PUBLICATION

Zebrafish reproductive toxicity induced by chronic perfluorononanoate exposure

Authors
Zhang, W., Sheng, N., Wang, M., Zhang, H., Dai, J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-160417-5
Date
2016
Source
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)   175: 269-276 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Zhang, Wei
Keywords
Perfluoroalkyl acids, Reproductive toxicity, VTG, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Endocrine Disruptors/toxicity*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Estradiol/blood
  • Female
  • Fluorocarbons/toxicity*
  • Gene Expression/drug effects
  • Gonads/drug effects
  • Liver/drug effects
  • Liver/metabolism
  • Male
  • Ovum/drug effects
  • Ovum/metabolism
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reproduction/drug effects*
  • Testosterone/blood
  • Vitellogenins/genetics
  • Vitellogenins/metabolism
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/growth & development
  • Zebrafish/physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
PubMed
27082981 Full text @ Aquat. Toxicol.
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are a group of anthropogenic compounds that have been widely used in consumer products for over 50 years. One of the most dominant PFAAs is perfluorononanoate (PFNA), a compound detected ubiquitously in aquatic ecosystems. While PFNA is suspected of being an endocrine disruptor, the mechanisms behind PFNA-induced reproductive disorders are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the reproduction-related effects and possible mechanisms of PFNA on adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) following 180 days of exposure at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1mg/L). PFNA concentration in the gonads of zebrafish was tested by HPLC-MS/MS after chronic exposure to study possible inconsistent accumulation between the genders. The results showed that the accumulation of PFNA in the male gonads was almost one-fold higher than that in the female gonads, indicating a possible higher PFAA gonad burden for male zebrafish. Significant reductions in the male gonadosomatic index (GSI) and female egg production were observed. In addition, the decreased 72h hatching rate displayed an evident dosage effect, indicating that maternal exposure to PFNA might impair offspring developmental success. To investigate how PFNA exposure affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis (HPGL axis), the transcriptional levels of genes were measured by real-time PCR. The disrupted expression of genes, such as ERα, ERβ, FSHR, LHR, StAR, and 17βHSD, indicated the possible interference of PFNA on the HPGL axis function and sex hormone synthesis. Furthermore, testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels in serum and VTG content in the liver were detected to clarify the influences of PFNA on sex hormone levels. Except for the increase in serum estrogen levels, as an estrogen analogue, PFNA also induced the synthesis of biomarker protein vitellogenin (VTG) in the adult male liver. The results of this study indicate that chronic exposure to PFNA can lead to dysfunction in the HPGL axis and sex hormone synthesis and cause adverse effects on fish reproduction.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping