title: Aromatase in zebrafish: a potential target for endocrine disrupting chemicals.
abstract: In zebrafish, two isoforms of the aromatase gene exist, namely cyp19a1 and cyp19a2, expressed predominantly in the gonads and brain, respectively. In this study, we focus on characterizing the specificity of antibodies against the aromatase isoforms, and on (xeno)estrogen-induced changes of individual cyp19a2 mRNA concentrations in the brains of adult male zebrafish. Among three polyclonal antibodies studied, the one against CYP19A2 was found to be specific in Western blots and immunohistochemistry. Real-time RT-PCR analyses revealed strong interindividual variation of cyp19a2 levels in the brains of adult male zebrafish. After a three-week-exposure to (xeno)estrogens, mean values of cyp19a2 mRNA levels tended to increase, with significant induction at 200 ng 17beta-estradiol/L, but interindividual variation of cyp19a2 expression was maintained.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, University of Bern, Länggass-strasse 122, Post Box 8466, CH-3001 Bern, Switzerland. evangelia.kallivretaki@itpa.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kallivretaki
authors.forename: Rik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eggen
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neuhauss
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kausch
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Segner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001141:Aromatase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006066:Gonads / Q000201:enzymology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D001141:Aromatase; C440729:Cyp19a1a protein, zebrafish