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Fritsch C, Berny P, Crouzet O, Le Perchec S, Coeurdassier M. Wildlife ecotoxicology of plant protection products: knowns and unknowns about the impacts of currently used pesticides on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33026-1. [PMID: 38639904 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33026-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Agricultural practices are a major cause of the current loss of biodiversity. Among postwar agricultural intensification practices, the use of plant protection products (PPPs) might be one of the prominent drivers of the loss of wildlife diversity in agroecosystems. A collective scientific assessment was performed upon the request of the French Ministries responsible for the Environment, for Agriculture and for Research to review the impacts of PPPs on biodiversity and ecosystem services based on the scientific literature. While the effects of legacy banned PPPs on ecosystems and the underlying mechanisms are well documented, the impacts of current use pesticides (CUPs) on biodiversity have rarely been reviewed. Here, we provide an overview of the available knowledge related to the impacts of PPPs, including biopesticides, on terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. herptiles, birds including raptors, bats and small and large mammals). We focused essentially on CUPs and on endpoints at the subindividual, individual, population and community levels, which ultimately linked with effects on biodiversity. We address both direct toxic effects and indirect effects related to ecological processes and review the existing knowledge about wildlife exposure to PPPs. The effects of PPPs on ecological functions and ecosystem services are discussed, as are the aggravating or mitigating factors. Finally, a synthesis of knowns and unknowns is provided, and we identify priorities to fill gaps in knowledge and perspectives for research and wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Fritsch
- Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement, UMR 6249 CNRS/Université de Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, F-25000, Besançon, France
| | - Philippe Berny
- UR-ICE, Vetagro Sup, Campus Vétérinaire, 69280, Marcy L'étoile, France
| | - Olivier Crouzet
- Direction de La Recherche Et de L'Appui Scientifique, Office Français de La Biodiversité, Site de St-Benoist, 78610, Auffargis, France
| | | | - Michael Coeurdassier
- Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement, UMR 6249 CNRS/Université de Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, F-25000, Besançon, France.
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Peritore AF, Franco GA, Molinari F, Arangia A, Interdonato L, Marino Y, Cuzzocrea S, Gugliandolo E, Britti D, Crupi R. Effect of Pesticide Vinclozolin Toxicity Exposure on Cardiac Oxidative Stress and Myocardial Damage. TOXICS 2023; 11:473. [PMID: 37368573 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11060473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Vinclozolin is a popular fungicide used in fruit, ornamental plants, and vegetable crops. It has recently been seen that prolonged exposure to VZN can cause human or animal health damage to various organs, but little is known to date about its cardiovascular effects. In this study, we addressed the chronic effects of VZN on the myocardium and the enzymes involved in the cardiovascular function. (2) Methods: The animals were divided into four groups: group 1 served as the control, group 2 received 1 mg/kg of VZN by gavage, group 3 received 30 mg/kg of VZN by gavage, and group 4 received 100 mg/kg of VZN by gavage, for 30 days. (3) Results: Results showed that 100 mg/kg VZN markedly increased the plasma concentration of cardiac markers (CK-MB, cTnT, ANP, BNP). Moreover, compared to the control group, VZN treatment decreased the activity of SOD, CAT, and GPx, and downregulated the mRNA expression levels of Nrf2. Furthermore, collagen deposition was amplified owing to 100 mg/kg VZN cardiotoxicity. This harmful effect was confirmed by a histological study using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson's trichrome staining. (4) Conclusion: Overall, our results proved the cardiotoxicity caused by chronic exposure to VZN.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Francesco Molinari
- Department of of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Arangia
- Department of of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Livia Interdonato
- Department of of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Ylenia Marino
- Department of of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Enrico Gugliandolo
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Domenico Britti
- Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Græcia University" of Catanzaro, Campus Universitario "Salvatore Venuta" Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
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Kang CQ, Meng QY, Dang W, Shao YJ, Lu HL. Effects of chronic exposure to the fungicide vinclozolin on gut microbiota community in an aquatic turtle. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 239:113621. [PMID: 35569300 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental issues associated with the widespread use of agricultural chemicals are being seriously concerned. Of them, toxicological impacts of fungicides in aquatic organisms are often overlooked. Here, soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) hatchlings were exposed to different concentrations of vinclozolin (0, 5, 50, 500 and 5000 μg/L) for 60 days to investigate the impact of fungicide exposure on their gut microbial composition and diversity. Vinclozolin exposure significantly affected the composition of the gut microbiota in hatchling turtles. Unexpectedly, gut bacterial diversity and richness of vinclozolin-exposed turtles (but not for the 5000 μg/L-exposed group) were relatively higher than control ones. At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was decreased, while that of Proteobacteria was increased in high-concentration groups. At the genus level, some bacterial genera including Cellulosilyticum, Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto, were significantly changed after vinclozolin exposure; and some uniquely observed in high-concentration groups. Gene function predictions showed that genes related to amino acid metabolism were less abundant, while those related to energy metabolism more abundant in high-concentration groups. The prevalence of some pathogens inevitably affected gut health status of vinclozolin-exposed turtles. Such gut microbiota dysbiosis might be potentially linked with hepatic metabolite changes induced by vinclozolin exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Quan Kang
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qin-Yuan Meng
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wei Dang
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yong-Jian Shao
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hong-Liang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, Zhejiang, China.
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de Montaigu CT, Goulson D. Field evidence of UK wild bird exposure to fludioxonil and extrapolation to other pesticides used as seed treatments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:22151-22162. [PMID: 34780016 PMCID: PMC8930954 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17097-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We determine the exposure of wild birds to pesticides via consumption of fludioxonil-treated winter wheat seeds following autumn drilling. We recorded the density of seeds left on the soil surface, bird density, and consumption of pesticide-treated seed by birds using camera traps. We calculated the dose ingested by each bird species in a single feeding bout and if they ate treated seeds exclusively for 1 day. We extrapolated this for an additional 19 pesticides commonly used as seed treatments, assuming equal consumption rates. All three fields contained grains on the soil surface (mean 7.14 seeds/m2 on sowing day). In total, 1,374 granivorous birds spanning 18 different species were observed in the fields, with 11 species filmed eating the seeds. Fludioxonil appears to pose a low risk to birds, with <1.14% of the LD50 potentially ingested by a bird for a daily maximum amount of seeds. Analysis of the further 19 pesticides commonly used as seed dressings suggests that the neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam represent the highest risk for granivorous birds. For example, chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) could consume 63% of LD50 of imidacloprid in a single feeding bout, and 370% in a day. Further investigation is clearly required to determine whether seeds treated with these other pesticides are consumed as readily as those treated with fludioxonil, as if so this is likely to cause significant harm.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, UK
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Dzieweczynski TL, Portrais KB, Stevens MA, Kane JL, Lawrence JM. Risky business: Changes in boldness behavior in male Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, following exposure to an antiandrogen. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 235:1015-1021. [PMID: 29366512 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Components of boldness, such as activity level and locomotion, influence an individual's ability to avoid predators and acquire resources, generating fitness consequences. The presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the aquatic environment may affect fitness by changing morphology or altering behaviors like courtship and exploration. Most research on EDC-generated behavioral effects has focused on estrogen mimics and reproductive endpoints. Far fewer studies have examined the effects of other types of EDCs or measured non-reproductive behaviors. EDCs with antiandrogenic properties are present in waterways yet we know little about their effects on exposed individuals although they may produce effects similar to those caused by estrogen mimics because they act on the same hormonal pathway. To examine the effects of antiandrogens on boldness, this study exposed male Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens, to a high or low dose of one of two antiandrogens, vinclozolin or flutamide, and observed behavior in three boldness assays, both before and after exposure. Overall, antiandrogen exposure increased boldness behavior, especially following exposure to the higher dose. Whether or not antiandrogen exposure influenced boldness, as well as the nature and intensity of the effect, was assay-dependent. This demonstrates the importance of studying EDC effects in a range of contexts and, at least within this species, suggests that antiandrogenic compounds may generate distinct physiological effects in different situations. How and why the behavioral effects differ from those caused by exposure to an estrogen mimic, as well as the potential consequences of increased activity levels, are discussed. Exposure to an antiandrogen, regardless of dose, produced elevated activity levels and altered shoaling and exploration in male Siamese fighting fish. These modifications may have fitness consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa L Dzieweczynski
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA.
| | - Kelley B Portrais
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA
| | - Megan A Stevens
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA
| | - Jessica L Kane
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA
| | - Jaslynn M Lawrence
- Department of Psychology, University of New England, 11 Hills Beach Rd, Biddeford, ME, 04005, USA
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León-Olea M, Martyniuk CJ, Orlando EF, Ottinger MA, Rosenfeld C, Wolstenholme J, Trudeau VL. Current concepts in neuroendocrine disruption. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 203:158-173. [PMID: 24530523 PMCID: PMC4133337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Revised: 02/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In the last few years, it has become clear that a wide variety of environmental contaminants have specific effects on neuroendocrine systems in fish, amphibians, birds and mammals. While it is beyond the scope of this review to provide a comprehensive examination of all of these neuroendocrine disruptors, we will focus on select representative examples. Organochlorine pesticides bioaccumulate in neuroendocrine areas of the brain that directly regulate GnRH neurons, thereby altering the expression of genes downstream of GnRH signaling. Organochlorine pesticides can also agonize or antagonize hormone receptors, adversely affecting crosstalk between neurotransmitter systems. The impacts of polychlorinated biphenyls are varied and in many cases subtle. This is particularly true for neuroedocrine and behavioral effects of exposure. These effects impact sexual differentiation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and other neuroendocrine systems regulating the thyroid, metabolic, and stress axes and their physiological responses. Weakly estrogenic and anti-androgenic pollutants such as bisphenol A, phthalates, phytochemicals, and the fungicide vinclozolin can lead to severe and widespread neuroendocrine disruptions in discrete brain regions, including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus, resulting in behavioral changes in a wide range of species. Behavioral features that have been shown to be affected by one or more these chemicals include cognitive deficits, heightened anxiety or anxiety-like, sociosexual, locomotor, and appetitive behaviors. Neuroactive pharmaceuticals are now widely detected in aquatic environments and water supplies through the release of wastewater treatment plant effluents. The antidepressant fluoxetine is one such pharmaceutical neuroendocrine disruptor. Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that can affect multiple neuroendocrine pathways and behavioral circuits, including disruptive effects on reproduction and feeding in fish. There is growing evidence for the association between environmental contaminant exposures and diseases with strong neuroendocrine components, for example decreased fecundity, neurodegeneration, and cardiac disease. It is critical to consider the timing of exposures of neuroendocrine disruptors because embryonic stages of central nervous system development are exquisitely sensitive to adverse effects. There is also evidence for epigenetic and transgenerational neuroendocrine disrupting effects of some pollutants. We must now consider the impacts of neuroendocrine disruptors on reproduction, development, growth and behaviors, and the population consequences for evolutionary change in an increasingly contaminated world. This review examines the evidence to date that various so-called neuroendocrine disruptors can induce such effects often at environmentally-relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha León-Olea
- Departamento de Neuromorfología Funcional, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría, R.F.M., México D.F., México
| | - Christopher J. Martyniuk
- Canadian Rivers Institute and Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, E2L 4L5, Canada
| | - Edward F. Orlando
- University of Maryland, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Mary Ann Ottinger
- University of Maryland, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Cheryl Rosenfeld
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences and Bond Life Sciences Center, Genetics Area Program, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Jennifer Wolstenholme
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 23112, USA
| | - Vance L. Trudeau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie Private, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5
- Corresponding author:
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Currier HA, Letcher RJ, Williams TD, Elliott JE. An assessment of in ovo toxicity of the flame retardant 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl) cyclohexane (TBECH) in the zebra finch. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2013; 91:455-459. [PMID: 23903759 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-013-1070-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic toxicity of a brominated flame retardant, TBECH (1,2-dibromo-4-(1, 2-dibromoethyl) cyclohexane) was investigated using the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) as our model. Using in ovo dosing procedures, we injected the technical TBECH compound, consisting of 50:50 α-/β-isomers, directly into the yolk of freshly laid eggs at concentrations of 2.3-94 ng/g egg. No significant effects were observed in terms of growth or survival for either pre-hatch embryos or post-hatch chicks. Analysis of tissue samples at various developmental stages suggests that α-/β-TBECH was metabolized rapidly, and thus is unlikely to cause any direct, long-term effects on the development of zebra finch embryos or offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi A Currier
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada,
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Ottinger MA, Carro T, Bohannon M, Baltos L, Marcell AM, McKernan M, Dean KM, Lavoie E, Abdelnabi M. Assessing effects of environmental chemicals on neuroendocrine systems: potential mechanisms and functional outcomes. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 190:194-202. [PMID: 23773971 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Revised: 05/11/2013] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Environmental pollutants encompass a vast array of compounds. Most studies in birds have focused on toxicological effects, with little attention to non-lethal effects. Consequently, it has proven difficult to assess potential risk associated with exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Assessing potential adverse effects due to exposure is further complicated by the great variation that occurs across avian species. These include variations in reproductive strategies, life span, sexual differentiation, and migration. Differences in reproductive strategies, particularly in the developmental patterns and mechanisms for precocial and altricial chicks, predispose birds to wide variations in response to steroids and steroid-like EDCs. We have investigated the effects of EDCs in precocial birds including Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) as well as in wild altricial songbirds. Studies in Japanese quail characterized endogenous steroid hormone changes during development and have demonstrated that the developing embryo uses the yolk as a 'steroid hormone depot'. It appears that actual embryonic exposure is quantitatively lower than indicated by the treatment in egg injections and that the true amount of compound necessary for bioactivity may be quite low relative to the actual dosage delivered. Additionally, embryonic exposure to specific EDCs adversely affected sexual differentiation in quail, especially impacting male sexual behavior as well as neural systems, immune response, and thyroid hormones. Many of these studies considered single compounds; however, wild birds are exposed to complex mixtures and multiple compounds. We tested complex mixtures of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at concentrations that bracketed those found in eggs in contaminated regions. Results indicated that the predictive value of the toxic equivalency (TEQ), based on comparative activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) relative to dioxin was not as accurate as expected. We discuss the potential of developing an endocrine disruption index (EDI) to bridge the inconsistencies observed between responses predicted by the TEQ and those observed in vivo following exposure to EDCs. Further, we will discuss how an EDI would complement the adverse outcome pathways analyses to consider the range of effects of endocrine disruptors in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Ottinger
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Gan J, Yang B, Zhang Y, Shu X, Liu C, Shu J. Products and Kinetics of the Heterogeneous Reaction of Suspended Vinclozolin Particles with Ozone. J Phys Chem A 2010; 114:12231-6. [DOI: 10.1021/jp1076164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Gan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
| | - Xi Shu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
| | - Changgeng Liu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
| | - Jinian Shu
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 10085, China
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Smolinsky AN, Doughman JM, Kratzke LTC, Lassiter CS. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) androgen receptor: sequence homology and up-regulation by the fungicide vinclozolin. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2010; 151:161-6. [PMID: 19818413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2009] [Revised: 10/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones regulate gene expression in organisms by binding to receptor proteins. These hormones include the androgens, which signal through androgen receptors (ARs). Endocrine disrupters (EDCs) are chemicals in the environment that adversely affect organisms by binding to nuclear receptors, including ARs. Vinclozolin, a fungicide used on fruit and vegetable crops, is a known anti-androgen, a type of EDC that blocks signals from testosterone and its derivatives. In order to better understand the effects of EDCs, further research on androgen receptors and other hormone signaling pathways is necessary. In this study, we demonstrate the evolutionary conservation between the genomic structure of the human and zebrafish ar genes and find that ar mRNA expression increases in zebrafish embryos exposed to vinclozolin, which may be evolutionarily conserved as well. At 48 and 72 h post-fertilization, vinclozolin-treated embryos express ar mRNA 8-fold higher than the control level. These findings suggest that zebrafish embryos attempt to compensate for the presence of an anti-androgen by increasing the number of androgen receptors available.
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Ottinger MA, Lavoie ET, Abdelnabi M, Quinn MJ, Marcell A, Dean K. An overview of dioxin-like compounds, PCB, and pesticide exposures associated with sexual differentiation of neuroendocrine systems, fluctuating asymmetry, and behavioral effects in birds. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2009; 27:286-300. [PMID: 19953400 DOI: 10.1080/10590500903310229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and pesticides impact neural systems in birds due to interference with sexual differentiation. Early endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) effects may delay maturation and have long-term effects on lifetime reproduction, especially in precocial birds that complete sexual differentiation prior to hatch. Semi-altricial and altricial species appear more resilient to EDC effects and show a gradient in sensitivity, especially in the neuroplastic song system. Embryonic steroid exposure occurs via maternally deposited steroids followed by embryo produced hormones; EDCs potentially affect these developing systems. As such, EDCs can impact lifelong fitness by acting on neural systems that regulate reproduction, metabolism, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann Ottinger
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
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