Juvenile coho salmon locomotion and mosaic muscle are modified by 3',3',5'-tri-iodo-L-thyronine (T3)

Studies of maximum aerobic swimming performance in smolting juvenile salmonids indicate that these animals may be aerobically compromised during downstream migration. To test our hypothesis that hyperthyroid status contributes to decreased swimming performance through modification of muscle contractility in juvenile (112 mm mean total length) coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), we measured swimming performance and isolated muscle bundle contractility of fish implanted with 3',3',5'-tri-iodo-l-thyronine (T3) pellets, of fish implanted with sham pellets and of fish with no pellet implantation (control group). After 3 weeks (N=12-13), critical swimming speeds (maximum aerobic swimming speed or U(crit)) were measured. Muscle bundles (N=15-16) were dissected from the hypaxial musculature and stimulated to measure the force and velocity of an isometric twitch and tetani. T3-treated fish demonstrated visible morphological changes associated with smoltification. Mean values of U(crit) were significantly decreased and the prolonged contraction (tetani) and twitch rates of contraction, relaxation and maximum force were significantly increased by T3 treatment compared with both the sham and control fish. Hematocrit, body mass and body length were not significantly affected by T3 treatment. In conclusion, we suggest that the reported decrease in U(crit) during salmonid smoltification may be mediated by endogenous T3-induced contractile modification of mosaic muscle fibers.