Click here to close
Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly.
We suggest using a current version of Chrome,
FireFox, or Safari.
???displayArticle.abstract???
The main component of classical contraceptives, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), has high estrogenic activity even at environmentally relevant concentrations. Although estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds are assumed to contribute to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations by adverse effects on sexual differentiation, evidence for EE2 affecting amphibian mating behaviour is lacking. In this study, we demonstrate that EE2 exposure at five different concentrations (0.296 ng/L, 2.96 ng/L, 29.64 ng/L, 2.96 µg/L and 296.4 µg/L) can disrupt the mating behavior of adult male Xenopus laevis. EE2 exposure at all concentrations lowered male sexual arousal, indicated by decreased proportions of advertisement calls and increased proportions of the call type rasping, which characterizes a sexually unaroused state of a male. Additionally, EE2 at all tested concentrations affected temporal and spectral parameters of the advertisement calls, respectively. The classical and highly sensitive biomarker vitellogenin, on the other hand, was only induced at concentrations equal or higher than 2.96 µg/L. If kept under control conditions after a 96 h EE2 exposure (2.96 µg/L), alterations of male advertisement calls vanish gradually within 6 weeks and result in a lower sexual attractiveness of EE2 exposed males toward females as demonstrated by female choice experiments. These findings indicate that exposure to environmentally relevant EE2 concentrations can directly disrupt male mate calling behavior of X. laevis and can indirectly affect the mating behavior of females. The results suggest the possibility that EE2 exposure could reduce the reproductive success of EE2 exposed animals and these effects might contribute to the global problem of amphibian decline.
???displayArticle.pubmedLink???
22355410 ???displayArticle.pmcLink???PMC3280221 ???displayArticle.link???PLoS One
Figure 1. Percentages of advertisement calls.Median ± interquartile ranges (n = 10 per treatment) for EE2 exposure concentrations of A) 296 µg/L, 2.96 µg/L and 29.6 ng/L and B) 29.6 ng/L, 2.96 ng/L and 0.296 ng/L. Statistical differences were determined using General Linear Mixed models (GLMM). Significant differences from solvent control (CTRL) are marked by asterisks (* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01; *** p≤0.001).
Figure 2. Spectrograms of advertisement calls.A) Advertisement call of an unexposed control male with six accentuated clicks at the beginning of the call, indicated by vertical arrows and B) advertisement call of an EE2 exposed male (2.96 µg/L) with no accentuated clicks at the beginning of the call.
Figure 3. No. of accentuated clicks within male advertisement calls.Median ± interquartile ranges (n = 10 per treatment) for EE2 exposure concentrations of A) 296 µg/L, 2.96 µg/L and 29.6 ng/L and B) 29.6 ng/L, 2.96 ng/L and 0.296 ng/L. Statistical differences were determined using General Linear Mixed models (GLMM). Significant differences from solvent control (CTRL)+human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment are marked by asterisks (* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01; *** p≤0.001).
Figure 4. Duration of clicks of male advertisement calls.Median ± interquartile ranges (n = 10 per treatment) for EE2 exposure concentrations of A) 296 µg/L, 2.96 µg/L and 29.6 ng/L and B) 29.6 ng/L, 2.96 ng/L and 0.296 ng/L. Statistical differences were determined using General Linear Mixed models. Significant differences from solvent control (CTRL)+human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment are marked by asterisks (* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01; *** p≤0.001).
Figure 5. Reversibility of call modifications due to EE2 exposure.Median ± interquartile ranges (n = 10) of (A) no. of accentuated clicks and (B) duration of clicks within the advertisement calls before, during, and four and six weeks after EE2 exposure (at 2.96 µg/L). Statistical differences were determined using two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for paired samples. To control for type I errors from conducting multiple tests, false discovery rate (FDR) was applied. Significant differences are marked by asterisks (* p≤0.05; ** p≤0.01; *** p≤0.001).
Bancroft,
The control of deviant sexual behaviour by drugs. I. Behavioural changes following oestrogens and anti-androgens.
1974, Pubmed
Bancroft,
The control of deviant sexual behaviour by drugs. I. Behavioural changes following oestrogens and anti-androgens.
1974,
Pubmed Belfroid,
Analysis and occurrence of estrogenic hormones and their glucuronides in surface water and waste water in The Netherlands.
1999,
Pubmed Bögi,
Endocrine effects of environmental pollution on Xenopus laevis and Rana temporaria.
2003,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Brahic,
Vocal circuitry in Xenopus laevis: telencephalon to laryngeal motor neurons.
2003,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Braun,
Trace analysis of technical nonylphenol, bisphenol A and 17alpha-ethinylestradiol in wastewater using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
2003,
Pubmed Carey,
Possible interrelations among environmental toxicants, amphibian development, and decline of amphibian populations.
1995,
Pubmed Colman,
Effects of the synthetic estrogen, 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, on aggression and courtship behavior in male zebrafish (Danio rerio).
2009,
Pubmed Emperaire,
[Contraception by implantation of estradiol pellets].
1969,
Pubmed Gerhardt,
The significance of some spectral features in mating call recognition in the green treefrog (Hyla cinerea).
1974,
Pubmed Hoffmann,
An environmentally relevant endocrine-disrupting antiandrogen, vinclozolin, affects calling behavior of male Xenopus laevis.
2010,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Jones,
Human pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment a review.
2001,
Pubmed Kelley,
Hormone effects on male sex behavior in adult South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis.
1976,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Kloas,
Amphibians as a model to study endocrine disruptors: II. Estrogenic activity of environmental chemicals in vitro and in vivo.
1999,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Kloas,
Amphibians as a model for the study of endocrine disruptors.
2002,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Konishi,
A critical period for estrogen action on neurons of the song control system in the zebra finch.
1988,
Pubmed Kuch,
Determination of endocrine-disrupting phenolic compounds and estrogens in surface and drinking water by HRGC-(NCI)-MS in the picogram per liter range.
2001,
Pubmed Levy,
Bisphenol A induces feminization in Xenopus laevis tadpoles.
2004,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Lutz,
Regulation of estrogen receptors in primary cultured hepatocytes of the amphibian Xenopus laevis as estrogenic biomarker and its application in environmental monitoring.
2005,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Marin,
Hormone-sensitive stages in the sexual differentiation of laryngeal muscle fiber number in Xenopus laevis.
1990,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Markman,
Pollutants increase song complexity and the volume of the brain area HVC in a songbird.
2008,
Pubmed Morrell,
Autoradiographic localization of hormone-concentrating cells in the brain of an amphibian, Xenopus laevis. II. Estradiol.
1975,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Murray,
Endocrine changes in male sexual deviants after treatment with anti-androgens, oestrogens or tranquillizers.
1975,
Pubmed Nichols,
Controlling the familywise error rate in functional neuroimaging: a comparative review.
2003,
Pubmed Orme,
Clinical pharmacokinetics of oral contraceptive steroids.
1983,
Pubmed Partridge,
Short-term exposure to a synthetic estrogen disrupts mating dynamics in a pipefish.
2010,
Pubmed Pawlowski,
Effects of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol in a fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) gonadal recrudescence assay.
2004,
Pubmed Saaristo,
Sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) males exposed to an endocrine disrupting chemical fail in nest and mate competition.
2009,
Pubmed Saaristo,
Exposure to 17alpha-ethinyl estradiol impairs courtship and aggressive behaviour of male sand gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus).
2010,
Pubmed Sanderson,
Ranking and prioritization of environmental risks of pharmaceuticals in surface waters.
2004,
Pubmed Shen,
Toxicological profile of pollutants in surface water from an area in Taihu Lake, Yangtze Delta.
2001,
Pubmed Ternes,
Behavior and occurrence of estrogens in municipal sewage treatment plants--I. Investigations in Germany, Canada and Brazil.
1999,
Pubmed Tobias,
Attaining and maintaining strong vocal synapses in female Xenopus laevis.
1998,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Tobias,
Vocal communication between male Xenopus laevis.
2004,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Tobias,
Rapping, a female receptive call, initiates male-female duets in the South African clawed frog.
1998,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Toppari,
Environmental endocrine disrupters and disorders of sexual differentiation.
2002,
Pubmed Toppari,
Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens.
1996,
Pubmed Urbatzka,
Endocrine disrupters with (anti)estrogenic and (anti)androgenic modes of action affecting reproductive biology of Xenopus laevis: I. Effects on sex steroid levels and biomarker expression.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase van Heusden,
Residual ovarian activity during oral steroid contraception.
2002,
Pubmed Vignal,
Significance of temporal and spectral acoustic cues for sexual recognition in Xenopus laevis.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Wade,
Functional testicular tissue does not masculinize development of the zebra finch song system.
1996,
Pubmed Watson,
Endocrine disruption via estrogen receptors that participate in nongenomic signaling pathways.
2011,
Pubmed Wetzel,
Androgen and gonadotropin effects on male mate calls in South African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis.
1983,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Wu,
Estrogen and laryngeal synaptic strength in Xenopus laevis: opposite effects of acute and chronic exposure.
2001,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase Yang,
Direct action of gonadotropin in brain integrates behavioral and reproductive functions.
2007,
Pubmed
,
Xenbase
