RXR Expression in Marine Gastropods with Different Sensitivity to Imposex Development

GIULIANELLI, SEBASTIÁN; PRIMOST, MÓNICA A.; LANARI, CLAUDIA; BIGATTI, GREGORIO

Scientific Reports

Nature Publishing Group

Año: 2020 vol. 10

The superposition of male sexual characteristics in female marine gastropods (imposex) representsone of the clearest ecological examples of organotin-mediated endocrine disruption. Recent evidencessuggest that signaling pathways mediated by members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, RXR andPPARγ, are involved in the development of this pseudohermaphroditic condition. Here, we identifiedsignificant differences in RXR expression in two caenogastropod species from Nuevo Gulf, Argentina,Buccinanops globulosus and Trophon geversianus, which present clear contrast in imposex incidence.In addition, B. globulosus males from a polluted and an unpolluted area showed differences in RXRexpression. Conversely, PPARγ levels were similar between both analyzed species. These findingsindicate specie-specific RXR and PPARγ expression, suggesting a major role of RXR in the induction ofimposex.