PUBLICATION

Norethindrone alters mating behaviors, ovary histology, hormone production and transcriptional expression of steroidogenic genes in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Authors
Hou, L., Chen, S., Shi, W., Chen, H., Liang, Y., Wang, X., Tan, J., Wang, Y., Deng, X., Zhan, M., Long, J., Cai, G., Luo, S., Zhang, C., Liu, J., Leung, J.Y.S., Xie, L.
ID
ZDB-PUB-200403-189
Date
2020
Source
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety   195: 110496 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Endocrine disrupting chemical, Gene expression, Norethindrone, Reproductive behavior, Steroidogenesis, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Endocrine System/drug effects
  • Female
  • Gonadal Steroid Hormones/blood*
  • Gonadal Steroid Hormones/genetics
  • Male
  • Norethindrone/toxicity*
  • Ovary/drug effects*
  • Ovary/pathology
  • Progesterone/metabolism
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
  • Transcription, Genetic/drug effects*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
32213369 Full text @ Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.
Abstract
The impact of progestins (i.e. synthetic forms of progesterone) on aquatic organisms has drawn increasing attention due to their widespread occurrence in the aquatic environments and potential effects on the endocrine system of fish. In this study, the effects of norethindrone (NET, a progestin) on the reproductive behavior, sex hormone production and transcriptional expressions were evaluated by exposing female zebrafish to NET at 0, 3.1, 36.2 and 398.6 ng L-1 for 60 days. Results showed that NET impaired the mating behaviors of female at 36.2 and 398.6 ng L-1 exhibited by males and increased the frequency of atretic follicular cells in the ovary exposed to NET at 398.6 ng L-1. As for sex hormones, plasma testosterone concentration in zebrafish increased, while estradiol concentration decreased. Up-regulation of genes (Npr, Mpra, Mprβ, Fshβ, Lβ, Tshb, Nis and Dio2) was detected in the brain of fish exposed to NET at 398.6 ng L-1. The transcriptional levels of genes (Esr1, Vtg1, Ar, Cyp19a, Cyp11b and Ptgs2) were generally inhibited in the ovary of zebrafish by NET at 398.6 ng L-1. Moreover, the transcripts of genes (Vtg1, Esr1, Ar and Pgr) in the liver were reduced by NET at 36.2 and 398.6 ng L-1. Our findings suggest that NET can potentially diminish the of fish populations not only by damaging their reproductive organs, but also by altering their mating behavior through the changes in the expressions of genes responsible for the production of sex hormones.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping