Zebrafish sex differentiation and gonad development after exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol, fadrozole and their binary mixture: A stereological study

Abstract

Current knowledge on zebrafish (Danio rerio) sex determination suggests that this trait has a polygenic genetic basis, although environmental factors, such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC), may also be involved in modeling or disturbing the species sex differentiation and development.This study aimed to assess how sex steroids imbalance triggers impact on sex differentiation and gonad development in zebrafish. Fish where exposed to an estrogen (EE2, i.e. 17α-ethinylestradiol, 4ng/L), to an inhibitor of estrogen synthesis (Fad, i.e. fadrozole, 50μg/L) or to their binary mixture (Mix-EE2+ Fad, 4ng/L+50μg/L), from 2h to 60 days post-fertilization (dpf). Afterwards, a quantitative (stereological) analysis using light microscopy, based on systematic sampling, was made at 35 and 60dpf, to identify alterations on gonad differentiation and development. During the sex differentiation period, our histological data showed that not all zebrafish males develop a “juvenile ovary”, contrarily to what is currently taken for granted. Furthermore, the stereological analysis suggests that EE2 alone enhanced both zebrafish growth and gonad development. On the other hand, exposure to Fad affected the sexual development in zebrafish, inducing masculinization of the specimens, with some degree of intersex observed in males. In addition, the binary mixture allowed identifying sex-dependent roles of steroid hormones in the general growth and gonad development of zebrafish, with estrogens acting as growth promoters in females and being essential for ovary development. Data further support that sex-specific and single EDC impact studies are important, but clearly not sufficient to understand what may occur in the environment.