Effects of cadmium on metamorphism and gonad differentiation in Rana chensinensis

Abstract

200 tadpoles of Rana chensinensis at stage 26 - 27 were exposed to 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 or 0.4 mg/L Cd2+ in tap water respectively until they're fully metamorphic after which the heteromorphic young frogs in different treatments were anatomized, females and males were identified through gonad observation, and the female ratio was calculated. Localization of estrogen receptors (ER) in liver cells was investigated in different treatments using immunocytochemistry. The results showed that Cd2+ might induce limb abnormality, however, there was little correlation between abnormality rate and cadmium concentration in lower Cd2+ levels except for a higher limb abnormality ratio in the 0.4 mg/L group. On the other hand, Cd2+ could affect gonad differentiation. Compared to the control group, the proportion of female population increased in the 0.05 mg/L group and decreased in the 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/L ones. The sex rate in the 0.2 mg/L group is significantly different from that in the control group. Hermaphrodite gonads appeared in the two treatments with 0.2 mg/L and 0.4 mg/L of Cd2+. Additionally, ER expression was positive in both cytoplasm and nucleolus of liver cells in Cd2+ treated groups. But, there was no linear relationship between ER expressions levels and the concentration of Cd2+. These results suggested that cadmium can influence tadpole metamorphosis and gonad development by affecting the secretion of sex hormone.