In vitro effect of atrazine on the ovarian endocrine regulation of 17-OH progesterone in N. granulata

SILVEYRA, GABRIELA R.; RODRIGUEZ, ENRIQUE M; MEDESANI, DANIEL A.

Chascomús

Jornada; XVI Jornadas de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2014

SAB

We evaluated the in vitro effects of the herbicide atrazine, a well-known endocrine disruptor, on hormonal regulation of reproduction in the adult female crab Neohelice granulata, during the pre-reproductive period. Animals were anesthetized, and the ovary was dissected in four sections (similar weight and size). Ovarian pieces were incubated in plates containing M199 medium. An aliquot of 5mg/L formulated atrazine was added to the treatment wells, and were also incubated with 17-OH progesterone (17PG): 0.15, 1.5, and 15µM. Besides, an aliquot of tritiated leucine (3H-Leu) was added in order to measure de novo ovarian protein synthesis. Our results indicate that ovarian sections incubated with 17PG alone (at concentrations 0.15 and 1.5µM) increased ovarian protein synthesis, as measured by 3H-Leu incorporation. In addition, co-incubation of ovary with both 17PG and atrazine resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) higher increase of 3H-Leu incorporation, compared to 17PG alone. The 3H-Leu incorporation in ovaries incubated with atrazine alone did not differ from that of the control group. These preliminary results indicate a possible enhancer effect of the herbicide atrazine on the 17PG ovarian endocrine regulation.