EFFECTS OF TRIBUTYLTIN AND OTHER RETINOID RECEPTOR AGONISTS IN REPRODUCTIVE-RELATED ENDPOINTS IN THE ZEBRAFISH (Danio rerio)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Lima, D (Author) Other; Filipe F C Castro (Author) FCUP; Coelho, I (Author) Other; Lacerda, R (Author) Other; Gesto, M (Author) Other; Soares, J (Author) Other; Andre, A (Author) Other; Capela, R (Author) Other; Torres, T (Author) Other; Carvalho, AP (Author) FCUP; Santos, MM (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part A

Vol. 78

Pages: 747-760

ISSN: 1528-7394

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 30 Citations

Scopus - 31 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-BXR

DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2015.1028301

Abstract (EN): Both field and experimental data examined the influence of exposure to environmental contaminant tributyltin (TBT) on marine organisms. Although most attention focused on the imposex phenomenon in gastropods, adverse effects were also observed in other taxonomic groups. It has been shown that imposex induction involves modulation of retinoid signaling in gastropods. Whether TBT influences similar pathways in fish is yet to be addressed. In this study, larvae of the model teleost Danio rerio were exposed to natural retinoids, all-trans-retinoic acid, 9-cis-retinoic acid, and all-trans-retinol, as well as to the RXR synthetic pan-agonist methoprene acid (MA) and to TBT. Larvae were exposed to TBT from 5 days post fertilization (dpf) to adulthood, and reproductive capacity was assessed and correlated with mode of action. TBT significantly decreased fecundity at environmentally relevant levels at 1 g TBT Sn/g in diet. Interestingly, in contrast to previous reports, TBT altered zebrafish sex ratio toward females, whereas MA exposure biased sex toward males. Since fecundity was significantly altered in the TBT-exposed group with up to 62% decrease, the potentially affected pathways were investigated. Significant downregulation was observed in brain mRNA levels of aromatase b (CYP19a1b) in females and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARg) in both males and females, suggesting an involvement of these pathways in reproductive impairment associated with TBT.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14