Wang Chen-Si, Huang Guo-Yong, Lei Dong-Qiao, Ying Guang-Guo
SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
Aquat Toxicol. 2025 Jan;278:107167. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107167. Epub 2024 Nov 18.
Steroid hormones, including estrone (E1), androstadienedione (ADD), and androstenedione (AED), are prevalent in aquatic ecosystems and pose ecological risks due to their disruptive influence on fish populations. However, little consideration has been given to the endocrine disrupting effects of fish exposed to complex mixtures of hormones in the real world. In this study, adult female western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were exposed to two concentrations of E1 (100 ng/L for E1L and 5,000 ng/L for E1H), ADD (100 ng/L for ADDL and 10,000 ng/L for ADDH), and AED (100 ng/L for AEDL and 10,000 ng/L for AEDH) as well as four binary mixture treatments (ADDL+E1L, ADDH+E1H, AEDL+E1L, and AEDH+E1H). After 42 d, their basic physiological parameters, secondary sex characteristics, gonadal health, embryo numbers, and HPG axis-related gene expression were evaluated. Results showed that the P/D ratio of hemal spines in AEDH+E1H exhibited a pronounced reduction, approximately half that of E1H. Moreover, the number of embryos in ADDH+E1H and AEDH+E1H was reduced by approximately 3-fold compared to E1H. Correspondingly, G. affinis exposure to ADDH+E1H and AEDH+E1H increased the proportion of degenerated oocytes. Exposure to combined treatments led to significant changes in the transcription of HPG axis-related genes in fish and displayed a certain degree of interaction. Furthermore, cluster heatmap analysis of target genes demonstrated that ADD+E1 and AED+E1 (both high and low concentrations) were far apart from ADD, AED and E1. Collectively, these observations imply the presence of antagonistic interactions in combined treatments, and the negative impact on the growth, maturation, and endocrine system of G. affinis varies accordingly.
类固醇激素，包括雌酮（E1）、雄二烯二酮（ADD）和雄烯二酮（AED），在水生生态系统中普遍存在，并因其对鱼类种群的干扰性影响而构成生态风险。然而，对于现实世界中鱼类接触复杂激素混合物的内分泌干扰效应却很少有人关注。在本研究中，成年雌性西部食蚊鱼（盖氏食蚊鱼）被暴露于两种浓度的E1（E1L为100 ng/L，E1H为5000 ng/L）、ADD（ADDL为100 ng/L，ADDH为10000 ng/L）和AED（AEDL为100 ng/L，AEDH为10000 ng/L）以及四种二元混合物处理（ADDL + E1L、ADDH + E1H、AEDL + E1L和AEDH + E1H）。42天后，评估它们的基本生理参数、第二性征、性腺健康、胚胎数量以及与下丘脑 - 垂体 - 性腺（HPG）轴相关的基因表达。结果表明，AEDH + E1H中鳍棘的P/D比值显著降低，约为E1H的一半。此外，ADDH + E1H和AEDH + E1H中的胚胎数量与E1H相比减少了约3倍。相应地，盖氏食蚊鱼暴露于ADDH + E1H和AEDH + E1H会增加退化卵母细胞的比例。暴露于联合处理导致鱼类中与HPG轴相关基因的转录发生显著变化，并表现出一定程度的相互作用。此外，对目标基因的聚类热图分析表明，ADD + E1和AED + E1（高浓度和低浓度）与ADD、AED和E1相距甚远。总体而言，这些观察结果表明联合处理中存在拮抗相互作用，并且对盖氏食蚊鱼的生长、成熟和内分泌系统的负面影响也相应不同。
