A seasonal study of the seminal vesicles i n relation to that of the testes has been conducted i n the catfish, H . fossilis. The annual reproductive cycle of the catfish has been divided into ( i ) Preparatory period (February-April), (ii) Prespawning period (May-June), (iii) Spawning period (July-August) and (iv) Postspawning period (September-January). Testes exhibit initiation of spermatogciiesis in the midpreparatory period, but significant increase i n weight of the testes accompanied by active spermatogenesis occurs during the prespawiiing period. In the spawning period, the testes are maximally enlarged and their seminiferous tubules are packed with spermatozoa. Following spawning; the testes gradually regress in the postspawning period. The seminal vesicles show initiation of secretory activity during the preparatory period but their recrudescence lags behind that of the testes by about a month. The seminal vesicles attain maximum weight and secretory activity during the spawning period. Thereafter, the seminal vesicles regress precipitously and sooner than the testes.The histochemical and biochemical studies on the seminal vesicles indicate that the secretion contains mucoproteins, acid mucopolysaccharides, primary proteoses. besides traces of phospholipids and native proteins.

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A5-3P-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity (A5-3P-HSD) has been studied in the interrenal glands and the seminal vesicles of intact and castrate male catfish. The intensity of the enzyme reaction is about equal in the seminal vesicles of both groups, whereas the intensity of enzyme reaction in the cortical cells is more pronounced i n the castrate than in the intact male.The responses of the interrenal glands and the regressed seminal vesicles of the castrate catfish in the postspawning period to exogenous luteinizing hormone (LH). 94-androstenedione ( A4-androst. ), desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) and hydrocortisone acetate (HA) (experiment 2 ) , and the effect of the LH, A4-androst., DCA and HA, and prolactin (LtH) and growth hormone (STH), singly or in combination o n the regressed seminal vesicles of the castrate catfish (experiment 3 ) have also been studied. The data indicate that both LH and A4-androst. induce secretory activity in the seminal vesicles but they appesr to act through different routes. Since LH brings about an increrse in the nuclear diameters in cortical cells and A4-androst. does not, it is felt that LH acts through the cortical cells of the interrenal glands while A4-androst. acts directly on the seminal vesicles. Further, 44-androst. can synergize with LtH and STH in inducing secretory activity in the seminal vesicles, whereas DCA and HA do not. These results, coupled with the fact that 4j-3p-HSD activity is more marked in the cortical cells of the castrate than in the intact catfish, strongly suggest that following castration, the resulting high titers of gonadotrophin act on the interrenal cortical cells to produce androgens which, in turn, induce hyperactivity in the seminal vesicles.

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Depression is very common in reproductive women particularly with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Beta-arrestins were previously implicated in the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment for mood disorders. This study examined whether a measurement for beta-arrestin1 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes (PBMC), could aid to distinguish between PMDD and PMS. Study participants (n = 25) were non-pregnant women between 18–42 years of age with the symptoms of PMS/PMDD, but not taking any antidepressants/therapy and at the luteal phase of menstruation. The levels of beta-arrestin1 protein in the PBMCs were determined by ELISA using human beta-arrestin1 kit. The beta-arrestin1 levels were compared with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores among these women. The magnitude of the different parameters for Axis 1 mental disorders were significantly higher and beta arrestin1 protein levels in PBMCs were significantly lower in women with PMDD as compared to PMS women. The reduction in beta arrestin1 protein levels was significantly correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Beta-arrestin1 measurements in women may potentially serve for biochemical diagnostic purposes for PMDD and might be useful as evidence-based support for questionnaires.

The effect of estradiol benzoate (EB), SU-9055, and cyproterone acetate (CA) on the hypersecretory seminal vesicles of the castrate catfish has been studied. EB to a marked extent, SU-9055 and CA to a lesser extent inhibit castration induced hypersecretion in the seminal vesicles. This implies that while EB inhibits the gonadotrophin production, SU-9055 and CA act at the level of the interrenal glands and the seminal vesicles respectively. The data indicate that following castration the high level of circulating gonadotrophin induces the interrenals to produce androgens which in turn bring about hypersecretion in the seminal vesicles.

The response of the seminal vesicles to hypophysectomy and/or castration during the prespawning and the spawning periods was studied. Forty days post-hypophysectomy the seminal vesicles regress completely, whereas 40 days postcastration they show hyperactivity which is accentuated by 85 days post-surgery. Further, catfish castrated i n the prespawning period of 1966 not only show hyperactive seminal vesicles i n that season but also exhibit hypersecretory seminal vesicles in the following breeding season, in spite of the absence of the testes, In the castrate catfish, hyperactivity i n the seminal vesicles is accompanied by a significant increase in the number and activity of the granulated basophils in the pituitary and an increase in the nuclear diameter of the interrenal cortical cells, Two hypotheses are proposed to explain this paradoxicsl phenomenon.

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