title: Waterborne fluoride exposure changed the structure and the expressions of steroidogenic-related genes in gonads of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).
abstract: Excessive fluoride in natural water ecosystem has been demonstrated to have adverse effects on reproductive system in humans and mammals, while the most vulnerable aquatic organisms were ignored. In this study, the effects of waterborne fluoride on growth performance, sex steroid hormone, histological structure, and the transcriptional profiles of sex steroid related genes were examined in both female and male zebrafish exposed to different concentrations of 0.79, 18.60, 36.83 mg L(-1) of fluoride for 30 and 60 d to investigate the effects of fluoride on reproductive system and the underlying toxic mechanisms caused by fluoride. The results showed that the body weight was remarkably decreased, the structure of ovary and testis were serious injured, and the T and E2 levels were significantly reduced in male zebrafish. The transcriptional profiles of steroidogenic related genes displayed phenomenal alterations, the expressions of pgr and cyp19a1a were significantly up-regulated, while the transcriptional levels of er, ar and hsd3β were decreased both in the ovary and testis, and hsd17β8 were down-regulated just in males. Taken together, these results demonstrated that fluoride could significantly inhibit the growth of zebrafish, and notably affect the reproductive system in both sex zebrafish by impairing the structure of ovary and testis, altering steroid hormone levels and steroidogenic genes expression related to the synthesis of sex hormones in zebrafish.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: MeiYan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Jinling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Jianjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Bingrui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Cuiping
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ecological Animal Husbandry and Environmental Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China. Electronic address: wangjd53@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Jundong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000633:toxicity*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000235:genetics; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D001141:Aromatase; C440729:Cyp19a1a protein, zebrafish; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: Fluoride; Gonad; Steroidogenic genes expression; Structure; Zebrafish