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Exposure of three generations of the estuarine sheepshead minnow ( Cyprinodon variegatus ) to the androgen, 17β‐trenbolone: Effects on survival, development, and reproduction
Author(s) -
Cripe Geraldine M.,
Hemmer Becky L.,
Raimondo Sandy,
Goodman Larry R.,
Kulaw Dannielle H.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.261
Subject(s) - reproduction , biology , gonadosomatic index , vitellogenin , androgen , minnow , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , toxicology , endocrinology , population , fishery , ecology , hormone , fecundity , medicine , environmental health
Estimating long‐term effects of endocrine‐disrupting chemicals on a species is important to assessing the overall risk to the populations. The present study reports the results of a 42‐week exposure of estuarine sheepshead minnows ( Cyprinodon variegatus ) to the androgen, 17β‐trenbolone (Tb) conducted to determine if partial‐(F0) or single‐generation (F1) fish exposures identify multigenerational (F0–F3) effects of androgens on fish. Adult F0 fish were exposed to 0.007, 0.027, 0.13, 0.87,and 4.1 µg Tb/L, the F1 generation to ≤0.87 µg Tb/L, the F2 fish to ≤0.13 µg Tb/L, and the F3 fish to ≤0.027 µg Tb/L. The highest concentrations with reproducing populations at the end of the F0, F1, and F2 generations were 4.1, 0.87, and 0.027 µg Tb/L, respectively. Reproduction in the F0, F1, and F2 generations was significantly reduced at 0.87, 0.027, and 0.027 µg Tb/L, respectively. Fish were significantly masculinized in the F1 generation exposed to 0.13 µg Tb/L or greater. Female plasma vitellogenin was significantly reduced in F0 fish exposed to ≥0.87 µg Tb/L. Gonadosomatic indices of the F0 and F1 generations were significantly increased at 0.87 and 0.13 µg Tb/L in the F0 and F1 generation, respectively, and were accompanied by ovarian histological changes. Reproduction was the most consistently sensitive measure of androgen effects and, after a life‐cycle exposure, the daily reproductive rate predicted concentrations affecting successive generations. The present study provides evidence that a multiple generation exposure of fish to some endocrine‐disrupting chemicals can result in developmental and reproductive changes that have a much greater impact on the success of a species than was indicated from shorter term exposures. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:2079–2087. © 2010 SETAC