Reproductive potential of mosquitofish is reduced by the masculinizing effect of a synthetic progesterone, gestodene: Evidence from morphology, courtship behaviour, ovary histology, sex hormones and gene expressions.
Sci Total Environ
; 769: 144570, 2021 May 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33486178
ABSTRACT
The ever-increasing use of synthetic hormones, especially progestins, for medical applications has drawn growing concerns due to their potential endocrine disrupting effects that may diminish the reproductive outputs of aquatic organisms. Using mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as a model species, we tested whether gestodene (GES), a commonly used progestin, can alter the expressions of genes associated with sex hormone synthesis and cause ensuing changes in morphological features, courtship behaviour and oocyte development. After exposing to GES at environmentally relevant concentrations (2.96, 32.9 and 354 ng L-1) for 40 days, we found that GES, especially at 354 ng L-1, induced masculinization of female fish, indicated by the reduced body weight to length ratio and development of gonopodia (i.e. anal fins of male fish). Thus, the males showed less intimacy and mating interest towards the GES-exposed females, indicated by the reduced time spent on attending, following and mating behaviours. While oocyte development was seemingly unaffected by GES, spermatogonia were developed in the ovary. All the aforementioned masculinizing effects of GES were associated with the increased testosterone level and decreased estradiol level, driven by upregulating androgen receptor genes (Arα and Arß). Overall, our findings suggest that progestins could undermine the reproductive potential of aquatic organisms and hence their persistence in the progestin-contaminated environment.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Poluentes Químicos da Água
/
Ciprinodontiformes
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article