Effects of waterborne exposure of 17 β-estradiol on secondary sex characteristics and gonads of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Abstract The goal of this study was to assess the responses of fathead minnows (FHM) exposed to known endocrine-disrupting substances (EDS) in our labs. As well, we wanted to examine the applicability and sensitivity of the full lifecycle FHM test for use on-site, exposing fish to a complex environmentally relevant Canadian effluent. Fathead minnows exposed from the egg stage to ethinylestradiol (EE2, 0-32 ng/L) or methyltestosterone (MT, 0-3200 ng/L) had decreased growth (length, weight) at high concentrations. Development of secondary sex characteristics was a sensitive indicator of exposure to androgen and estrogen. Fish exposed to MT showed premature male sex characteristics such as nuptial tubercles by 30 days post-hatch (dph). These changes were more dramatic in older fish (at 60 and 90 dph), which showed premature male sex characteristics at very low MT concentrations (100 ng/L). Fish exposed to 3.2 ng/L EE2 had premature development of ovipositors at 60 dph. As well, exposure to very high MT concentrations (1000 and 3200 ng/L) caused development of ovipositors after 60 days (but not at 20 and 30 dph), presumably due to aromatization of MT to methylestradiol (as suggested by other researchers). The fathead minnow lifecycle assay, tested with a known estrogen and androgen, proved to be useful for detection of EDS-related changes caused by a real-life effluent mixture. Lifecycle exposures of fathead minnow eggs to bleached sulphite mill effluent (BSME) showed changes in secondary sex characteristics and growth. In contrast to EE2 and MT, fish exposed to BSME had increased growth. Changes in secondary sex characteristics of fish were seen in both male and female minnows exposed to BSME, but there was an overall shift towards increasing numbers of female fish (based on external sex). The full lifecycle assay provides a definitive test for reproductive/EDS effects, and it appears that some of the most sensitive endpoints we studied were the premature development of secondary sex characteristics.

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CHANGES IN GROWTH AND SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS OF FATHEAD MINNOWS EXPOSED TO BLEACHED SULFITE MILL EFFLUENT

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry ◽

10.1897/02-237 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 22 (12) ◽

pp. 2908 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Joanne L. Parrott ◽

Craig S. Wood ◽

Peter Boutot ◽

Susan Dunn

Keyword(s):

Sex Characteristics ◽

Fathead Minnows ◽

Secondary Sex Characteristics

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Overview of Methodology and Endpoints in Fathead Minnow Lifecycle Tests Assessing Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents

Water Quality Research Journal ◽

10.2166/wqrj.2005.038 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 334-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Joanne L. Parrott

Keyword(s):

Sex Hormones ◽

Reproductive Performance ◽

Egg Production ◽

Fathead Minnow ◽

Pimephales Promelas ◽

Pulp Mill ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Sex Characteristics ◽

Secondary Sex Characteristics ◽

Pulp Mill Effluents

Abstract Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) lifecycle tests have been used to assess the effects of many North American pulp mill effluents. Fish are exposed under controlled laboratory conditions to final effluent, from the egg stage through hatching, juvenile stage and mature adult stage. Outlined here are methods for the lifecycle test (which takes from 4 to 5 months to complete) with sampling of juvenile fish at 1, 2 and 3 months of age, and sampling of mature adults after breeding. The results of most fathead minnow lifecycle studies have shown that pulp mill effluents cause metabolic and reproductive disruption (enlarged livers, reduced egg production, smaller gonads, decreased sex hormones and reduced secondary sex characteristics). Thus, the fathead minnow lifecycle assay is able to mimic the most commonly observed changes seen in wild fish exposed to pulp mill effluents. Sensitive indicators of reproductive effects in fathead minnows exposed for a lifecycle to pulp mill effluents include secondary sex characteristics, time to first reproduction and number of eggs laid. Egg production is often the most sensitive response to pulp mill effluents. Because of the length and cost of full lifecycle tests, a shortened assay using adult fish was developed as a screen for endocrine-disrupting compounds. This assay, the terminal reproduction test, has been used with success on a few pulp mill effluents. The assay exposes fathead minnow breeding pairs for three weeks to effluent, and compares egg production, sex characteristics and bioindicators of reproductive performance in pre-exposure versus post-exposure fish. For assessment of pulp mill effluents, it appears that the sensitivity of the shortened terminal reproductive fathead minnow assay may be improved by assessing bioindicators of reproductive performance (such as circulating levels of sex hormones, and circulating or hepatic vitellogenin) along with changes in secondary sex characteristics and egg production.

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Development of apical pits in chloride cells of the gills of Pimephales promelas after chronic exposure to acid water

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100076044 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 462-463

Author(s):

Richard L. Leino ◽

Jon G. Anderson ◽

J. Howard McCormick

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Chronic Exposure ◽

Lake Superior ◽

Pimephales Promelas ◽

Chloride Cells ◽

Fathead Minnows ◽

Secondary Lamellae ◽

Untreated Water ◽

Water Ph ◽

Flow Through

Groups of 12 fathead minnows were exposed for 129 days to Lake Superior water acidified (pH 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 or 6.5) with reagent grade H2SO4 by means of a multichannel toxicant system for flow-through bioassays. Untreated water (pH 7.5) had the following properties: hardness 45.3 ± 0.3 (95% confidence interval) mg/1 as CaCO3; alkalinity 42.6 ± 0.2 mg/1; Cl- 0.03 meq/1; Na+ 0.05 meq/1; K+ 0.01 meq/1; Ca2+ 0.68 meq/1; Mg2+ 0.26 meq/1; dissolved O2 5.8 ± 0.3 mg/1; free CO2 3.2 ± 0.4 mg/1; T= 24.3 ± 0.1°C. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd gills were subsequently processed for LM (methacrylate), TEM and SEM respectively.Three changes involving chloride cells were correlated with increasing acidity: 1) the appearance of apical pits (figs. 2,5 as compared to figs. 1, 3,4) in chloride cells (about 22% of the chloride cells had pits at pH 5.0); 2) increases in their numbers and 3) increases in the % of these cells in the epithelium of the secondary lamellae.

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Women’s Preferences for Strong Men Under Perceived Harsh Versus Safe Ecological Conditions

Evolutionary Psychology ◽

10.1177/14747049211032351 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 147470492110323

Author(s):

Ray Garza ◽

Farid Pazhoohi ◽

Jennifer Byrd-Craven

Keyword(s):

Ecological Factors ◽

Ecological Condition ◽

Sex Characteristics ◽

Ecological Conditions ◽

University Women ◽

Secondary Sex Characteristics ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Forced Choice Task ◽

Women’S Preferences ◽

Physical Features

Ecological conditions provide information about available resources for one’s environment. In humans, this has been shown to influence reproductive behavior, as individuals may engage in trade-offs between partner quality and investment. For instance, many women may trade-off preferences for men with physical features indicative of social dominance and health over physical features indicative of commitment and investment. The current study explored women’s preferences for formidable men under safe vs. harsh ecological conditions. Across three studies, U.S. university women ( N = 1,098) were randomly assigned to a perceived harsh or safe ecological condition. They were asked to rate the attractiveness of men’s body types (i.e., muscular vs. less muscular). Findings revealed that in general, women rated stronger men as more attractive than weaker men irrespective of the ecological condition. Evidence for preference as a function of ecology appeared only when a two-alternative forced-choice task was used (Study 3), but not in rating tasks (Studies 1 and 2). Study 3 showed that women had a relatively stronger preference for stronger men for short-term relationships in a resource scarce ecological condition. This research provides some evidence that perceived ecological conditions can drive women’s preferences for men with enhanced secondary sex characteristics as a function of mating context. These findings are consistent with previous research indicating the importance of physical characteristics in men’s attractiveness, and it adds to the existing literature on ecological factors and mating preferences.

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