title: Intersex and liver alterations induced by long-term sublethal exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol in adult male Cnesterodon decemmaculatus (Pisces: Poeciliidae).
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the responses of the gonopodium morphology and the gonadal and liver histology of adult male Cnesterodon decemmaculatus to sublethal long-term exposure concentrations of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). Two experiments were conducted exposing the fish to waterborne concentrations of EE2 ranging from 20 ng/L to 200 ng/L for 8 wk, 12 wk, and 16 wk. Intersex gonads were observed after 8 wk and 16 wk in fish exposed to 200 ng EE2/L and 100 ng EE2/L, respectively. Oocytes' development from testis germ cells and replacement of the efferent duct periodic acid-Schiff-positive secretion surrounding spermatozeugmata by parenchymal tissue and duct structure alterations were the major observed changes in the gonads. In contrast, no response was observed in the gonopodium morphology. Liver histology was also altered, showing increasing steatosis, single-cell necrosis to generalized necrosis, and disruption of acinar organization from 100 ng EE2/L to 200 ng EE2/L. In summary, the present results showed that although EE2 was not able to alter the morphology of a developed gonopodium, it was capable of inducing development of testicular oocytes in adult male C. decemmaculatus at environmentally relevant concentrations. Thus, externally normal but intersex C. decemmaculatus males would be expected in the wastewater-receiving streams that the species inhabits. According to the literature, the present study would be the first indicating estrogen-induced intersex in adult male poeciliid. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1738-1745. © 2016 SETAC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Brian Jonathan
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ictiofisiología y Acuicultura, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gabriela Carina
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Contaminantes Químicos, Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diego Sebastián
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cristos
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Transformación de Residuos, Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Diana Cristina
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ictiofisiología y Acuicultura, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo Manuel
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Somoza
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente, Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carriquiriborde
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D003532:Cyprinodontiformes / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol
keywords: Cnesterodon decemmaculatus; Ecotoxicology; Estrogenic compounds; Hepatotoxicity; Testis-ova