Blandine Davail: Department of Science and Technology, University of Bordeaux 1, EPOC, UMR CNRS 5805, F-33405 Talence, France. b.davail@epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr. ORCID
Lucette Joassard: Ifremer, Fisheries Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. lJoassar@ifremer.fr.
Karyn Le Menach: Department of Science and Technology, University of Bordeaux 1, EPOC, UMR CNRS 5805, F-33405 Talence, France. k.lemenach@epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr.
Tiphaine Guionnet: Ifremer, Fisheries Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. tiphene9@hotmail.com.
Laura Lyphout: Ifremer, Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. llyphout@gmail.com.
Mireille Ledevin: INRA UMR703, APEX, Oniris, F-44307 Nantes, France. mireille.ledevin@oniris-nantes.fr.
Manon Goubeau: Ifremer, Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. manon.goubeau@gmail.com.
Hélène Budzinski: Department of Science and Technology, University of Bordeaux 1, EPOC, UMR CNRS 5805, F-33405 Talence, France. h.budzinski@epoc.u-bordeaux1.fr.
Marie-Laure Bégout: Ifremer, Fisheries Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. mlbegout@ifremer.fr. ORCID
Xavier Cousin: Ifremer, Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Place Gaby Coll, F-17137 L'Houmeau, France. xavier.cousin@ifremer.fr. ORCID
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) constitute a large family of organic pollutants emitted in the environment as complex mixtures, the compositions of which depend on origin. Among a wide range of physiological defects, PAHs are suspected to be involved in disruption of reproduction. In an aquatic environment, the trophic route is an important source of chronic exposure to PAHs. Here, we performed trophic exposure of zebrafish to three fractions of different origin, one pyrolytic and two petrogenic. Produced diets contained PAHs at environmental concentrations. Reproductive traits were analyzed at individual, tissue and molecular levels. Reproductive success and cumulative eggs number were disrupted after exposure to all three fractions, albeit to various extents depending on the fraction and concentrations. Histological analyses revealed ovary maturation defects after exposure to all three fractions as well as degeneration after exposure to a pyrolytic fraction. In testis, hypoplasia was observed after exposure to petrogenic fractions. Genes expression analysis in gonads has allowed us to establish common pathways such as endocrine disruption or differentiation/maturation defects. Taken altogether, these results indicate that PAHs can indeed disrupt fish reproduction and that different fractions trigger different pathways resulting in different effects.
