Metformin-induced endocrine disruption and oxidative stress of Oryzias latipes on two-generational condition

Abstract

Metformin has been treated for diabetes (type 2). Nowadays, this compound is frequently found in ambient water, influent/effluent of a wastewater treatment plant. To evaluate the metformin aquatic toxicity under a multi-generational exposure regimen, we exposed Oryzias latipes to metformin for two generations (133 d) and investigated its adverse effects. In the F0 generation, metformin significantly elevated gene expression for cytochrome P450 19a (CYP19a) and estrogen receptor α (ERα) in male fish; in female fish, the treatment decreased gene expression of vitellogenin (VTG2) and ERβ1, suggesting endocrine disruption (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). Intersex occurrence of F0 female fish were found in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas no significant changes in fecundity and hatching rate were observed (p < 0.05). Metformin increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and decreased the glutathione (GSH) content in F0 male fish compared with those of the control (one-way ANOVA, p > 0.05). In F0 female fish, metformin increased catalase activity compared with that of the control (p > 0.05). The results demonstrated that metformin leads to oxidative stress and two-generation endocrine disruption in O. latipes. These results may be useful for better understanding metformin toxicity mechanism.

Keywords: Endocrine disruption; Intersex; Metformin; Oryzias latipes; Reactive oxygen species.