Project description:17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is one of the most potent estrogens that have the ability to interfere with the endocrine system of fish. The objective was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of action caused by 60 days of dietary exposure to 0.2 mg EE2/kg and 0.07 mg EE2/kg feed in female largemouth bass (LMB) during the reproductive season. Microarrays and pathway analyses were performed on hepatic tissues to identify genes and biological processes altered in female LMB by EE2 exposure. The hypothesis was that the two concentrations of EE2 would produce dose-response changes in sensitive genes. Body and ovary weights were measured and blood was collected for measurement of plasma steroid hormones (17beta-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T)) and vitellogenin (VTG) using ELISA. The 0.2 mg EE2/kg feed exposure reduced the gonadosomatic index (GSI) by 75%, and plasma levels of E2 and T were reduced by over 90%. Plasma VTG was increased by approximately 100% (from 4 to 8mg/ml) by the 0.2 mg/kg treatment. T levels, from the 0.07 mg EE2/kg feed, reduced GSI by approximately 30% and circulating E2 and T by ~80% but did not affect VTG concentrations. We found 1,594 and 1,165 genes were significantly affected (p<0.05) by the 0.07 mg EE2/kg feed and 0.2 mg EE2/kg feed, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that there were different biological processes regulated by the two concentrations of EE2. Pathway analysis showed that the 0.07 mg EE2/kg feed exposure caused differential regulation of genes associated with fatty acid biosynthesis and glycolysis, indicating some metabolic effects. In contrast, the 0.2 mg EE2/kg feed exposure altered transcription of genes involved in immune response and apoptosis, suggesting a toxic response at this concentration. These results suggest that the two concentrations demonstrated distinct physiological responses, with the higher concentration inducing complete endocrine disruption in LMB. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of microarrays to identify possible biomarkers and modes of toxic action to dietary exposure in LMB. Two concentrations of EE2 would produce dose-response changes in sensitive genes. Female LMB were fed 5 days per week for 60 days with floating pellets that contained 0.07 or 0.2 mg/kg of EE2.

Project description:The objective of this study was to gain mechanistic insight into how mummichog are able to produce eggs during exposures to high levels of EE2. Mummichog were exposed to 0, 50 or 250 ng/L of EE2 for 14 d. A mummichog microarray was used to identify genomic responses associated with high EE2 exposure, and effects of EE2 on target genes involved in lipid mobilization and transport and steroidogenesis, two important (EE2 regulated) pathways involved in egg production, were measured using real-time PCR. In addition, changes at higher level biological endpoints such as plasma steroid production and gonad morphology were measured to examine downstream responses to EE2. There were no differences in gonadosomatic index, liversomatic index, gonad development, or plasma estradiol levels after exposure to EE2, although testosterone decreased with EE2 exposures. Similar to other species, mummichog showed alterations to plasma steroid levels, and similar processes at the molecular level were identified as being altered by EE2, including cell processes associated with lipids. However, unlike other species, mummichog showed no differences in GSI or ovarian development. Fatty acids were affected at both the transcript and translation level, which suggests they are a major target of estrogens. Lipids are important for both growth and reproduction, and provide oocytes with nutrients. Interestingly, mummichog showed no effect on apolipoprotein expression, which is important in lipid transport. Therefore, it is hypothesized that mummichog are normally able to transport lipids for energy and nutrients to the ovary, while this is affected in other species. Novel gene regulatory networks for protein modification targets were also constructed to learn more about the potential roles of estrogens in the teleost liver. Although post-translational modifications (PTMs) are important regulatory mechanisms, the roles of PTMs in protein regulation in fish and the susceptibility of PTMs to aquatic pollutants are largely unexplored and may offer novel insight into mechanisms of endocrine disruption. Mummichog were exposed to 0, 50, and 250 ng/L EE2 for 14 days. Microarray analysis was performed with five biological replicated (5 control, 5 EE2 50 ng/L, 5 EE2 250 ng/L). Female liver tissue was used for the analysis.

Project description:Toxaphene (TOX) is an organochlorine pesticide (OCPs) that remains abundant in the environment due to its heavy use in agriculture, its persistence, and its atmospheric transport. In Florida, the north shore of Lake Apopka was heavily used for agriculture decades ago, and TOX remains present in the soil. Wild largemouth bass inhabit the lake, and are potentially exposed to a variety of OCPs. While other OCPs (dieldrin, methoxychlor, p,p’DDE) have been studied for their endocrine disrupting effects in largemouth bass, there are little data available for TOX. Here we performed a 2-month feeding study of male and female largemouth bass with TOX-laced food to mimic the levels found in fish at Lake Apopka. Subsamples of the gonad and liver were collected and preserved in 10% buffered formalin for histopathology and reproductive staging. Plasma levels of vitellogenin (Vtg) testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol (E2) were quantified and snippets of testis and ovaries were placed into culture to determine ex vivo production of hormones. Lastly, transcriptomics was conducted in both the male testis and liver, as most studies investigating OCPs have analyzed female ovary/liver and data are scarce for OCPs and male bass. Female GSI did not change with TOX but was trending towards a decrease while male GSI did not change with exposure. Female vitellogenin decreased with toxaphene by ~40% but male vitellogenin was not induced. Female and male E2 and T were not different following dietary exposure compared to control bass and this corresponded to ex vivo culture experiments, which revealed no change in E2 and T production from the gonads. Taken together, TOX did not alter the production of E2 and T directly in the gonad tissue. In the testis, transcriptomics revealed that androgen receptor/beta-2-microglobulin signaling was up-regulated while insulin-related pathways were suppressed with TOX. In the liver, the transcriptome analysis revealed an overwhelming suppression in immune-related signaling cascades (e.g. lectin-like receptor and ITSM-Containing Receptor signaling, CD16/CD14 Proinflammatory Monocyte Activation, and CD38/CD3 -> JUN/FOS/NF-kB Signaling in T-cell Proliferation). Ninety percent of the pathways were reduced between 10 to 40% in median network expression. Reduced immune pathways are consistent with other studies investigating OCPs in fish. In the current study, TOX, at the concentrations tested in the diet, did not act as a weak estrogen as many other OCPs do, but rather appeared to be acting as an antiestrogen (or androgen) based upon reduced female Vtg and activation of androgen-receptor mediated pathways in the testis. These data contribute to a comprehensive transcriptomic-physiological framework for TOX and suggests that endocrine disruption may not be the result of direct effects on steroidogenesis in the gonad, but may rather occur at higher levels of the reproductive axis.

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Dietary exposure of 17-alpha ethinylestradiol modulates physiological endpoints and gene signaling pathways in female largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)

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