Evaluation of Testosterone-Sensitive Gene Alterations in Cyprinodon variegatus Larvae for Development of a Tool of Androgen Endocrine Disruptors

Evaluation of Testosterone-Sensitive Gene Alterations in Cyprinodon variegatus Larvae for Development of a Tool of Androgen Endocrine Disruptors 

                                                                                                        ¹Raquel Abad Pérez, ¹Alexandre M. Schönemann, ¹Ricardo Beiras 
                                                                                      ¹Centro de Investigacion Mariña, University of Vigo (CIM-UVigo), Vigo, Galicia, Spain 
                                                                                                                  raquel021x@gmail.com 

 

The increase in plastic waste that appears in the seas has turned out to be an ecosystem problem. The additives contained in plastics have a very high toxic potential that makes it necessary to analyse substances that are potentially toxic and harmful to ecosystems. One of the consequences of some endocrine disruptors (ED), is the disruption of the hormonal system that causes an adverse effect on an organism, its progeny, or its population, having been classified as substances of "very high concern" and legislated by the European Union according to the "REACH Regulation". In addition, it is known that the presence of endocrine disrupting compounds can have a permanent impact on organisms, especially if they are in the development phase.  
In order to be able to study these substances with endocrine disruptive potential and their effects on marine vertebrates we have added biomarkers of androgenicity to the molecular tool “CyVa test”, that was specialized only on estrogenicity up to date. An experiment was carried out to verify the reliability of selected androgenic biomarkers, thus being able to verify the molecular responses presented by the marine fish Cyprinodon variegatus to acute exposure to androgenic compounds. C. variegatus larvae were exposed to testosterone in three different concentrations (10, 100 and 1000 ng/L). Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to observe changes on expression of 11 β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11HSD) and 17 β Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD) when exposed to testosterone and have been integrated to “CyVa test” tool. Thus, demonstrating the efficacy of the selected biomarkers for future detection of androgenic endocrine disruptors.