PUBLICATION

Exposure to difenoconazole induces reproductive toxicity in zebrafish by interfering with gamete maturation and reproductive behavior

Authors
Chen, X., Zheng, J., Zhang, J., Duan, M., Xu, H., Zhao, W., Yang, Y., Wang, C., Xu, Y.
ID
ZDB-PUB-220505-9
Date
2022
Source
The Science of the total environment   838(Pt 1): 155610 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Difenoconazole, Environmental concentrations, Gametogenesis, Reproductive behavior, Reproductive toxicity
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Dioxolanes
  • Endocrine Disruptors*/toxicity
  • Female
  • Germ Cells
  • Gonads
  • Male
  • Reproduction
  • Reproductive Behavior*
  • Triazoles/toxicity
  • Vitellogenins
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*/toxicity
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
35504380 Full text @ Sci. Total Environ.
Abstract
Difenoconazole (DCZ) is a triazole fungicide that negatively affects aquatic organisms and humans. However, data regarding the reproductive toxicity of DCZ are insufficient. In this study, we used zebrafish (from 2 h post-fertilization [hpf] to adulthood) as a model to evaluate whether DCZ at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 μg/L) induces reproductive toxicity. After exposure to DCZ, egg production and fertilization rates were reduced by 1.0 and 10.0 μg/L. A significant decrease in gamete frequency (late vitellogenic oocytes and spermatozoa) was observed at 10.0 μg/L. The concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and vitellogenin (VTG) were disrupted in females and males by 1.0 and 10.0 μg/L. Exposure to 10.0 μg/L DCZ significantly inhibited the contact time between female and male fish, which was mainly achieved by affecting male fish. The transcription of genes involved in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis was significantly changed after treatment with DCZ. Overall, these data show that the endocrine-disrupting effect of DCZ on the zebrafish HPG axis inhibited gamete maturation and disrupted reproductive behavior, reducing fertility.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping