Development of new-tools to investigate toxicological hazard due to endocrine disruptor organochlorines and emerging contaminants in Mediterranean cetaceans.
The possibility that certain Mediterranean cetaceans are subject to toxicological hazard due to organochlorines and emerging contaminants, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) with endocrine disrupting capacity, was investigated using non-lethal methods. The need for new biomarkers for EDCs and for a "cell model" to explore the different susceptibilities to several classes of ECDs, including emerging contaminants, led us to culture fibroblasts of different cetacean species ("dolphins in test tubes"). We then explored interspecies and gender susceptibility to OC-EDCs and PBDEs using qualitative and semi-quantitative evaluation of target proteins, such as CYP1A and CYP2B in cultured cetacean fibroblasts (Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus and Balaenoptera physalus), by western blot and immunofluorescence techniques.
Fossi
M Cristina
MC
Department of Environmental Sciences, Siena University, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy. Fossi@unisi.it
Marsili
Letizia
L
Casini
Silvia
S
Bucalossi
Daniela
D
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002591:Cetacea / Q000502:physiology*; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000379:methods; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000633:toxicity*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D010647:Phenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
D000906:Antibodies; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010647:Phenyl Ethers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C031538:phenyl ether; D019362:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1