title: Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) continue to successfully produce eggs after exposure to high levels of 17α-ethinylestradiol.
abstract: 17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent estrogen used in birth-control pills. Previous laboratory and field studies have shown negative impacts in a variety of fish species after exposure to low levels of EE2, most notably a nearly complete shutdown of egg production. The present study demonstrates that mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), a small-bodied estuarine species, is able to continue to produce eggs after exposure for 28 d to 100 ng of EE2/L. No effect of EE2 on egg production was observed, whereas a >35-fold increase in vitellogenin (vtg 1) gene expression in males was found. The lack of response in egg production in fish exposed to high levels of EE2 warrants further investigations on species-specific responses to estrogens and endocrine disruptors in general.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bosker
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Canadian Rivers Institute, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Munkittrick
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Institute for Water Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lister
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Institute for Water Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: MacLatchy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D063366:Estuaries; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D005618:Fresh Water; D023781:Fundulidae / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D014819:Vitellogenins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol
keywords: Egg production; Fertilization success; Fundulus heteroclitus; Mummichog; Vitellogenin induction