title: Endocrine-disrupting effects of nonylphenol in the newt, Triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Urodela).
abstract: The aim of our study was to verify whether environmental concentrations of nonylphenol influenced the adrenal gland of Triturus carnifex. Newts were exposed to 19 μg/L nominal concentration of nonylphenol throughout the periods of December-January and March-April, corresponding to different stages of the chromaffin cell functional cycle. The morphological features of the steroidogenic and chromaffin tissues, and the serum levels of ACTH, aldosterone, corticosterone, norepinephrine and epinephrine were evaluated. Nonylphenol did not influence ACTH serum levels. During the two periods examined, the steroidogenic tissue had the same reaction: the quantity of cytoplasmic lipids, and the corticosteroid serum levels, decreased, suggesting the inhibition of synthesis and release of corticosteroids. During the two periods examined, the chromaffin tissue reacted differently to nonylphenol. During December-January, the numeric ratio of norepinephrine granules to epinephrine granules, and the epinephrine serum levels, increased, suggesting the stimulation of epinephrine release. During March-April, the numeric ratio of norepinephrine granules to epinephrine granules did not change, and the norepinephrine serum levels decreased, suggesting the inhibition of norepinephrine release. Our results show that nonylphenol influences the activity of the newt adrenal gland; considering the physiological role of this gland, our results suggest that nonylphenol may contribute to amphibian decline.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Section of Evolutive and Comparative Biology, University Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy. anna.capaldo@unina.it
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Capaldo
authors: Flaminia
authors: F
authors: Gay
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: Valiante
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: De Falco
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Sciarrillo
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Maddaloni
authors: Vincenza
authors: V
authors: Laforgia
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D019439:Chromaffin Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010636:Phenols; D000450:Aldosterone; C025256:nonylphenol; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine