Use of all-male triploid population of zebrafish (Danio rerio) for evaluation of 17α-ethinylestradiol effects

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2022 Dec 20;43(5):281-290.

Abstract

Objectives: We tested the toxicity of ethinylestradiol, a semisynthetic estrogen used in oral contraceptives, on all-male triploid zebrafish using commercial feeds and three different doses concentrations. We aimed to determine whether ethinylestradiol peroral administration resulted in vitellogenin production and whether all-male triploid zebrafish could serve as a model species for xenoestrogen testing.

Methods: The actual concentrations of 17α-ethinylestradiol were 0.0035 (low); 0.0315 (medium) and 0.365 (high) µg/g. Positive control represented commercial feeds containing 0.0465 µg/g of β-estradiol. The experiment lasted 8 weeks.

Results: Our results indicate that 17α-ethinylestradiol consumption does induce vitellogenin production in triploid zebrafish.

Conclusions: The simple presence of vitellogenin is a definite symptom indicative of the potential for such changes due to the action of estrogenic substances. As such, this experiment has shown that the use of all-male triploid zebrafish populations, rather than the mixed-sex populations of other species previously used, could serve as a suitable alternative model population for controlled testing of the effects of xenoestrogens on fish.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Estrogens / pharmacology
  • Ethinyl Estradiol / toxicity
  • Male
  • Triploidy
  • Vitellogenins / genetics
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*
  • Zebrafish* / genetics

Substances

  • Vitellogenins
  • Ethinyl Estradiol
  • Estrogens
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical