IMPACT OF GAMMA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE ON THE IN-VITRO PRODUCTION OF STEROIDS FROM ENDOGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS PRECURSORS IN THE SPERMIATING ROACH, RUTILUS-RUTILUS
Pb. Singh et De. Kime, IMPACT OF GAMMA-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE ON THE IN-VITRO PRODUCTION OF STEROIDS FROM ENDOGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS PRECURSORS IN THE SPERMIATING ROACH, RUTILUS-RUTILUS, Aquatic toxicology, 31(3), 1995, pp. 231-240
Testicular fragments from spermiating roach were incubated with 0, 1,
10 and 20 mg/L of gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-HCH), and either
carp hypophyseal homogenate (chh) or H-3-17-hydroxyprogesterone (H-3-1
7P). The endogenous production of testosterone (T), 17-hydroxyprogeste
rone (17P), 17,20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20 beta P), 11-ke
totestosterone (KT), testosterone glucuronide (TG), and 17,20 beta-dih
ydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one glucuronide (17,20 beta PG) was measured by rad
ioimmunoassay. The effect of gamma-HCH on the testicular metabolism of
H-3-17P was examined by thin layer and high performance liquid chroma
tography. Endogenous production of T was stimulated by 1 mg/L gamma-HC
H but inhibited at higher doses, while its glucuronide was higher in a
ll incubations containing gamma-HCH compared with controls. 17P and KT
production was lower at all concentrations of gamma-HCH compared with
controls, but the low endogenous 17,20 beta P production was unaffect
ed. gamma-HCH had a much lower impact on the metabolism of exogenous 1
7P than on endogenous precursors. The major metabolite of 17P in the t
estis, 17,20 beta P, showed a significant increase in yield in respons
e to gamma-HCH together with a decrease in production of its glucuroni
de. There was also a significant increase in yield of testosterone at
some concentrations, but none of the other metabolites were affected b
y gamma-HCH exposure. The results show that the balance of steroid pro
duction by testes of spermiating roach is significantly perturbed by g
amma-HCH and suggests that the pesticide affects predominantly the sta
ges of steroidogenesis leading to 17-hydroxyprogesterone production.