Shifts in sensitivity of amphibian metamorphosis to endocrine disruption: the common frog (Rana temporaria) as a case study

The role of phenotypic plasticity and corticosterone in coping with pond drying conditions in yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata, Linnaeus 1758) tadpoles

Amphibian larvae inhabiting temporary ponds often exhibit the capacity to accelerate development and undergo metamorphosis in challenging conditions like desiccation. However, not all species exhibit this ability, the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) is one such example. The underlying mechanisms behind the inability to accelerate development under desiccation remain largely unexplored. The hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis and corticosterone (CORT), which act synergistically with thyroid hormone, are thought to facilitate metamorphosis in response to desiccation stress. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether modification in the HPI axis, particularly CORT levels, contributes to the absence of adaptive plasticity in B. variegata under desiccation stress. The study design included four treatments: high water level, high water level with exogenous CORT, low water level, and low water level with metyrapone (a CORT synthesis inhibitor). The main objective was to evaluate the effects of these treatments on whole-body corticosterone levels, life history, morphological traits, and oxidative stress parameters during the prometamorphic and metamorphic climax developmental stages. While low water level had no effect on total corticosterone levels, larval period, body condition index, and metamorphic body shape, it negatively affected metamorph size, mass, and growth rate. Our findings suggest that constant exposure to desiccation stress over generations may have led to modifications in the HPI axis activity in B. variegata, resulting in adaptation to changes in water level, evident through the absence of stress response. Consequently, CORT may not be a relevant stress indicator in desiccation conditions for this species.

Acclimation capacity to global warming of amphibians and freshwater fishes: Drivers, patterns, and data limitations

Amphibians and fishes play a central role in shaping the structure and function of freshwater environments. These organisms have a limited capacity to disperse across different habitats and the thermal buffer offered by freshwater systems is small. Understanding determinants and patterns of their physiological sensitivity across life history is, therefore, imperative to predicting the impacts of climate change in freshwater systems. Based on a systematic literature review including 345 experiments with 998 estimates on 96 amphibian (Anura/Caudata) and 93 freshwater fish species (Teleostei), we conducted a quantitative synthesis to explore phylogenetic, ontogenetic, and biogeographic (thermal adaptation) patterns in upper thermal tolerance (CTmax) and thermal acclimation capacity (acclimation response ratio, ARR) as well as the influence of the methodology used to assess these thermal traits using a conditional inference tree analysis. We found globally consistent patterns in CTmax and ARR, with phylogeny (taxa/order), experimental methodology, climatic origin, and life stage as significant determinants of thermal traits. The analysis demonstrated that CTmax does not primarily depend on the climatic origin but on experimental acclimation temperature and duration, and life stage. Higher acclimation temperatures and longer acclimation times led to higher CTmax values, whereby Anuran larvae revealed a higher CTmax than older life stages. The ARR of freshwater fishes was more than twice that of amphibians. Differences in ARR between life stages were not significant. In addition to phylogenetic differences, we found that ARR also depended on acclimation duration, ramping rate, and adaptation to local temperature variability. However, the amount of data on early life stages is too small, methodologically inconsistent, and phylogenetically unbalanced to identify potential life cycle bottlenecks in thermal traits. We, therefore, propose methods to improve the robustness and comparability of CTmax/ARR data across species and life stages, which is crucial for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity under climate change.

Bisphenol A contamination in aquatic environments: a review of sources, environmental concerns, and microbial remediation

The production of polycarbonate, a high-performance transparent plastic, employs bisphenol A, which is a prominent endocrine-disrupting compound. Polycarbonates are frequently used in the manufacturing of food, bottles, storage containers for newborns, and beverage packaging materials. Global production of BPA in 2022 was estimated to be in the region of 10 million tonnes. About 65-70% of all bisphenol A is used to make polycarbonate plastics. Bisphenol A leaches from improperly disposed plastic items and enters the environment through wastewater from plastic-producing industries, contaminating, sediments, surface water, and ground water. The concentration BPA in industrial and domestic wastewater ranges from 16 to 1465 ng/L while in surface water it has been detected 170-3113 ng/L. Wastewater treatment can be highly effective at removing BPA, giving reductions of 91-98%. Regardless, the remaining 2-9% of BPA will continue through to the environment, with low levels of BPA commonly observed in surface water and sediment in the USA and Europe. The health effects of BPA have been the subject of prolonged public and scientific debate, with PubMed listing more than 17,000 scientific papers as of 2023. Bisphenol A poses environmental and health hazards in aquatic systems, affecting ecosystems and human health. While several studies have revealed its presence in aqueous streams, environmentally sound technologies should be explored for its removal from the contaminated environment. Concern is mostly related to its estrogen-like activity, although it can interact with other receptor systems as an endocrine-disrupting chemical. Present review article encompasses the updated information on sources, environmental concerns, and sustainable remediation techniques for bisphenol A removal from aquatic ecosystems, discussing gaps, constraints, and future research requirements.

Current State of Conservation Physiology for Amphibians: Major Research Topics and Physiological Parameters

Analysis of physiological responses can be used to assess population health, identify threat factors, and understand mechanisms of stress. In addition to this, conservation physiologists have sought to establish potential management strategies for environmental change and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation efforts. From past to present, the field of conservation physiology is developing in an increasingly broader context. In this review, we aim to categorize the topics covered in conservation physiology research on amphibians and present the measured physiological parameters to provide directions for future research on conservation physiology. Physiological responses of amphibians to environmental stressors are the most studied topic, but conservation physiological studies on metamorphosis, habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and conservation methods are relatively lacking. A number of physiological indices have been extracted to study amphibian conservation physiology, and the indices have varying strengths of correlation with each subject. Future research directions are suggested to develop a comprehensive monitoring method for amphibians, identify interactions among various stressors, establish physiological mechanisms for environmental factors, and quantify the effects of conservation activities on amphibian physiology.

Long-term Xenopus laevis tadpole -heart-organ-culture: Physiological changes in cholinergic and adrenergic sensitivities of tadpole heart with thyroxine-treatment

The present study clarified changes in physiological sensitivities of cultured Nieuwkoop and Faber stage 57 Xenopus laevis tadpole-organ-heart exposed to thyroxine (T4) using acetylcholine (ACh), norepinephrine (NE) and atropine. For preliminary life span and the chemical tests, 60% minimum essential medium (MEM), two types of modified Hank's balanced salt-solution-culture-media (MHBSS-CM) I and II containing relatively lower concentrations of amino acids and collagen were prepared. In preliminary lifespan-test of cultured tadpole hearts, the hearts maintained in 60% MEM was 50 days on average, whereas that of the tadpole-hearts in MHBSS-CMs was extended by 109 days on average, showing superior effectiveness of MHBSS-CMs. 4 min-stimulation by 5 × 10-9 M T4 tended to increase the tadpole heartbeat. 10-9 M ACh decreased the tadpole heartbeat. Frog-heart at 2-4 weeks after metamorphosis completion and tadpole heart treated with 5 × 10-10 M T4 for 45 h also responded to 10-9 M ACh, and low-resting hearts were restored to the control level with the competitive muscarinic antagonist 10-8 M atropine, whereas excessive exposure of 10-5 M atropine to T4-treated tadpole heart did not increase heartbeat in spite of the increased frog heartbeat over the control. 10-14 -10-12 M NE increase the tadpole heartbeat in a concentration-dependent manner, however, 10-12 M NE did not act to stimulate adrenergic receptors on both T4-treated tadpole- and the frog-hearts. These results suggest that T4 induces the desensitization of atropine-sensitive muscarinic and adrenergic receptors in organ-cultured tadpole-heart.

Complex Organisms Must Deal with Complex Threats: How Does Amphibian Conservation Deal with Biphasic Life Cycles?

The unprecedented rate of global amphibian decline is attributed to The Anthropocene, with human actions triggering the Sixth Mass Extinction Event. Amphibians have suffered some of the most extreme declines, and their lack of response to conservation actions may reflect challenges faced by taxa that exhibit biphasic life histories. There is an urgent need to ensure that conservation measures are cost-effective and yield positive outcomes. Many conservation actions have failed to meet their intended goals of bolstering populations to ensure the persistence of species into the future. We suggest that past conservation efforts have not considered how different threats influence multiple life stages of amphibians, potentially leading to suboptimal outcomes for their conservation. Our review highlights the multitude of threats amphibians face at each life stage and the conservation actions used to mitigate these threats. We also draw attention to the paucity of studies that have employed multiple actions across more than one life stage. Conservation programs for biphasic amphibians, and the research that guides them, lack a multi-pronged approach to deal with multiple threats across the lifecycle. Conservation management programs must recognise the changing threat landscape for biphasic amphibians to reduce their notoriety as the most threatened vertebrate taxa globally.

Contributions of water-borne corticosterone as one non-invasive biomarker in assessing nitrate pollution stress in tadpoles of Rana temporaria

Among a multitude of stressors to which wildlife is exposed, environmental pollution is a pervasive one that poses a serious threat. The permeable skin of amphibians is likely to increase direct contact of the body with pollutants, making them a group worth studying to access environmental quality. Consequently, finding reliable and complementary biomarkers that will present detectable and predictable changes in response to pollutants is essential to identify pollution sublethal effects on amphibians and to investigate whether these are in part responsible for population declines. The glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone (CORT), involved in many metabolic functions, is often used to measure the physiological stress response to environmental stressors in amphibians. In this study, we evaluated whether water-borne CORT can serve as a non-invasive biomarker for nitrate pollution stress in the European common frog (Rana temporaria) by comparing the effect of nitrate exposure on hormone release rates and on other physiological downstream biomarkers, i.e., ultimate physiological effects of the stressor. Specifically, we investigated the effect of different nitrate concentrations (0, 10, 50, and 100 mg/L) on water-borne CORT release rates, age, size, and body condition. Exposure to nitrate pollution significantly increased age at metamorphosis and water-borne CORT release rates, and led to reduced mass and body condition, but only at higher nitrate concentrations (i.e., 50 and 100 mg/L). Considering this similar sensitivity to other acknowledged biomarkers, water-borne CORT was a reliable biomarker of physiological stress in R. temporaria exposed to nitrate pollution stress in a controlled single-stressor laboratory approach. Thus, water-borne CORT is a promising method to be included in more holistic approaches. We recommend that such approaches keep testing multiple biomarker combinations, as species are exposed to several stressors likely to interact and produce varied outcomes in different biomarkers in their natural habitats.

Ecotoxicity assessment of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) exposure in Hoplobatrachus rugulosus tadpoles

Triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), a widely used aromatic organophosphate flame retardant, is known to accumulate in organisms through water, air, and soil, consequently, causing toxicity. This study is the first to evaluate the acute and sub-chronic toxicities of TPhP to amphibians. In the acute toxicity analysis, the 96-h median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) for GS35 Hoplobatrachus rugulosus tadpoles was 2.893 mg/L, and the 10% effect concentration (EC₁₀) was 289 μg/L. After two weeks of exposure to low TPhP concentrations, the survival and metamorphosis rates of H. rugulosus tadpoles decreased, and the metamorphosis time was prolonged as the TPhP concentration increased. The threshold concentration that affected tadpole survival and metamorphosis time was 50 μg/L and 100 μg/L, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the condition factor and hepatic somatic index of the tadpole after metamorphosis; however, tadpole body mass and TPhP concentration were negatively correlated. Further, TPhP inhibited the expressions of Cu-Zn sod and cat, thereby reducing the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the tadpole liver. The threshold for affecting gene expression and enzymatic activity was 100 μg/L. These findings provide significant insights on the stress ecology of aquatic organisms.

Carry-Over Effects of Desiccation Stress on the Oxidative Status of Fasting Anuran Juveniles

Amphibians are sensitive to deteriorating environmental conditions, especially during transition to a terrestrial environment which is full of uncertainties. Harsh conditions, such as desiccation during earlier stages, affect different larval traits with possible carry-over effects on juvenile and adult life histories. The first consequences of the effects can be seen in juveniles in the challenges to find food and the ability to survive without it in a terrestrial habitat. Body size and the internal energy reserves acquired during the larval phase play an important role in this period. Herein, we tested how different water regimes (low water availability, desiccation and constant high-water availability) during larval development reflect on the oxidative status and ability of yellow belly toad (Bombina variegata) juveniles to endure short-term fasting. The desiccation regime significantly reduced the body size of metamorphs. The same was observed after 2 weeks of fasting, while the feeding treatment reduced differences mostly in the body mass of individuals from different water regimes. This was the result of a greater gain in mass in juveniles pre-exposed to desiccation. Pre-exposure to desiccation also modified the parameters of the antioxidant system (AOS) under feeding conditions, leading to higher values of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase, glutathione and sulfhydryl group concentrations, and lower glutathione peroxidase in comparison to juveniles reared under constant water. The increase in the AOS of juveniles can be considered as a physiological carry-over effect of desiccation, probably as the result of compensatory growth and/or earlier exposure to chronic stress. However, water levels during larval development did not exert significant effects on the oxidative status of juveniles subjected to food unavailability. Fasting juveniles, both control and desiccated, were exposed to oxidative stress, significantly higher lipid peroxide concentrations, lower superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione and sulfhydryl group values in comparison to feeding individuals. The lack of food in juvenile anurans activated the AOS response in the same manner, regardless of body size and stress pre-exposure, suggesting that the generally accepted hypothesis about the influence of metamorphic body size on the fitness of the postmetamorphic stage should be tested further.

Thyroid hormone system disrupting chemicals

The thyroid hormone system is a main target of endocrine disruptor compounds (EDC) at all levels of its intricately fine-tuned feedback regulation, synthesis, distribution, metabolism and action of the 'prohormone' thyroxine and its active metabolites. Apart from classical antithyroid effects of EDC on the gland, the majority of known and suspected effects occurs at the pre-receptor control of T3 ligand availability to T3 receptors exerting ligand modulated thyroid hormone action. Tissue-, organ- and cell-specific expression and function of thyroid hormone transporters, deiodinases, metabolizing enzymes and T3-receptor forms, all integral components of the system, may mediate adverse EDC effects. Established evidence from nutritional, pharmacological and molecular genetic studies clearly support the functional, biological, and clinical relevance of these targets. Iodine-containing thyroid hormones and the organization of this system are highly conserved during evolution from primitive aquatic life forms, amphibia, birds throughout all vertebrates including humans. Mechanistic studies from various animal experimental models strongly support cause-effect relationships upon EDC exposure, hazards and adverse effects of EDC across various species. Retrospective case-control, cohort and population studies linking EDC exposure with epidemiological data on thyroid hormone-related (dys-)functions provide clear evidence that human development, especially of the fetal and neonatal brain, growth, differentiation and metabolic processes in adult and aging humans are at risk for adverse EDC effects. Considering that more than half of the world population still lives on inadequate iodine supply, the additional ubiquitous exposure to EDC and their mixtures is an additional threat for the essential thyroid hormone system, the health of the human population and their future progenies, animal life forms and our global environment.

Ontogenetic changes in activity, locomotion and behavioural complexity in tadpoles

Metamorphosis is a widespread developmental process that involves considerable changes in morphology, habitat use, ecology and behaviour between early developmental (larval) stages and adult forms. Among amphibians, anuran larvae (tadpoles) undergo massive morphological and ecological changes during their development, with early stages characterized by somatic growth, whereas more conspicuous changes (i.e. metamorphosis) occur later during development. In this study, we examined how locomotor and behavioural traits covary with morphology (body size) and metamorphosis (hindlimb and forelimb development) across developmental stages in spined toad (Bufo spinosus) tadpoles. As expected, we found that locomotion and behaviour undergo significant changes during tadpole development. These changes are curvilinear across developmental stages, with a phase of increasing activity and locomotion followed by a phase of stasis and/or reduction in locomotion and behavioural complexity. All the metrics we investigated indicate that the peak of activity and associated behaviour is situated at a pivotal stage when somatic growth decreases and significant morphological changes occur (i.e. hindlimb growth). Future studies that aim to investigate determinants of locomotion should include developmental stages as covariates in order to assess whether the sensitivity of locomotion to environmental variables changes across developmental stages.

Effects of Desiccation on Metamorphic Climax in Bombina variegata: Changes in Levels and Patterns of Oxidative Stress Parameters

Simple Summary

Global warming alters patterns of precipitation and drought, which are important factors in the survival of amphibian populations. Metamorphosis is affected by environmental changes; this is especially true of metamorphic climax, the crucial stage of amphibian development that is accompanied by significant morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations necessary for the transition to a terrestrial habitat. This study investigated naturally occurring changes in the cellular oxidative status (antioxidant system and oxidative damage) of yellow-bellied toad larvae during this phase, and how exposure to exogenous factors such as desiccation affected them. Our results revealed clear changes in the antioxidant system’s (AOS) response and the levels of oxidative damage during metamorphic climax, with the highest response and damage observed at the end stage. Decreasing water levels during larval development altered the components of the AOS and increased oxidative damage, resulting in increased oxidative stress. The knowledge gained from this study could contribute to a better understanding of the oxidative stress that larvae experience during this critical stage of development, and the consequences of global warming—such as water loss—on amphibians.

Abstract

In this paper, we examined how the oxidative status (antioxidant system and oxidative damage) of Bombina variegata larvae changed during the metamorphic climax (Gosner stages: 42—beginning, 44—middle and 46—end) and compared the patterns and levels of oxidative stress parameters between individuals developing under constant water availability (control) and those developing under decreasing water availability (desiccation group). Our results revealed that larvae developing under decreasing water availability exhibited increased oxidative damage in the middle and end stages. This was followed by lower levels of glutathione in stages 44 and 46, as well as lower values of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase and sulfhydryl groups in stage 46 (all in relation to control animals). Comparison between stages 42, 44 and 46 within treatments showed that individuals in the last stage demonstrated the highest intensities of lipid oxidative damage in both the control and desiccation groups. As for the parameters of the antioxidant system, control individuals displayed greater variety in response to changes induced by metamorphic climax than individuals exposed to desiccation treatment. The overall decrease in water availability during development led to increased oxidative stress and modifications in the pattern of AOS response to changes induced by metamorphic climax in larvae of B. variegata.