Molt-independent growth inhibition of Daphnia magna by a vertebrate antiandrogen

The objective of this study was to identify specific physiologic parameters in crustaceans that are targeted by chemicals known to be antiandrogenic in vertebrates. We hypothesized that chemicals capable of binding to the vertebrate androgen receptor would also elicit toxicity to crustaceans by binding to specific steroid hormone receptors in an antagonistic manner. This hypothesis was tested by evaluating the effects of the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate on growth, molting, sexual differentiation, and reproduction of Daphnia magna. Exposure of daphnids to concentrations of cyproterone acetate appreciably below those that elicited mortality reduced growth but had no effect on molting. These concentrations of cyproterone acetate had no effect on various developmental and maturation parameters. Cyproterone acetate also reduced the number of offspring produced by parthenogenetically reproducing daphnids, but this effect appeared to be a consequence of the reduced size of the daphnids and their inability to accommodate a brood of more than approximately 10 eggs. These results indicate that the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate specifically targets a process critical to growth of daphnids that is independent of molting. Additional studies are warranted to established whether this is an endocrine related toxicity to crustaceans that is associated with environmental antiandrogens such as some pesticide metabolites.