title: Exposure to the Contraceptive Progestin, Gestodene, Alters Reproductive Behavior, Arrests Egg Deposition, and Masculinizes Development in the Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas).
abstract: Endogenous progestogens and pharmaceutical progestins enter the environment through wastewater treatment plant effluent and agricultural field runoff. Lab studies demonstrate strong, negative exposure effects of these chemicals on aquatic vertebrate reproduction. Behavior can be a sensitive, early indicator of exposure to environmental contaminants associated with altered reproduction yet is rarely examined in ecotoxicology studies. Gestodene is a human contraceptive progestin and a potent activator of fish androgen receptors. Our objective was to test the effects of gestodene on reproductive behavior and associated egg deposition in the fathead minnow. After only 1 day, males exposed to ng/L of gestodene were more aggressive and less interested in courtship and mating, and exposed females displayed less female courtship behavior. Interestingly, 25% of the gestodene tanks contained a female that drove the male out of the breeding tile and displayed male-typical courtship behaviors toward the other female. Gestodene decreased or arrested egg deposition with no observed gonadal histopathology. Together, these results suggest that effects on egg deposition are primarily due to altered reproductive behavior. The mechanisms by which gestodene disrupts behavior are unknown. Nonetheless, the rapid and profound alterations of the reproductive biology of gestodene-exposed fish suggest that wild populations could be similarly affected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Tyler E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.affiliation: Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey , 4821 Quail Crest Place, Lawrence, Kansas 66049, United States.
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Iowa Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey , 400 S. Clinton Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, United States.
authors.forename: Dana W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kolpin
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Amanda B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Gillis
authors.affiliation: Columbia Environmental Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey , 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland , College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Orlando
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D003530:Cyprinidae; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D011372:Progestins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical