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Chi-Ho Ip J, T Y Leung P, K Y Ho K, Qiu JW, M Y Leung K. Transcriptomic analysis reveals the endocrine toxicity of tributyltin and triphenyltin on the whelk Reishia clavigera and mechanisms of imposex formation. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 190:108867. [PMID: 38968833 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Organotin compounds (OTs) are endocrine disruptors that induce imposex in hundreds of gastropods, but little is known about their underlying molecular mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the endocrine toxicity and molecular responses to tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) exposure in the whelk Reishia clavigera, which often serves as a biomonitor for OT contamination. Over a 120-day exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TBT (1000 ng L-1) and TPT (500 ng L-1), we observed a significant increase in penis length in both male and female whelks. Notably, TPT exhibited a stronger potency in inducing pseudo-penis development and female sterility, even at a half dose of TBT. Bioaccumulation analysis also revealed higher persistence and accumulation of TPT in whelk tissues compared to TBT. Differential expression analysis identified a substantial number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with TPT exposure eliciting more DEGs than TBT. Our results demonstrated that OTs induced xenobiotic metabolism and metabolic dysregulation in the digestive gland, impaired multiple cellular functions and triggered neurotoxicity in the nervous system, and disrupted lipid homeostasis and oxidative stress in the gonads. Furthermore, imposex was possibly associated with disturbances in retinoic acid metabolism, nuclear receptor signaling, and neuropeptide activity. When compared to TBT, TPT exhibited a more pronounced endocrine-disrupting effect, attributable to its higher bioaccumulation and substantial interruption of transcriptional regulation, OT detoxification, and biosynthesis of retinoic acids in R. clavigera. Our results, therefore, highlight the importance of considering the differences in bioaccumulation and molecular toxicity between TBT and TPT in future risk assessments of these contaminants. Overall, our study provided molecular insights into the toxicity and transcriptome profiles in R. clavigera exposed to TBT and TPT, shedding light on the endocrine-disrupting effects and reproductive impairment in female gastropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Science Unit, Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR, China; The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Priscilla T Y Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kevin K Y Ho
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kenneth M Y Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Chemistry and School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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Madaloz TZ, Dos Santos K, Zacchi FL, Bainy ACD, Razzera G. Nuclear receptor superfamily structural diversity in pacific oyster: In silico identification of estradiol binding candidates. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 340:139877. [PMID: 37619748 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The increasing presence of anthropogenic contaminants in aquatic environments poses challenges for species inhabiting contaminated sites. Due to their structural binding characteristics to ligands that inhibit or activate gene transcription, these xenobiotic compounds frequently target the nuclear receptor superfamily. The present work aims to understand the potential interaction between the hormone 17-β-estradiol, an environmental contaminant, and the nuclear receptors of Crassostrea gigas, the Pacific oyster. This filter-feeding, sessile oyster species is subject to environmental changes and exposure to contaminants. In the Pacific oyster, the estrogen-binding nuclear receptor is not able to bind this hormone as it does in vertebrates. However, another receptor may exhibit responsiveness to estrogen-like molecules and derivatives. We employed high-performance in silico methodologies, including three-dimensional modeling, molecular docking and atomistic molecular dynamics to identify likely binding candidates with the target moecule. Our approach revealed that among the C. gigas nuclear receptor superfamily, candidates with the most favorable interaction with the molecule of interest belonged to the NR1D, NR1H, NR1P, NR2E, NHR42, and NR0B groups. Interestingly, NR1H and NR0B were associated with planktonic/larval life cycle stages, while NR1P, NR2E, and NR0B were associated with sessile/adult life stages. The application of this computational methodological strategy demonstrated high performance in the virtual screening of candidates for binding with the target xenobiotic molecule and can be employed in other studies in the field of ecotoxicology in non-model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tâmela Zamboni Madaloz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Contaminação Aquática e Imunoquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Karin Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Contaminação Aquática e Imunoquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Flávia Lucena Zacchi
- Laboratório de Moluscos Marinhos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88061-600, Brazil
| | - Afonso Celso Dias Bainy
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Contaminação Aquática e Imunoquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Razzera
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Bioquímica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Biomarcadores de Contaminação Aquática e Imunoquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil.
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Šrut M, Sabolić I, Erdelez A, Grbin D, Furdek Turk M, Bakarić R, Peharda M, Štambuk A. Marine Pollutant Tributyltin Affects DNA Methylation and Fitness of Banded Murex ( Hexaplex trunculus) Populations. TOXICS 2023; 11:276. [PMID: 36977041 PMCID: PMC10051066 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11030276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Banded murex, Hexaplex trunculus, is a marine gastropod whose reproductive fitness can be severely affected by very low concentrations of antifouling compound tributyltin (TBT). TBT has strong xenoandrogen impacts on snails, causing the development of imposex (e.g., the superimposition of male sexual characteristic in females), thereby affecting the fitness of entire populations. TBT is also known as a DNA-demethylating agent and an obesogenic factor. The aim of this study was to unravel the interactions between TBT bioaccumulation, phenotypic responses, and epigenetic and genetic endpoints in native populations of H. trunculus. Seven populations inhabiting environments along the pollution gradient were sampled in the coastal eastern Adriatic. These included sites of intense marine traffic and boat maintenance activity and sites with low anthropogenic impact. Populations inhabiting intermediately and highly polluted sites exhibited higher TBT burdens, higher incidences of imposex, and higher wet masses of snails than populations in lowly polluted sites. Other morphometric traits and cellular biomarker responses did not show clear differentiation among populations in relation to marine traffic/pollution intensity. An analysis of methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) revealed environmentally driven population differentiation and higher epigenetics than genetic within-population diversity. Moreover, decreases in genome-wide DNA methylation coincided with the imposex level and snail mass, suggesting an epigenetic background of the animal phenotypic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Šrut
- Institute of Zoology, Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
| | - Iva Sabolić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.S.); (D.G.); (R.B.)
| | - Anita Erdelez
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia; (A.E.); (M.P.)
| | - Dorotea Grbin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.S.); (D.G.); (R.B.)
| | - Martina Furdek Turk
- Division for Marine and Environmental Research, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Robert Bakarić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.S.); (D.G.); (R.B.)
| | - Melita Peharda
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia; (A.E.); (M.P.)
| | - Anamaria Štambuk
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.S.); (D.G.); (R.B.)
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Zou C, Wang L, Shu C, Tan X, Wu Z, Zou Y, Li Z, Wang G, Song Z, You F. Rxrs and their partner receptor genes inducing masculinization plausibly mediated by endocrine disruption in Paralichthys olivaceus. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2023; 226:106219. [PMID: 36356854 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) can form homo- or heterodimers with orphan receptors involved in multiple intertwined signaling pathways. However, there is limited study on the formation of sex phenotypes and the regulation of steroidogenesis by RXRs in fish. Here, in Paralichthys olivaceus, we first indicated that PPARγ::RXRα was predictably a transcription factor for steroidogenesis genes, and Foxl2 and Dmrt1 were also transcription factors for rxrs and their partner receptor genes. When the flounder fry were exposed to LG100268 (LG, RXRs agonist, 50 mg/kg diet), the percentage of males increased from 50% to 71.4%. Before histological differentiation of the flounder ovary (3 cm TL) and testis (6 cm TL), the transcripts of rar β and rar γ (P < 0.05) were activated, and the steroidogenesis gene Hsd3b1 was down-regulated (P < 0.05). The ratios of testosterone (T)/17β-estradiol (E2) were all greatly increased (P < 0.05), and the ratio of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT)/E2 was elevated at 3 cm TL. Moreover, LG was used to treat the cultured gonads in vitro (10 μM) and the fish with intraperitoneal injection in vivo (12 mg/kg body weight), respectively. LG was able to up-regulate rxr γ, rar γ, and ppar δ, and Hsd3b1 was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). The ratios of 11-KT/E2 in the culture medium and in the ovaries of the fish were decreased. Furthermore, the recombinant flounder Foxl2 protein was able to significantly down-regulate ppar γ (P < 0.05) and tr β (P < 0.01) in the ovaries in vitro, and the result of the Dmrt1 in the testes was opposite to that of the Foxl2, probably indicating a feedback loop between RXRs' partner receptors and Foxl2/Dmrt1. These findings introduce for the first time the mode of action of RXRs on the flounder steroidogenesis and provide important data to learn the potential function of RXRs in fish sex differentiation and the potential role of RXRs in aquatic animals in the presence of water pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Zou
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Chang Shu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Xungang Tan
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Zhihao Wu
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Yuxia Zou
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Ze Li
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Guoyu Wang
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Zongcheng Song
- Shenghang Aquatic Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Weihai 264200, PR China
| | - Feng You
- CAS and Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266237, PR China.
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Sueiro MC, Palacios MG, Trudeau VL, Somoza GM, Awruch CA. Anthropogenic impact on the reproductive health of two wild Patagonian fish species with differing reproductive strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155862. [PMID: 35561931 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A particularly concerning outcome of environmental pollution is the disturbance of reproductive processes. However, studies on the impacts of pollution on the reproductive health of fish inhabiting South American environments are limited. We studied the impact of anthropogenic pollution on the reproductive health of two sympatric Patagonian marine fish species with different reproductive strategies: the live-bearing rockfish Sebastes oculatus and the egg-laying Brazilian sandperch Pinguipes brasilianus. Our findings reveal that both species presented some degree of reproductive disturbance when inhabiting an affected site, but the specific alterations differed depending on the species, sex, and season. During the reproductive season, 17β-estradiol levels were elevated in females of both species living in polluted areas, while no differences in androgen levels were observed in either species or season. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) was affected in both sexes of S. oculatus during the non-reproductive season, while the gonadal stages were mainly affected in both sexes of P. brasilianus. No signs of intersex condition were observed. Our results highlight the importance of including diverse reproductive parameters to better understand anthropogenic effects on wild animals. Long-term studies including other fish species and including offspring (to evaluate possible transgenerational effects) will be necessary to determine the consequences of the documented reproductive alterations, particularly whether fish species inhabiting Patagonian marine reef areas will be able to reproductively adapt to increasing marine anthropogenic disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cruz Sueiro
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Centro Nacional Patagónico - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CENPAT - CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Maria G Palacios
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Centro Nacional Patagónico - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CENPAT - CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Vance L Trudeau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gustavo M Somoza
- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM).
| | - Cynthia A Awruch
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Centro Nacional Patagónico - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CENPAT - CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
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6
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de Hoog E, Saba Echezarreta VE, Turgambayeva A, Foran G, Megaly M, Necakov A, Spencer GE. Molluscan RXR Transcriptional Regulation by Retinoids in a Drosophila CNS Organ Culture System. Cells 2022; 11:cells11162493. [PMID: 36010570 PMCID: PMC9406730 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, is important for the appropriate development of the nervous system (e.g., neurite outgrowth) as well as for cognition (e.g., memory formation) in the adult brain. We have shown that many of the effects of retinoids are conserved in the CNS of the mollusc, Lymnaea stagnalis. RXRs are predominantly nuclear receptors, but the Lymnaea RXR (LymRXR) exhibits a non-nuclear distribution in the adult CNS, where it is also implicated in non-genomic retinoid functions. As such, we developed a CNS Drosophila organ culture-based system to examine the transcriptional activity and ligand-binding properties of LymRXR, in the context of a live invertebrate nervous system. The novel ligand sensor system was capable of reporting both the expression and transcriptional activity of the sensor. Our results indicate that the LymRXR ligand sensor mediated transcription following activation by both 9-cis RA (the high affinity ligand for vertebrate RXRs) as well as the vertebrate RXR synthetic agonist, SR11237. The LymRXR ligand sensor was also activated by all-trans RA, and to a much lesser extent by the vertebrate RAR synthetic agonist, EC23. This sensor also detected endogenous retinoid-like activity in the CNS of developing Drosophila larvae, primarily during the 3rd instar larval stage. These data indicate that the LymRXR sensor can be utilized not only for characterization of ligand activation for studies related to the Lymnaea CNS, but also for future studies of retinoids and their functions in Drosophila development.
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Cocci P, Mosconi G, Palermo FA. Effects of tributyltin on retinoid X receptor gene expression and global DNA methylation during intracapsular development of the gastropod Tritia mutabilis (Linnaeus, 1758). ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 88:103753. [PMID: 34628031 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The tributyltin (TBT)-mediated induction of imposex in marine snails is considered a common mechanism of endocrine disruption through the retinoid X receptor (RXR)-dependent pathway. However, there is evidence that regulation of RXR also relates to metabolic processes, differentiation, apoptosis, and embryonic development, playing a key role in molluscan neuronal differentiation and organogenesis. In this regard, very little is known about the gastropod Tritia mutabilis especially in relation to the effects of TBT exposure during intracapsular embryonic development. In this study, we have investigated the RXR expression fold changes of T. mutabilis encapsulated embryos exposed to different concentrations (10-10 to 10-12 M) of TBT up to 10 days of treatment. We demonstrate that RXR is sequentially expressed during development and that exposure to the lowest and highest TBT doses induces time-dependent changes in RXR gene transcription. We also show that TBT treatment is associated with global DNA demethylation and reduced DNA-methyltransferase I (DNMT1) expression and activity levels. Overall, our data indicate that RXR has important functions during the early stages of T. mutabilis embryo development and is involved in mediating the potential epigenetic alterations induced by TBT exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cocci
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, I-62032, Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Gilberto Mosconi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, I-62032, Camerino, MC, Italy
| | - Francesco Alessandro Palermo
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, I-62032, Camerino, MC, Italy.
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Lesoway MP, Henry JQ. Retinoids promote penis development in sequentially hermaphroditic snails. Dev Biol 2021; 478:122-132. [PMID: 34224682 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexual systems are surprisingly diverse, considering the ubiquity of sexual reproduction. Sequential hermaphroditism, the ability of an individual to change sex, has emerged multiple times independently across the animal kingdom. In molluscs, repeated shifts between ancestrally separate sexes and hermaphroditism are generally found at the level of family and above, suggesting recruitment of deeply conserved mechanisms. Despite this, molecular mechanisms of sexual development are poorly known. In molluscs with separate sexes, endocrine disrupting toxins bind the retinoid X receptor (RXR), activating ectopic male development in females, suggesting the retinoid pathway as a candidate controlling sexual transitions in sequential hermaphrodites. We therefore tested the role of retinoic acid signaling in sequentially hermaphroditic Crepidula snails, which develop first into males, then change sex, maturing into females. We show that retinoid agonists induce precocious penis growth in juveniles and superimposition of male development in females. Combining RXR antagonists with retinoid agonists significantly reduces penis length in induced juveniles, while similar treatments using retinoic acid receptor (RAR) antagonists increase penis length. Transcripts of both receptors are expressed in the induced penis. Our findings therefore show that retinoid signaling can initiate molluscan male genital development, and regulate penis length. Further, we show that retinoids induce ectopic male development in multiple Crepidula species. Species-specific influence of conspecific induction of sexual transitions correlates with responsiveness to retinoids. We propose that retinoid signaling plays a conserved role in molluscan male development, and that shifts in the timing of retinoid signaling may have been important for the origins of sequential hermaphroditism within molluscs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna P Lesoway
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology University of Illinois, 601 S Goodwin Avenue Urbana, IL, USA, 61801.
| | - Jonathan Q Henry
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology University of Illinois, 601 S Goodwin Avenue Urbana, IL, USA, 61801
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Primost MA, Averbuj A, Bigatti G, Márquez F. Embryonic shell shape as an early indicator of pollution in marine gastropods. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 167:105283. [PMID: 33639393 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Gastropods shell shape has been proposed as a good indicator of environmental changes while geometric morphometric (GM) is a powerful tool to detect such changes. Shell shape pattern in adults of the marine gastropod Buccinanops deformis was proved to be correlated with imposex incidence and maritime traffic in populations of Patagonia. We explore through GM the shell shape variation of B. deformis intracapsular embryos in pre-hatching stages of development, in two populations with contrasting maritime traffic and imposex incidence. Embryonic shell shape from polluted and unpolluted areas was significantly different in apex, lateral, aperture and siphonal channel. The same shell shape pattern was observed previously in B. deformis adult specimens. Our results demonstrate that the embryonic shell shape is an early biomarker that could be used as a tool to detect the response to environmental pollution studying abundant egg capsules laid in the field but protecting reproductive adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Primost
- Grupo de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Acuicultura y Pesca (GIDTAP), Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, Facultad Regional Chubut, CONICET, Argentina; LARBIM, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - A Averbuj
- LARBIM, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - G Bigatti
- LARBIM, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Universidad Espíritu Santo, Ecuador
| | - F Márquez
- LARBIM, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos, IBIOMAR-CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Argentina; Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Puerto Madryn, Argentina.
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Brtko J, Dvorak Z. Natural and synthetic retinoid X receptor ligands and their role in selected nuclear receptor action. Biochimie 2020; 179:157-168. [PMID: 33011201 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Important key players in the regulatory machinery within the cells are nuclear retinoid X receptors (RXRs), which compose heterodimers in company with several diverse nuclear receptors, playing a role as ligand inducible transcription factors. In general, nuclear receptors are ligand-activated, transcription-modulating proteins affecting transcriptional responses in target genes. RXR molecules forming permissive heterodimers with disparate nuclear receptors comprise peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), liver X receptors (LXRs), farnesoid X receptor (FXR), pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstan receptor (CAR). Retinoid receptors (RARs) and thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) may form conditional heterodimers, and dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor (VDR) is believed to form nonpermissive heterodimer. Thus, RXRs are the important molecules that are involved in control of many cellular functions in biological processes and diseases, including cancer or diabetes. This article summarizes both naturally occurring and synthetic ligands for nuclear retinoid X receptors and describes, predominantly in mammals, their role in molecular mechanisms within the cells. A focus is also on triorganotin compounds, which are high affinity RXR ligands, and finally, we present an outlook on human microbiota as a potential source of RXR activators. Nevertheless, new synthetic rexinoids with better retinoid X receptor activity and lesser side effects are highly required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Brtko
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
| | - Zdenek Dvorak
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 11, 783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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