Brain and gonadal gene expression profile in juvenile pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis) exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol.

MARÍA R. PÉREZ; JUAN I. FERNANDINO; MARTÍN BLASCO; PEDRO CARRIQUIRIBORDE; GUSTAVO M. SOMOZA

Rouen, Francia

Simposio; 1st International Symposium on Neuroendocrine Effects of Endocrine Disruptors; 2010

The aquatic environments subjected to poorly treated sewage discharges present a wide variety of chemical contaminants that potentially interfere with the endocrine system. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on gene expression of key gonadal steroidogenic enzymes and brain aromatase of pejerrey fish. Juvenile males were exposed for 10 days to 15 ng/L EE2, a concentration presented in water bodies where pejerrey inhabits. Despite the fact that no differences were observed at gonadal morphological level, EE2 treatment inhibited the cyp11b2 and 11β-HSD, and stimulated the cyp19a1 in gonads, and cyp19a1b in the brain at the mRNA level. These results suggest the beginning of a process of gonadal feminization, and then the expression of these genes could be used as biomarker for endocrine disruption studies.