Preliminary investigation of multi-biomarker responses in three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) sampled in contaminated streams.
Recently, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) has been proposed as a suitable fish species for detecting both androgen- and estrogen-induced endocrine disruption by environmental pollutants. This relatively pollution-tolerant fish is present in most European streams and small rivers but also coastal and estuarian areas. The purpose of the present field study was to determine the extent to which multiple biomarkers in this fish species could distinguish between streams with different pollution levels. Sticklebacks were sampled in French rivers characterised by various urban, industrial or agricultural contaminations and in outdoor lotic mesocosms as reference site. Physiological parameters including condition factor and liver somatic index, biotransformation enzymes such as 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and glutathione-S-transferase, antioxidant enzymes including glutathione peroxidase and total glutathione (GSH) content and lipoperoxidation (as TBARS) showed several differences between sites. For example, fish from an heavily contaminated stream exhibited a 9-fold EROD induction associated to a decrease of GSH and a 3-fold increase of TBARS content in comparison to fish from uncontaminated sites. When fish were transferred from polluted river to clean water, some of these biomarkers rapidly returned to basal levels found in fish in the reference site while others, like TBARS levels were still high after 2 weeks of depuration. Based on multivariate analyses, the battery of biomarkers proved to differentiate all sites, with a very good classification rate for highly contaminated streams. Influence of fish gender and sampling period on biomarker responses was also observed and is discussed. The results of this field study provide additional support for the use of stickleback for in situ multi-biomarker assessment.
Sanchez
Wilfried
W
Unité d'Evaluation des Risques Ecotoxicologiques, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), BP 2, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. Wilfried.Sanchez@ineris.fr
Aït-Aïssa
Sélim
S
Palluel
Olivier
O
Ditche
Jean-Maxence
JM
Porcher
Jean-Marc
JM
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005602:France; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012737:Sex Factors; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
D015415:Biomarkers; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione