Biochemical and Physiological Stress Responses to Heat Shock and Their Recovery in Labeo rohita Fingerlings

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India. Section B: Biological sciences Vol. 85; no. 2; pp. 485 - 490
• Main Authors: Kumar, Prem, Pal, Asim K., Sahu, Narottam P., Jha, Ashish K., Priya, Priyadarshani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 29.06.2015
• Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Nucleic Acid Chemistry; Plant Biochemistry; Research Article; Thermal stress; Enzyme activity; Glucose; Metabolism; Glycogen; Recovery period
• ISSN: 0369-8211; 2250-1746
• DOI: 10.1007/s40011-014-0357-0

Primary and secondary stress responses due to thermal stress and their recovery were tested in Labeo rohita . The fingerlings of L. rohita were exposed to 38 °C for 2 h and were allowed to recover afterwards. Samples (liver, muscle, gill and blood) were taken from control, after heat shock as well as after 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h of recovery. Cortisol, tryptophan, blood glucose, glycogen, ascorbate and enzyme activities such as aspartate aminotranferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were tested in all the experimental groups. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher level of cortisol and glucose were observed after heat shock and a concomitant increase in the activity of transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were observed. However, reverse trend was observed in case of glycogen, l -tryptophan and ascorbate level. During acclimation aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase attained normal value in 24 h of acclimation whereas blood glucose, glycogen, cortisol and oxidative enzyme took 48 h. Serum tryptophan recovered to normal level only after 12 h of acclimation and ascorbate does not return to its normal value. Overall results indicate that L. rohita fingerlings exposed to heat shock of 38 °C for 2 h recovered to normal conditions after 48 h of acclimation.