Effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol-based contraceptives on ovarian tissue using histopathological examination and FSH, LH, CYP1A, and CYP3A expressions using qRT-PCR in the ovaries and brain tissues of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

In this study, the main aim was to identify the effects of exposure to 17α-ethinylestradiol-based contraceptives on the ovaries and brain tissues of common carp. For this purpose, histopathological changes were evaluated in ovaries after 21 days of contraceptive exposure. In addition, the expression levels of the CYP1A, CYP3A, FSH, and LH genes were measured in contraceptive-exposed brain tissue and ovaries respectively, using qRT-PCR (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001, respectively). No histopathological lesions, including inflammation, degeneration, or necrosis in the evaluated ovarian tissue ofcommon carp were found afterboth high andlow levels ofexposure tocontraceptives. Therefore, it is concluded that these contraceptives were highly dangerous to the reproduction system of common carp; the accumulation of contraceptive waste in the water supply could adversely affect and threat the common carp population. This may indirectly also affect other animals.