Imposex development in Nucella lapillus – Evidence for the involvement of retinoid X receptor and androgen signalling pathways in vivo

• Published in: Aquatic toxicology Vol. 106; no. 15; pp. 20 - 24
• Main Authors: Stange, Daniela, Sieratowicz, Agnes, Oehlmann, Jörg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.01.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: 9-cis retinoic acid; agonists; Androgens - metabolism; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; antagonists; Applied ecology; Aromatase; Aromatase - metabolism; Aromatase Inhibitors - toxicity; Biological and medical sciences; Disorders of Sex Development - chemically induced; Disorders of Sex Development - veterinary; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Endocrine disruption; Endocrine Disruptors - toxicity; Endocrine System - drug effects; Endocrine System - metabolism; Female; females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastropoda; Gastropoda - drug effects; Gastropoda - physiology; General aspects; HX531; HX630; Marine; Masculinisation; masculinization; Nucella lapillus; Retinoid X Receptors - metabolism; sex differentiation disorders; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Trialkyltin Compounds - toxicity; unspecific monooxygenase; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Endocrine disruption; 9-cis retinoic acid; HX531; HX630; Aromatase; Masculinisation; Alitretinoin; Androgen; Ecotoxicology; Pseudohermaphroditism; Toxicity; Nucella lapillus; Endocrine disruptor; Gastropoda; In vivo; Aquatic environment; Masculinization; Pollution; RXR retinoid receptor; Invertebrata; Mollusca
• ISSN: 0166-445X; 1879-1514
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2011.10.010

► Imposex induction in Nucella lapillus via RXR and androgen pathways is investigated. ► TBT and RXR agonist induce imposex significantly, but not 9-cis retinoic acid. ► Cyproterone acetat inhibits imposex development via TBT, but not RXR antagonist. Imposex in female gastropods is a widely documented masculinisation phenomenon in response to tributyltin (TBT) exposure. Although it is generally accepted that imposex is a case of endocrine disruption the underlying mechanisms are controversially discussed with aromatase inhibition and retinoid X receptor (RXR) signalling pathways as two conflicting hypotheses. Hence, we performed injection experiments with the marine dogwhelk Nucella lapillus. As expected TBT induced imposex in all test specimens while the natural RXR ligand 9 cis-retinoic acid did not cause significant effects. Additionally, TBT effects were suppressed if the organotin compound was simultaneously injected with an androgen receptor inhibitor (cyproterone acetate) but not if co-administered with the synthetic RXR antagonist HX531. In contrast, the injection of the RXR agonist HX630 resulted in imposex development in nearly 100% females. Therefore, the results provide evidence for the involvement of the RXR and the androgen signalling pathway. Further investigations are necessary to resolve the biochemical mechanism of imposex development.