Refuse leachate is likely an important source of androgens. However, common in vitro bioassays underestimate the potential androgenic activity of leachate, owing to non-receptor-mediated mechanisms that modify the balance of sex hormones and promote the accumulation of endogenous androgens. This study aimed to develop an in vivo assay by using multiple biomarkers related to testosterone synthesis and conversion for assessing the potential androgenic activity of refuse leachate sampled from a municipal solid waste treatment plant in Qingdao, China. The results indicated that exposure to leachate increased the levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone, but decreased those of 17β-estradiol in both male and female goldfish (Carassius auratus), suggesting a potential androgenic activity. Further, Leydig cell hyperplasia and decreased gonadal P450 aromatase mRNA levels were observed; these alterations might promote the biosynthesis of testosterone and hinder the conversion of testosterone to 17β-estradiol, which in turn enhance testosterone accumulation. Exposure to leachate also resulted in reproductive impairments, including decreased gonadosomatic index and plasma vitellogenin levels of female goldfish, as well as decreased testicular enzyme activities in male goldfish. The integrated use of biochemical, molecular, and histological markers not only improved our understanding of the androgenic effects of leachate but also verified the reliability and validity of the results. Therefore, the in vivo bioassay described in this study might allow the investigation of the androgenic effects of other complex contaminant mixtures in the future.
Keywords: Androgenic potency; Gonadotropin; Leydig cell; P450 aromatase; Refuse leachate; Testosterone.
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