Vitellogenin gene expression in marine mussels exposed to ethinylestradiol: No induction at the transcriptional level

Fernández-González, Laura Emilia; Sánchez-Marín, Paula; Gestal, Camino; Beiras, Ricardo; Diz, Angel P.

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105315

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…In regard to the possible endocrine disrupting potential of EE 2 in mollusks, there were two highly replicated and well-funded experiments (28,29) in which Lymnaea stagnalis were dosed with microgram concentrations of EE 2 but there were no effects of any consequence. In addition, two recent studies have shown, convincingly in our view, that EE 2 (in contrast to what it does to fishes) has absolutely no effect on egg yolk (vitellin) protein production in mussels (30,31). With regards to other studies that have reported miscellaneous effects of EE 2 in mollusks (32)(33)(34)(35)(36), we can only state that none of them was flawless -at least according to the principles of sound ecotoxicology (37).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

The Uptake of Ethinyl-Estradiol and Cortisol From Water by Mussels (Mytilus spp.)

et al. 2021

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Previous toxicokinetic studies have shown that mussels (Mytilus spp.) can readily absorb the three main mammalian sex steroids, estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and progesterone (P) from water. They also have a strong ability to store E2 and the 5α-reduced metabolites of T and P in the form of fatty acid esters. These esters were shown to have half-lives that were measured in weeks (i.e. they were not subject to fast depuration). The present study looked at the toxicokinetic profile of two other common steroids that are found in water, the potent synthetic oestrogen, (ethinyl-estradiol) (EE2; one of the two components of ‘the pill’), and cortisol, a natural stress steroid in vertebrates. In the first three hours of uptake, tritiated EE2 was found to be taken up at a similar rate to tritiated E2. However, the levels in the water plateaued sooner than E2. The ability of the animals to both esterify and sulphate EE2 was found to be much lower than E2, but nevertheless did still take place. After 24 h of exposure, the majority of radiolabelled EE2 in the animals was present in the form of free steroid, contrary to E2, which was esterified. This metabolism was reflected in a much lower half-life (of only 15 h for EE2 in the mussels as opposed to 8 days for E2 and >10 days for T and P). Intriguingly, hardly any cortisol (in fact none at all in one of the experiments) was absorbed by the mussels. The implications of this finding in both toxicokinetic profiling and evolutionary significance (why cortisol might have evolved as a stress steroid in bony fishes) are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

The Uptake of Ethinyl-Estradiol and Cortisol From Water by Mussels (Mytilus spp.)

et al. 2021

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“…In some cases, Vtg induction has been found to be stimulated by estradiol-17β ( Andrew et al, 2010 ; Ni et al, 2014 ; Tran et al, 2016 ; Leonard et al, 2017 ). In other cases, estradiol-17β has failed to induce Vtg in mussels ( Won et al, 2005 ; Puinean et al, 2006 ; Fernández-González et al, 2021 ). These results have been followed by the identification of confounding variables, such as dosage, route of exposure (injection vs. water), sexual differentiation stage (protandry is observed in some unionids), period of gametogenesis (early vs. late) in mussels, specificity of the alkali-labile phosphate method (variable phosphorylation of Vtg in invertebrates), age, and high steroid esterification potential (inactivation) in bivalves.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Comparative toxicity of urban wastewater and rainfall overflow in caged freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata

et al. 2023

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Municipal effluents are well-recognized as disrupting sexual differentiation and reproduction in mussels. However, the contribution to this problem made by rainfall combined with sewer overflow (increased by rain due to climate change) is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to compare the neuroendocrine effects of municipal discharge and rainfall overflow on caged endemic mussel Elliptio complanata. To this end, mussels were experimentally caged and placed for 3 months at a municipal effluent dispersion plume site and at overflow sites. Data revealed that downstream surface water contained some pharmaceuticals (caffeine and carbamazepine) and accumulated significant levels of heterotrophic bacteria, but these effects were not observed at the overflow sites. The principal effects observed at the downstream site were increased soft tissue mass (and gonad index), inflammation, and Vtg proteins in male mussels as determined by a novel immunostaining methodology. The rainfall overflow sites had no effects on these markers, but were specifically associated with reduced Vtg proteins in females, dopamine (Dop), gonad lipids, and DNA strand breaks, with increased metallothioneins. In conclusion, the observed feminizing effects of municipal effluent were not additionally observed in mussels caged at rainfall overflow sites, although the latter exhibited a different pattern of toxicity.

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“…Finally, reference must be made that the robustness of the bioassay data in most of the papers which claim that mollusks use sex steroids as hormones in the same way as vertebrates, or seem affected by sex steroids, has been questioned (e.g., single experiments only, lack of replication, questionable endpoints, low effect sizes, lack of dose-responsiveness) (8). Highlighting two iconic examples: in contrast to the initial findings/ conclusions felt to be encouraging, 1) TBT was clearly demonstrated to exert its effect not via T but the retinoic X receptor (73-77) and 2) estrogens were shown to have absolutely no effect on vitellogenin production in bivalves (78)(79)(80)(81)(82). In his critical evaluation, Scott indicated the importance of a monotonic dose-response relationship for demonstrating a specific ligand-dependent effect and presented its lack in most of the steroid-effect relationships investigated in mollusks (8).…”

Section: Spread Of High-throughput Sequencing Points Out the Lack Of ...mentioning

confidence: 98%

From Dark to Light – An Overview of Over 70 Years of Endocrine Disruption Research on Marine Mollusks

Fodor

Pirger

2022

Front. Endocrinol.

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Vitellogenin gene expression in marine mussels exposed to ethinylestradiol: No induction at the transcriptional level

Cited by 4 publications

References 97 publications

The Uptake of Ethinyl-Estradiol and Cortisol From Water by Mussels (Mytilus spp.)

The Uptake of Ethinyl-Estradiol and Cortisol From Water by Mussels (Mytilus spp.)

Comparative toxicity of urban wastewater and rainfall overflow in caged freshwater mussel Elliptio complanata

From Dark to Light – An Overview of Over 70 Years of Endocrine Disruption Research on Marine Mollusks

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