Authors: Optimisation des régulations physiologiques (ORPHY (EA 4324)), Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Brest (CHRU Brest)-Institut Brestois Santé Agro Matière (IBSAM), Université de Brest (UBO)-Université de Brest (UBO)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2010
• Subjects: MESH: Analysis of Variance; MESH: Animal Migration; MESH: Pressure; MESH: Reactive Oxygen Species; MESH: Sex Characteristics; MESH: Spectrophotometry; MESH: Animals; MESH: Body Weights and Measures; MESH: Eels; MESH: Energy Metabolism; MESH: Female; MESH: Hydroxyl Radical; MESH: Male; MESH: Oxygen Consumption; [SDV.MHEP.PHY]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology/Tissues and Organs [q-bio.TO]; Anguilla anguilla
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-00750445; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-009-9348-0

International audience Silver European eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) need to develop important aerobic capacities to cope with their long fasting spawning migration at depth, particularly males which are about half the size of females. Moreover, they have to face potential oxidative stress because reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is linked to the increase in metabolic rate. Thus, aerobic metabolism was globally evaluated in male and female silver eels exposed to a 10.1 MPa hydrostatic pressure (1,000 m depth). Oxygen consumption (MO(2)), ROS production and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured in the muscle fibres. Males showed a trend in both higher rate of aerobic metabolism and ROS production than females. After pressure exposure, ROS production was inversely correlated to metabolic rate only in males. By facilitating MO(2) rise with no harmful effects by ROS, the supposed enhanced aerobic capacities of males could speed up the sustained swimming. In females, the tendency to lower metabolic rate and higher catalase activity would make them less vulnerable to ROS effects. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis for different migration depths between genders.