Abstract
BackgroundVarious chemicals released into the aquatic environment adversely affect the reproductive system of fish, particularly by changing gonad structure and function. 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent environmental estrogen that disrupts sexual differentiation and normal reproduction in fish. Previous studies have shown that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) disrupts the migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in zebrafish.MethodsTo investigate the effects of EE2 exposure on PGC migration, zebrafish embryos were injected with gfp-nanos mRNA to label PGCs and subsequently exposed to different concentrations of EE2. Typical estrogen receptor antagonist treatment and morpholino knockdown experiments were used to identify functional estrogen receptors that mediate the effects of EE2.ResultsThe migration of PGCs was disrupted after exposure to high concentrations of EE2 (1 mirog/L). Loss-of-function analyses were performed for estrogen receptor ESR1, ESR2a, and ESR2b, and only loss of ESR2a resulted in a decreased number of ectopic PGCs following exposure to 1 mirog/L EE2.ConclusionsEE2 exposure disrupts PGC migration and distribution, and this effect is mediated through the estrogen receptor ESR2a.
Highlights
Various chemicals released into the aquatic environment adversely affect the reproductive system of fish, by changing gonad structure and function. 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent environmental estrogen that disrupts sexual differentiation and normal reproduction in fish
We examined the effects of EE2 exposure on the distribution of primordial germ cells in zebrafish embryos and characterized the roles of each estrogen receptor during this process
The migration routes and final location of the brighter cells were similar to those described as primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the zebrafish embryo [9,10]
Summary
Various chemicals released into the aquatic environment adversely affect the reproductive system of fish, by changing gonad structure and function. 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent environmental estrogen that disrupts sexual differentiation and normal reproduction in fish. 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent environmental estrogen that disrupts sexual differentiation and normal reproduction in fish. Previous studies have shown that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) disrupts the migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in zebrafish. The gonads are the primary targets of environmental pollutant toxicity. The mechanisms underlying defective gonadal development after exposure to pollutants have not been fully elucidated, and primordial germ cells (PGCs) may be the primary targets [1]. PGCs are progenitors of germ cells that migrate to the location of gonad development within 24 hours post fertilization (hpf). Recent studies have shown that nanos gene expression is a definitive marker of primordial germ cells in early zebrafish embryos [2,3]. 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) is a potent environmental estrogen that has been shown to disrupt sexual differentiation and reproduction. Sun et al [6]
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