Abstract
In the last decades, oestrogenic compounds have often been reported in environmentally relevant concentrations in aquatic environments around the world. Most laboratory studies of oestrogens try to understand the effects of a single contaminant, but in natural environments, the effects may be quite different due to interactions with other compounds. The present study aimed to compare the action of oestrone (E1) and bisphenol-A (BPA), acting singularly and in combination, on the spermatogenesis of Astyanax bimaculatus. After exposure to 100 ng/L of E1, BPA and a mixture of the two for 15 days, our results showed that E1 and the E1 + BPA mixture significantly altered the number of spermatogenic cells. BPA presented high cytotoxicity when compared to other treatments. Analysis of the two oestrogenic compounds suggests that the E1 + BPA mixture has no additive or synergistic effects. Together, the results of the present study indicate that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) analysed alone may behave differently than when administered with other substances.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Rogério Matos for preparing the histological slides and UFMG and PUC Minas for experimental facilities.
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The study was supported by Brazilian funding agencies: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-306946/2016-5 and 407719/2016-4), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES - Finance Code 001) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa no Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG-CVZ-APQ-03232-15).
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The study was approved by the ethics committee on animal use of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (CEUA-UFMG n°223/2017). None of the fish suffered starvation, trauma or electrical shock and all the fish were completely anesthetized before tissue sampling.
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Paschoalini, A.L., Savassi, L.A., Weber, A.A. et al. Evaluation of the oestrogenic potential of oestrone and bisphenol-A on the reproduction of Astyanax bimaculatus males after subacute exposure. Fish Physiol Biochem 47, 797–810 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-021-00938-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-021-00938-5