title: Reproductive effects of prenatal exposure to nonylphenol on zebrafish (Danio rerio).
abstract: Mature female and male zebrafish were separated and exposed to nonylphenol (NP) at 0.1, 1, 10, 50, 100 and 500 microg/L, respectively, for 3 weeks. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) in both sexes and vitellogenin (VTG) induction in males was measured as the bioindicators for the impairment to the parents. The results indicated that 50 microg/L of NP was the non-observed effect concentration (NOEC) for GSI and VTG induction. Afterwards, the 50 microg/L NP exposed females and males, and the control females and males were cross-wise pair-bred in the control water for one week to examine the reproductive effects. The embryonic cathepsin D (CAT D) activity, eggshell thickness, fecundity, hatching rate and malformation (vertebral column flexure) rate of offspring were determined in the four pair-bred groups. While endpoints remained unchanged in the groups with exposed males, prenatal exposure of females to 50 microg/L of NP resulted in the impairment of reproduction in groups with exposed females including inhibition of CAT D activity (P < 0.05), decrease of eggshell thickness (by 23.6%) and elevation of malformation rate (P < 0.001). These results suggested NP could induce reproductive damage to zebrafish at NOEC for parents. The results also imply that alterations of CAT D activity and eggshell thickness may be more sensitive biomarkers to indicate the reproductive effects caused by endocrine disrupting chemicals.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Xing
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hui
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010063:Ovum / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000378:metabolism; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010636:Phenols; D014819:Vitellogenins; C025256:nonylphenol; D002402:Cathepsin D