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Effects of a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor on gonadal differentiation of bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus
Author(s) -
Gao ZeXia,
Wang HanPing,
Wallat Geoff,
Yao Hong,
Rapp Dean,
O'Bryant Paul,
MacDonald Russ,
Wang WeiMin
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2109.2009.02414.x
Subject(s) - biology , lepomis macrochirus , letrozole , aromatase inhibitor , aromatase , sexual differentiation , endocrinology , medicine , nonsteroidal , fish <actinopterygii> , pharmacology , fishery , biochemistry , gene , genetics , cancer , breast cancer
In the present study, the efficacy of Letrozole, a potent nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (AI), on gonadal sex differentiation and sex reversal was examined in bluegill sunfish ( Lepomis macrochirus ). In Experiment 1, using AI diet treatments (50, 150, 250 and 500 mg kg −1 ) from 30 to 90 days posthatch (dph), AI interrupted ovarian cavity formation at a dose of 500 mg kg 1 diet and one intersex fish was identified in this group. The proportions of males in all the treated groups were significantly higher than those in the control group. In Experiment 2, using AI immersion treatments (250, 500 and 1000 μg L −1 ) during 30–50 dph, the treated groups of 500 and 1000 μg L −1 produced significantly more males than the control and 250 μg L −1 groups. Histological examination revealed no differences in ovary or testis tissue between control and AI‐treated fish. There were no significant differences detected in body weight and length among the AI treated and control groups ( P >0.05) for both experiments. The results from these two experiments suggest that inhibition of aromatase activity by AI could influence sex differentiation in bluegill sunfish.