TY - JOUR

T1 - Grandmother's pesticide exposure revealed bi-generational effects in Daphnia magna

AU - Poulsen, Rikke

AU - De Fine Licht, Henrik H.

AU - Hansen, Martin

AU - Cedergreen, Nina

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Man-made chemicals are a significant contributor to the ongoing deterioration of numerous ecosystems. Currently, risk assessment of these chemicals is based on observations in a single generation of animals, despite potential adverse intergenerational effects. Here, we investigate the effect of the fungicide prochloraz across three generations of Daphnia magna. We studied both the effects of continuous exposure over all generations and the effects of first-generation (F0) exposure on two subsequent generations. Effects at different levels of biological organization from genome-wide gene expression, whole organism metabolite levels, CYP enzyme activity and key phenotypic effects, such as reproduction, were monitored. Acclimation to prochloraz was found after continuous exposure. Following F0-exposure, embryonically exposed F1-offspring showed no significant effects. However, in the potentially germline exposed F2 animals, several parameters differed significantly from controls. A direct association between these F2 effects and the toxic mode of action of prochloraz was found, showing that chemicals can be harmful not only to the directly exposed generation, but also to prenatally exposed generations and in that way effects may even appear to skip a generation. This implies that current risk assessment practices are neglecting an important aspect of toxicity, such as delayed effects across generations due to a time gap between chemical exposure and emergence of effects.

AB - Man-made chemicals are a significant contributor to the ongoing deterioration of numerous ecosystems. Currently, risk assessment of these chemicals is based on observations in a single generation of animals, despite potential adverse intergenerational effects. Here, we investigate the effect of the fungicide prochloraz across three generations of Daphnia magna. We studied both the effects of continuous exposure over all generations and the effects of first-generation (F0) exposure on two subsequent generations. Effects at different levels of biological organization from genome-wide gene expression, whole organism metabolite levels, CYP enzyme activity and key phenotypic effects, such as reproduction, were monitored. Acclimation to prochloraz was found after continuous exposure. Following F0-exposure, embryonically exposed F1-offspring showed no significant effects. However, in the potentially germline exposed F2 animals, several parameters differed significantly from controls. A direct association between these F2 effects and the toxic mode of action of prochloraz was found, showing that chemicals can be harmful not only to the directly exposed generation, but also to prenatally exposed generations and in that way effects may even appear to skip a generation. This implies that current risk assessment practices are neglecting an important aspect of toxicity, such as delayed effects across generations due to a time gap between chemical exposure and emergence of effects.

KW - Acclimation

KW - Daphnia magna

KW - Environmental toxicology

KW - Intergenerational effects

KW - Prochloraz

KW - Toxic mechanisms

U2 - 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105861

DO - 10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105861

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34049113

AN - SCOPUS:85106964683

VL - 236

JO - Aquatic Toxicology

JF - Aquatic Toxicology

SN - 0166-445X

M1 - 105861

ER -