Alligators and endocrine disrupting contaminants: A current perspective

American Zoologist

Volumn 40, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 438-452

  Guillette, Louis J ^a   Crain, D Andrew ^b   Gunderson, Mark P ^a   Kools, Stefan A E ^a   Miles, Matthew R ^a   Orlando, Edward F ^a   Rooney, Andrew A ^c   Woodward, Allan R ^d  

^a University of Florida ^*  (United States)

^b MARYVILLE COLLEGE   (United States)

^c INRS INSTITUT ARMAND FRAPPIER   (Canada)

^d FLORIDA MARINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 23044524166     PISSN: 00031569     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/icb/40.3.438     Document Type: Article

References (74)

1. Ankley, G., E. Mihaich, R. Stahl, T. Tillitt, T. Colborn, S. McMaster, R. Miller, J. Bantle, R. Dickwerson, M. Fry, J. Gcisy, L. E. Gray, P. Guiney, T. Hutchinson, V. Kramer, G. LeBlanc, M. Mayes, A. Nimrod, R. Peterson, R. Purdy, R. Ringer, P. Thomas, G. Van Der Kraak, and T. Zacharewski. 1998. Overview of a workshop on screening and testing methods for detecting potential (anti-) estrogenic/ androgenic chemicals in wildlife. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 17:68-87.
2. Arnold, S., M. K. Robinson, A. C. Notides, L. J. Guillette. Jr., and J. A. McLachIan.1996. A yeast estrogen screen for examining the relative exposure of cells to natural and xeno estrogens. Environ. Health Perspec. 104:544-548.
3. Baldwin, W. S., S. E. Graham, D. Shea, and G. A. LeBlanc. 1997. Metabolic androgenization of female Daphnia magna by the xenoestrogen 4-nonylphenol. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 16:1905-1911.
4. Baldwin, \V. S., S. E. Graham, D. Shea, and G. A. LeBlanc. 1998. Altered metabolic elimination of testosterone and associated toxicity following exposure of Daphnia magna to nonylphenol polyethoxylate. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety 39:104111.
5. Bastomsky, C. H. 1974. Effects of a polychlorinated biphenyl mixture (Aroclor 1254) and DDT on biliary thyroxine excretion in rats. Endocrinology 95:1150-1155.
6. Bergeron, J. M., D. Crews, and J. A. McLachlan. 1994. PCBs as environmental estrogens: Turtle sex determination as a biomarker of environmental contamination. Environ. Health Perspec. 102:780-781.
7. Bern, H. 1992. The fragile fetus. In T. Colborn and C. Clement (eds.). Chemically-induced alterations in sexual and functional development: Tlie wildlife/ human connection, pp. 9-15. Princeton Sei. Publ. Co., Inc., Princeton.
8. Brown, R. D., W. E. Nicholson, W. T. Chick, and C. A. Strott. 1973. Effect of o,p'-DDD on human adrenal steroid 11 -Hydroxylation activity. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 36:730-733.
9. Byrne, J. J., J. P. Carbone, and E. A. Hanson. 1987. Hypothyroidism and abnormalities in the kinetics of thyroid hormone metabolism in rats treated chronically with polychlorinated biphenyl and po... lybrominated biphenyl. Endocrinology 121:520527.
10. Clark, E. J., D. O. Morris, and R. E. Jones. 1998. Interactions of gonadal steroids and pesticides (DDT, DDE) on gonaduct growth in larval Tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 109:94-105.
11. Colborn, T, E S. vom Saal, and A. M. Soto. 1993. Developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans. Environ. Health Perspec. 101:378-384.
12. Crain, D. A. 1997. Effects of endocrine-disrupting contaminants oh reproduction in the American alligator. Alligator mississippiensis. Ph.D. Diss., University of Florida.
13. Crain, D. A. and L. J. Guillette, Jr. 1997. Endocrinedisrupting contaminants and reproduction in vertebrate wildlife. Rev. Toxicol. 1:47-70.
14. Crain, D. A., L. J. Guillette, Jr., D. B. Pickford, H. F. Percival, and A. R. Woodward. 1998. Sex-steroid and thyroid hormone concentrations in juvenile alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from contaminated and reference lakes in Florida. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 17:446-452.
15. Crain, D. A., L. J. Guillette, Jr., A. A. Rooney, and D. B. Pickford. 1997. Alteration in steroidogenesis in alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) exposed naturally and experimentally to environmental contaminants. Environ. Health Perspec. 105:528-533.
16. Crain, D. A., N. Noriega, P. M. Vonier, S. F. Arnold, J. A. McLachlan, and L. J. Guillette, Jr. 1998. Cellular bioavailability of natural hormones and environmental contaminants as a function of serum and cytosolic binding factors. Toxicol. Indus. Health 14:261-273.
17. Davis, W. P. and S. A. Bortone. 1992. Effects of kraft mill effluent on the sexuality of fishes: An environmental early warning? In T. Colborn and C. Clement (eds.), Chemically-induced alterations in sexual and functional development: The wildlife/ human connection, pp. 113-127. Princeton Sei. Publ. Co., Inc., Princeton.
18. Fry, D. M. and C. K. Toone. 1981. DDT-induced feminization of gull embryos. Science 213:922-924.
19. Giroux, D. J. 1998. Lake Apopka revisited: A correlational analysis of nesting anomalies and DDT contaminants. Masters Thesis, University of Florida.
20. Gray, L. E. J., J. M. Ostby, and R. Marshall. 1993. The fungicide vinclozolin inhibits morphological sex differentiation in the male rat. Biol. Reprod. Suppl. 48:97.
21. Gray, L. E., Jr., E. Monosson, and W.'R. Kelce. 1996. Emerging issues: The effects of endocrine disrupters on reproductive development. In R. T. DiGiulio and E. Monosson (eds.), Interconnections bet\veen human and ecosystem health, pp. 45-82. Chapman and Hall, London.
22. Guillette, L. J., Jr., S. F. Arnold, and J. A. McLachlan. 1996a. Ecoestrogens and embryos-is there a scientific basis for concern? Anim. Reprod. Sei. 42: 13-24.
23. Guillette, L. J., Jr., J. W. Brock, A. A. Rooney, and A. R. Woodward. 1999a. Serum concentrations of various environmental contaminants and their relationship to sex steroid concentrations in juvenile American alligators. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 36:447-455.
24. Guillette, L. J., Jr. and D. A. Grain, (eds.) 2000. Endocrine disrupting contaminants: An evolutionary perspective, pp. 355 Francis and Taylor, Inc., Philadelphia.
25. Guillette, L. J., Jr., D. A. Grain, A. A. Rooney, and D. B. Pickford. 1995a. Organization versus activation: The role of endocrine-disrupting contaminants (EDCs) during embryonic development in wildlife. Environ. Health Perspec. 103(Suppl. 7): 157-164.
26. Guillette, L. J., Jr., D. A. Grain, A. A. Rooney, and A. R. Woodward. 1997. Effect of acute stress on plasma testosterone, estradiol-17 and corticosterone concentrations in juvenile alligators living in control and contaminated lakes. J. Herpetol. 31:347353.
27. Guillette, L. J., Jr., A. Crée, and A. A. Rooney. 19956. Biology of stress: Interactions with reproduction, immunology and intermediary metabolism. In C. Warwick, F. L. Frye, and J. B. Murphy (eds.), Health and welfare of captive reptiles, Chapman and Hall, London.
28. Guillette, L. J., Jr., T. S. Gross, D. Gross, A. A. Rooney, and H. F. Percival. 1995c. Gonadal steroidogenesis m vitro from juvenile alligators obtained from contaminated and control lakes. Environ. Health Perspec. 103 (Suppl. 4):31-36.
29. Guillette, L. J., Jr., T. S. Gross, G. R. Masson, J. M. Matter, H. F. Percival, and A. R. Woodward. 1994. Developmental abnormalities of the gonad and abnormal sex hormone concentrations in juvenile alligators from contaminated and control lakes in Florida. Environ. Health Perspec. 102:680-688.
30. Guillette, L. J., Jr., D. B. Pickford, D. A. Grain, A. A. Rooney, and H. F. Percival. 1996b. Reduction in penis size and plasma testosterone concentrations in juvenile alligators living in a contaminated environment. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 101:32-42.
31. Guillette, L. J., Jr., A. R. Woodward, D. A. Grain, D. B. Pickford, A. A. Rooney, and H. E Percival. 1999b. Plasma steroid concentrations and male phallus size in juvenile alligators from seven Florida (USA) lakes. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 116: 356-372.
32. Hayes, T. B., T. H. Wu, and T. N. Gill. 1997. DDT-like effects as a result of corticosterone treatment in an anuran amphibian: Is DDT a corticoid mimic or a Stressor? Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 16:1948-1953.
33. Heinz, G. H., H. E Percival, and M. L. Jennings. 1991. Contaminants in American alligator eggs from lakes Apopka, Griffin and Okeechobee, Florida. Environ. Monit. Assess. 16:277-285.
34. Kavlock, R. J., G. P. Daston, D. DeRosa, P. Fenner-Crisp, L. E. Gray, S. Kaattari, G. Lucier, M. Luster, M. J. Mac, C. Maczka, R. Miller, J. Moore, R. Rolland, G. Scott, D. M. Sheehan, T. Sinks, and H. A. Tilson. 1996. Research needs for the risk assessment of health and environmental effects of endocrine disrupters: A report of the US EPA sponsored workshop. Environ. Health Perspec. 104(Suppl. 4):715-740.
35. Kelce, W. R., C. R. .Stone, S. C. Laws, L. E. Gray, J. A. Kemppainen, and E. M. Wilson. 1995. Persistent DDT metabolite p,p'-DDE is a potent androgen receptor antagonist. Nature 375:581-585.
36. Knobil, E., H. A. Bern, J. Burger, D. M. Fry, J. P. Giesy, J. Gorski, C. J. Grossman, L. J. Guillette, Jr., B. S. Hulka, J. C. Lamb, L. A. Real, S. H. Safe, A. M. Soto, J. J. Stegeman, S. H. Swan, and F. S. vom Saal. 1999. Hormonally active agents in the environment. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
37. Lance, V. A. 1997. Sex determination in reptiles: An update. Amer. Zool. 37:504-513.
38. Lance, V. A. and M. H. Bogart. 1992. Disruption of ovarian development in alligator embryos treated with an aromatase inhibitor. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 86:59-71.
39. Lance, V. A. and R. M. Elsey. 1986. Stress-induced suppression of testosterone secretion in male alligators. J. Exp. Zool. 239:241-246.
40. Lang, J. W. and H. V. Andrews. 1994. Temperaturedependent sex determination in crocodilians. J. Exp. Zool. 270:28-44.
41. Masson, G. R. 1995. Environmental influences on reproductive potential, clutch viability and embryonic mortality of the American alligator in Florida. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Florida.
42. Matter, J. M., D. A. Grain, C. Sills-McMurry, D. B. Pickford, T. R. Rainwater, K. D. Reynolds, A. A. Rooney, R. L. Dickerson, and L. J. Guillette, Jr. 1998. Effects of endocrine-disrupting contaminants in reptiles: Alligators. In R. Kcndall, R. Dickerson, J. Giesy and W. Suk (eds.), Principles and processes for evaluating endocrine disruption in wildlife, pp. 267-289. SETAC Pr., Pensacola, FL.
43. McLachlan, J. A. and S. F. Arnold. 19.96. Environmental estrogens. Am. Sei. 84:452-461.
44. Newbold, R. R. and J. A. McLachlan 1985. Diethylstilbestrol associated defects in murine genital tract development. In J. A. McLachlan (ed.), Estrogens in the environment, pp. 288-318. Eisevier Sei. Publ. Co., Inc., New York.
45. Nimrod, A. C. and W. H. Benson. 1996. Estrogenic responses to xenobiotics in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Marine Environ. Res. 42:155-160.
46. Palmer, B. and S. Palmer 1995. Vitellogenin induction by xenobiotic estrogens in the Red-eared turtle and African clawed frog. Environ. HeaUh Perspec. 103 (Suppl4):19-25.
47. Parks, L. G. and G. A. LeBlanc. 1998. Effluent exposure and laterations in steroid hormone metabolic elimination from the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). SETAC 19th Annual Meeting, pp. PMP011. SETAC Press,
48. Peakall, D. B. 1967. Pesticide-induced enzyme breakdown of steroids in birds. Nature 216:505-506.
49. Pickford, D. B. 1995. Endocrine regulation of cliteropenis development in the juvenile American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Masters Thesis, University of Florida.
50. Pickford, D. B., L. J. Guillette, Jr., D. A. Crain, A. A. Rooney, and A. R. Woodward. 2000. Phallus size and plasma dihydrotestosterone concentrations in juvenile American alligators (A, mississippiensis) from contaminated and reference populations. J. Herpetol. 34:233-239.
51. Pickford, D. B. and I. D. Morris. 1999. Effects of endocrine-disrupting contaminants on amphibian oogenesis: Methoxychlor inhibits progesterone-induced maturation of Xenopus laevis oocytes in vitro. Environ. Health Perspec. 107:285-292.
52. Rice, K. G., H. E Percival, A. R. Woodward, C. L. Abercrombie, and P. M. Wilkinson. 1996. Clutch viability, population trends and nesting female demographics. In Effects of environmental contaminants on the demographics and reproduction of Lake Apopka's alligators and other taxa, pp. 735. Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Florida, Gainesville.
53. Rolland, R. M., M. Gilbertson, and R. E. Peterson. (eds.) 1997. Chemically induced alterations in functional development and reproduction in fishes, pp. 194. SETAC Press, Pensacola, FL.
54. Ronis, M. J. J. and A. Z. Mason. 1996. The metabolism of testosterone by the periwinkle (Litlorina liltorea) in vitro and in vivo'. Effects of tributyltin. Mar. Environ. Res. 42:161-166.
55. Rooney, A. A. 1998. Variation in the endocrine and immune system of juvenile alligators: Environmental influence on physiology. Ph.D. Diss., University of Florida.
56. Sanderson, J. T, D. M. Janz, G. D. Bellward, and J. P. Giesy. 1997. Effects of embryonic and adult exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on hepatic microsomal testosterone hydroxylase activities in Great Blue herons (Ardea herodias). Environ, Toxicol. Chem. 16:1304-1310.
57. Sheehan, D. M., E. Willingham, D. Gaylor, J. M. Bergeron, and D. Crews. 1999. No threshold dose for estradiol-induced sex reversal of turtle embryos: How little is too much? Environ. Health Perspec. 107:155-159.
58. Soto, A. M., C. Sonnenschein, K. L. Chung, M. F. Fernandez, N. Olea, and F. Olea Serrano. 1995. The E-SCREEN assay as a tool to identify estrogens: An update on estrogenic environmental pollutants. Environ. Health Perspec. 103(Suppl. 7): 113-122.
59. Sumpter, J. P. and S. Jobling. 1995. Vitellogenesis as a biomarker for estrogenic contamination of the aquatic environment. Environ. Health Perspec. 103(Suppl. 7):173-178.
60. Thomas, P. and I. A. Khan. 1997. Mechanisms of chemical interference with reproductive endocrine function in sciaenid fishes. In R. M. Rolland, M. v Gilbertson and R. E. Peterson (eds.), Chemically induced alterations in functional development and reproduction in fishes, pp. 29-51. SET AC Press, Pensacola, FL.
61. Toppari, J., J. C. Larsen, P. Christiansen, A. Giwercman, P. Grandjean, L. J. Guillette, Jr., B. Jegou, T. K. Jensen, P. Jouannet, N. Keiding, H. Leffers, J. A. McLachlan, O. Meyer, J. Muller, E. Rajpert-De Meyts, T. Scheike, R. Sharpe, J. Sumpter, and N. E. Skakkebaek. 1996. Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens. Environ. Health Perspec. 104(Suppl. 4):741-803.
62. vom Saal, F. S., S. C. Nagel, P. Palanza, M. Boechler, S. Parmigiani, and W. V. Welshons. 1995. Estrogenic pesticides: Binding relative to estradiol in MCF-7 cells and effects of exposure during fetal life on subsequent territorial behavior in male mice. Toxicol. Letters 77:343-350.
63. Vonier, P. M., D. A. Grain, J. A. McLachlan, L. J. Guillette, Jr., and S. F. Arnold. 1996. Interaction of environmental chemicals with the estrogen and progesterone receptors from the oviduct of the American alligator. Environ. Health Perspec. 104: 1318-1322.
64. Vonier, P. M., L. J. Guillette, Jr., J. A. McLachlan, and S. F. Arnold. 1997. Identification and characterization of estrogen and progesterone receptors from the oviduct of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Biochem. Biophy. Res. Comm. 232:308-312.
65. White, R., S. Jobling, S. A. Hoare, J. P. Sumpter, and M. G. Parker. 1994. Environmentally persistent alkylphenolic compounds are estrogenic. Endocrinology 135:175-182.
66. Wibbels, T. and D. Crews. 1994. Putative aromatase inhibitor induces male sex determination in a female unisexual lizard and in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination. J. Endocrinol. 141:295-299.
67. Willingham, E. and D. Crews. 1999. Sex reversal effects of environmentally relevant xenobiotic concentrations on the red-eared slider turtle, a species with temperature-dependent sex determination. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 113:429-435.
68. Wilson, V. S. and G. A. LeBlanc. 1998. Endosulfan elevates testosterone biotransformation and clearance in CD-1 mice. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 148:158-168.
69. Wilson, V. S., J. B. McLachlan, J. G. Falls, and G. A. LeBlanc. 1998. The use of testosterone hydroxylase activities as a biomarker of endocrine disrup-tion. SETAC, 19th Annual Meeting, pp. PWA210. SETAC Press, Pensacola.
70. Wingfield, J. C., D. L. Maney, C. W. Brcuner, J. D. Jacobs, S. Lynn, M. Ramenofsky, and R. D. Richardson. 1998. Ecological bases of hormone-behavior interactions: The "Emergency Life History Stage." Amer. Zool. 38:191-206.
71. Woodward, A. R. 1996. Determination of appropriate harvest strategies for alligator management units. t
72. Final Report. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, FL.
73. Woodward, A. R., M. L. Jennings, H. E Percival, and C. T. Moore. 1993. Low clutch viability of American alligators onjLake Apopka. Fl. Sei. 56:52-63.
74. Woodward, A. R., C. T. Moore, and M. K Delany. 1992. Experimental alligator harvest, pp. 118. Final Report. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee.