title: The detection of dioxin- and estrogen-like pollutants in marine and freshwater fishes cultivated in Pearl River Delta, China.
abstract: In this study we aimed to assess the dioxin- and estrogen-like activities of contaminants extracted from twenty species of freshwater and seawater fishes, using luciferase reporter assays. Transfected MCF7 cells were treated with sample extracts and luciferase activities were then measured at 24-h of post-treatment. The mean values of the detected dioxin- and estrogen-like activities in the freshwater fishes were 25.3 pg TEQ/g ww and 102.3 pM EEQ/g ww whereas in the seawater fishes, the values were 46.2 pg TEQ/g ww and 118.8 pM EEQ/g ww. Using sample-relevant dosage of estrogen, inductions of cell proliferation markers (i.e. retinoblastoma, cyclin D) and stimulations of cell growth were revealed by Western blotting, colony formation and BrdU uptake assays. A cotreatment with TCDD significantly reduced these effects. Using the sample extracts with different dioxin- and estrogen-like activities, similar observation was revealed. The data highlighted the mixture effect of food contaminants on human health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ching
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chris K C
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002681:China; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008156:Luciferases