Contaminant-induced feminization and demasculinization of nonmammalian vertebrate males in aquatic environments

Milnes, Matthew R.; Bermudez, Dieldrich S.; Bryan, Teresa A.; Edwards, Thea M.; Gunderson, Mark P.; Larkin, Iskande L.V.; Moore, Brandon C.; Guillette, Louis J.

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2005.04.002

Cited by 104 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 129 publications

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“…(The last two columns report the result of a one-way ANOVA (F) and relative significance ( p). EE4, 4 ng kg by Sawaki et al 2003a;Milnes et al 2006). In rats, dramatic effects of EE exposure at 0.1-5 mg kg K1 d…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first evidence for the effects of EDC came from observations of reduced fertility and hormonal perturbation in aquatic organisms living in polluted waters (Colborn et al 1993;Guillette & Gunderson 2001). To date, deleterious effects of EDC have been described for a number of vertebrate species including humans ( Fox 2001; reviewed by Schantz 1996;Milnes et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Altered reproductive success in rat pairs after environmental-like exposure to xenoestrogen

et al. 2007

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Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) have the capacity of altering the normal function of the endocrine system. EDCs have shown dramatic effects on the reproductive biology of aquatic wildlife and may affect human reproduction as well. Studies on EDCs in mammalian species have often investigated the effects of short-term, high doses on male and female reproductive physiology. However, it is difficult to predict from such studies the effects of EDC on populations that are exposed to very low doses throughout their life via contaminated food and water. We studied the effects of EDC on mammalian reproduction with an environmental-like protocol where the endpoint is the reproductive success of exposed pairs. We focused on a subclass of EDC, the xenoestrogens, which mimic the action of natural oestrogen hormones. Male and female rats were exposed to low doses of the pure oestrogen, ethynyloestradiol, during development, by oral administration to their mothers during pregnancy and lactation, and to them until puberty. We evaluated the effects of the exposure on development and reproductive physiology of individuals, and on fertility and fecundity of pairs in which both members had been exposed to the same treatment. We found that low doses caused major reproductive deficits in the experimental animals. Very low, environmentally relevant doses did not have evident effects on exposed animals; however, the fecundity of exposed pairs was substantially altered. Environmentally relevant doses of xenoestrogens which have no evident physiological effects can alter the reproductive success of exposed pairs in natural populations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Altered reproductive success in rat pairs after environmental-like exposure to xenoestrogen

et al. 2007

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“…Fish and amphibians also experience effects following exposure to endocrine-active compounds, including aberrant gonadal morphology (e.g., the presence of oocytes in the testis, alterations in Leydig and Sertoli cell morphology or number) (54,55). This literature documents the endocrine-disruptive effects of a wide array of commercial chemicals and byproducts, including: pesticides; sewage contaminants, such as surfactants (e.g., octylphenol and nonylphenol) and pharmaceutical agents; plasticizers (e.g., phthalates); flame retardants (e.g., PCBs, polybrominated diphenol ethers, tetrabromobisphenol A) and industrial pollutants (e.g., heavy metals, dioxin, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) (for reviews, see (3,6,(56)(57)(58)). Furthermore, these effects were caused by exposure to levels of chemicals found in the environment.…”

Section: Signals From Wildlifementioning

confidence: 99%

Proceedings of the Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility: executive summary

Woodruff

Carlson²,

Schwartz

et al. 2008

Fertility and Sterility

121

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The 2007 Summit on "Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility" convened scientists, health care professionals, community groups, political representatives and the media to hear presentations on the impact of environmental contaminants on reproductive health and fertility and to discuss opportunities to improve health through research, education, communication and policy. Environmental reproductive health focuses on exposures to environmental contaminants, particularly during critical periods of development, and their potential effects on future reproductive health, including conception, fertility, pregnancy, adolescent development and adult health. Approximately 87,000 chemical substances are registered for use in commerce in the US, with ubiquitous human exposures to environmental contaminants in air, water, food and consumer products. Exposures during critical windows of susceptibility may result in adverse effects with lifelong and even intergenerational health impacts. Effects can include impaired development and function of the reproductive tract and permanently altered gene expression, leading to metabolic and hormonal disorders, reduced fertility and fecundity and illnesses such as testicular, prostate, uterine and cervical cancers later in life. This executive summary reviews effects of pre-and post-natal exposures on male and female reproductive health and provides a series of recommendations for advancing the field in the areas of research, policy, health care and community action.

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“…Among the different types of teleost reproduction, gonochorism (separate sexes) is the most common (Gimeno et al, 1998). Intersex is a pathological condition (Leusch et al, 2006), characterized by the simultaneous presence of both female and male gonadal features (ovarian and testicular tissue) in the same gonad of a single gonochoristic individual (Ishibashi et al, 2006;Milnes et al, 2006). According to (Segner et al, 2003), the occurrence of intersex or a shift of the gonadal sex ratio (ratio of ovaries and testes) has been described in some fish species after prolonged estrogen exposure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whether EDC exposure results in intersex or more subtle changes (e.g. delayed maturation) depends on the duration (Yokota et al, 2001) and the precise timing of exposure (Milnes et al, 2006). Concern over the effects of endocrine disrupters has led to the development of methods to monitor the presence of these substances, particularly in aquatic environments (Canapa et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of the urogenital papillae of male feral African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) as indicator of exposure to estrogenic chemicals in two polluted dams in an urban nature reserve, Gauteng, South Africa

Kruger

Barnhoorn

Vuren

et al. 2013

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

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The use of the urogenital papillae of male feral African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) as indicator of exposure to estrogenic chemicals in two polluted dams in an urban nature reserve, Gauteng, South Africa AbstractThe African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is indigenous to South Africa where it is commonly found in calm waters such as lakes, streams, rivers, swamps and floodplains. The males of this gonochoristic species can be readily distinguished from females via a distinct elongated urogenital papilla with a pointed tip, located just behind the anus. This structure is an androgen controlled secondary sexual characteristic and could potentially be affected by chemicals displaying endocrine disrupting properties during development. Results of previous studies on effects on papillae of different fish species indicated that these structures could be useful as bio-indicators of exposure due to alterations in the structures. This study investigated the occurrence of abnormal morphology in urogenital papillae compared to the macroscopic and microscopic structure of the gonads of presumed male or intersex catfish sampled from the Rietvlei and Marais dams in an urban nature reserve, due to exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Macroscopic observation of the UGP, gonad examination after laparotomy and histology were done. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) and Urogenital papilla length index (UGPLI) were determined for all fish collected. Mesenteric fat analyzed for selected alkylphenols and organochlorines showed high levels of especially nonylphenol indicating long term exposure to these chemicals due to bio-accumulation. The GSI indicated that fish with intersex gonads were probably feminized males. It was concluded that use of the UGP alone, without macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the gonads, could not effectively indicate exposure to EDCs.

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Contaminant-induced feminization and demasculinization of nonmammalian vertebrate males in aquatic environments

Cited by 104 publications

References 129 publications

Altered reproductive success in rat pairs after environmental-like exposure to xenoestrogen

Altered reproductive success in rat pairs after environmental-like exposure to xenoestrogen

Proceedings of the Summit on Environmental Challenges to Reproductive Health and Fertility: executive summary

The use of the urogenital papillae of male feral African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) as indicator of exposure to estrogenic chemicals in two polluted dams in an urban nature reserve, Gauteng, South Africa

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