Methylmercury teratogenesis in the killifish, <i>Fundulus heteroclitus</i>

Weis, Peddrick; Weis, Judith S.

doi:10.1002/tera.1420160311

Cited by 69 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Reports on the histopathologic effects in fish are rather scarce and have been summarized by Meyers and Hendricks (16). These include studies in catfish (12,13), rainbow trout (46,47), medaka (4,5), killifish (38), and lisa (7). These studies were often focused on effects on selected organs, and pointed towards the liver, gills, and kidney as the main target organs (12,13,46,47), and towards teratogenic effects on the eye and the cardiovascular system (4,5,38).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological Effects in Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) Exposed to Methyl Mercury Chloride

Wester

Canton

1992

Toxicol Pathol

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To evaluate the usefulness of histopathology in aquatic toxicity testing, studies were carried out on the small freshwater fish Poecilia reticulata (guppy) following aqueous methyl mercury chloride exposure. Fish were exposed to concentrations of 0, 1.0, 1.8, 3.2, 5.6, or 10 μg/L for 1 and 3 months. Histopathological changes included the occurrence of multiple granulomas in various tissues, in particular, the integument and orbit. These changes were accompanied by hyperplasia of monocytopoietic interrenal tissue, and hepatocellular change which was confirmed by morphometry. The latter findings were probably a result of monocyte "consumption" by granulomas, and hepatic synthesis of ("stress") proteins, respectively. The bile duct and, focally, the proximal intestine, showed hyperplasia of the epithelium. In the testis of sexually mature fish (3-month study), degeneration and necrosis of sperm occurred, with severe cases exhibiting Sertoli cell hypertrophy, interstitial inflammation, and absence of mature sperm. Epidermal mucous cells disappeared in the highest concentration used, and, after 3 months, clusters of undifferentiated basophilic cells were seen in the gas gland, which occasionally were suggestive of malignant growth. The changes in the kidney tubules were characterized by degeneration and necrosis of single cells which also showed mitotic figures. This is considered a result of the mitosis-disturbing activity of methyl mercury (MeHg). It is concluded that MeHg has effects on various target organs in guppies with the occurrence of granulomas as the most sensitive indicator, yielding a no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) of 1.0 μg/L. In contrast to mammalian species, no morphologic evidence for neurotoxicity was found.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Histopathological Effects in Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) Exposed to Methyl Mercury Chloride

Wester

Canton

1992

Toxicol Pathol

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“…Among the environmental pollutants producing these anomalies are alkaline pH in the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar (34), cadmium in S. gairdneri (35), carbaryl in Fundulus heteroclitus (18), carbaryl, parathion and malathion in Oryzias latipes (36), mercury compounds in Fundulus heteroclitus (31,32), mercury in Oryzias latipes (37), lead in Brachydanio rerio (13), toluene in 0. latipes (38), toluene in Pimephales promelas (39), 2,4,5-T in 0. latipes (40), ethyl carbamate in Brachydanio rerio (41), and aflatoxin in 0. latipes (42). It is believed that the pericardial edema is a result of a fluid imbalance caused by the retarded circulation (17).…”

Section: Cardiac Malformationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Flexures and stunting have been observed in Brachydanio rerio treated with ethyl carbamate (41), Pimephales promelas treated with toluene (39), Oryzias latipes treated with aflatoxin (42), Fundulus heteroclitus treated with mercury compounds (31,32), Oryzias latipes treated with methylmercury (47), F. heteroclitus treated with water-soluble fractions of oil (48), and S. gairdneri treated with cadmium (35). Stunting and bent axes have been produced in amphibian embryos by exposure to a variety of herbicides and fungicides (25,49), or to mercury (50).…”

Section: Skeletal Defectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pollutants as developmental toxicants in aquatic organisms.

Weis¹,

Weis²

1987

Environ Health Perspect

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Pollutants, by disrupting metabolic processes, can interfere with development, and, at critical periods of development, can act as teratogens. Such interference with normal development can be used as a bioassay. Some screening tests are based on this phenomenon. As teratogens, pollutants are fairly nonspecific. Many different classes may elicit the same developmental responses. Mechanisms of teratogenicity include disruption of mitosis, interference with transcription and translation, metabolic disturbances in energy utilization, and nutritional deficits. These in turn interfere with cell interactions, migration, and growth. In aquatic organisms, environmental conditions can be critical. Interactions of pollutant effects with salinity and with temperature have been reported. Interactions between toxicants have also been studied; both synergism and antagonism have been reported. Most reports of teratogenesis have been qualitative. Quantitation has usually been in the form of percentages of embryos affected, but when severity of effect is indexed, more critical analysis is allowed. When effects of other developmental processes such as growth are analyzed, quantitation is readily achieved. Regeneration is an especially useful model of both differentiation and growth. These two components of regeneration can be separately analyzed. Dose-response relationships are readily apparent. In comparison to mammalian embryos, the use of embryos of many aquatic species for testing toxicants has certain advantages, including lower cost and maintenance and shorter development times. They respond to many of the same teratogens. A special advantage is availability for continual examination during development so that abnormalities can be observed and recorded as they arise. Images FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2. FIGURE 3. FIGURE 4.

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“…Because of their usefulness as a laboratory model and a representative ecological model, embryos and larvae of F. heteroclitus have been used to assess the toxicity of single chemicals, chemical mixtures and environmental samples (Crawford and Guarino, 1976;Weis and Weis, 1977;Sharp and Neff, 1982;Khan and Weis, 1987a;Zhou et al, 1999Zhou et al, , 2001Couillard, 2002;Nacci et al, 2002b;Wassenberg and Di Giulio, 2004a;Wassenberg et al, 2005;Arzuaga et al, 2006;Gonzalez et al, 2006;Timme-Laragy et al, 2006). As described above (Reproduction and Development), embryonic development is well-characterized and easily observable.…”

Section: Toxicologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fundulus as the premier teleost model in environmental biology: Opportunities for new insights using genomics

Burnett

Bain

Baldwin

et al. 2007

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Pr

213

195

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A strong foundation of basic and applied research documents that the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus and related species are unique laboratory and field models for understanding how individuals and populations interact with their environment. In this paper we summarize an extensive body of work examining the adaptive responses of Fundulus species to environmental conditions, and describe how this research has contributed importantly to our understanding of physiology, gene regulation, toxicology, and ecological and evolutionary genetics of teleosts and other vertebrates. These explorations have reached a critical juncture at which advancement is hindered by the lack of genomic resources for these species. We suggest that a more complete genomics toolbox for F. heteroclitus and related species will permit researchers to exploit the power of this model organism to rapidly advance our understanding of fundamental biological and pathological mechanisms among vertebrates, as well as ecological strategies and evolutionary processes common to all living organisms.

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Methylmercury teratogenesis in the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus

Cited by 69 publications

References 30 publications

Histopathological Effects in Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) Exposed to Methyl Mercury Chloride

Histopathological Effects in Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) Exposed to Methyl Mercury Chloride

Pollutants as developmental toxicants in aquatic organisms.

Fundulus as the premier teleost model in environmental biology: Opportunities for new insights using genomics

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