Triphenyltin and tributyltin, single and in combination, promote imposex in the gastropod Bolinus brandaris.
Specimens of Bolinus brandaris (neogastropod) were injected with a single dose of 500 ng/g body weight (b.w.) of tributyltin chloride (TBTCl) or triphenyltin chloride (TPTCl), or a mixture of both compounds (250 ng TBT/g b.w.+250 ng TPT/g b.w.), for a period of up to 31 days. At the end of 4 weeks, significant increases in the female penis size of those gastropods injected with TBT (P<0.05), TPT (P<0.05), or the mixture TBT+TPT (P<0.01) were recorded. In parallel, a group of animals was injected with the neuropeptide APGWamide but this compound failed to promote imposex, suggesting that APGWamide is not involved in imposex promotion in B. brandaris. Acetylcholinesterase activity, a biomarker of neurotoxicity, was determined in the neuroganglia at the end of the experiment, but no significant differences among treatments were found. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that TPT also acts as an endocrine disrupter in this neogastropod species. Our observations also highlight, for the first time, synergistic effects of organotin mixtures having imposex promotion as an endpoint.
Santos
Miguel Machado
MM
Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal. santos@cimar.org
Reis-Henriques
Maria Armanda
MA
Vieira
Maria Natividade
MN
Solé
Montserrat
M
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D049851:Gastropoda / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009947:Organotin Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009947:Organotin Compounds; D014220:Trialkyltin Compounds; D014873:Water Pollutants; C011559:tributyltin; C030665:triphenyltin