title: PCR-ELISA detection of estrogen receptor β mRNA expression and plasma vitellogenin induction in juvenile sole (Solea solea) exposed to waterborne 4-nonylphenol.
abstract: In this study, the effect of 4-nonylphenol (4NP) on reproductive axis of sole (Solea solea) has been investigated by using selected biomarkers of estrogenic effects: vitellogenin (VTG) and estrogen receptor β (ERβ) mRNA. Furthermore, an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection system of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products for the analysis of sole ERβ mRNA expression was developed and validated. The proposed method allows large-scale analyses of different mRNAs in fast and not expensive way. Our results have demonstrated that the PCR-ELISA method developed shows high sensitivity, good reproducibility and also the potential for semi-quantitative analysis of hepatic ERβ mRNAs. Both plasma VTG level and ERβ mRNA expression were increased in tested animals following a short exposure to environmental relevant concentrations (10(-6)M) of 4NP, confirming the functional role of ERβ in the regulation of xenoestrogens-induced production of VTG. The methodology provided in the present study together with the preliminary results on the hepatic expression of ERβ may be useful in environmental xenoestrogens monitoring studies, using flatfish as "sentinel" species.
authors: Centro Universitario di Ricerca per lo Sviluppo e la Gestione delle Risorse dell'Ambiente Marino e Costiero (UNICRAM), Università degli Studi di Camerino, Lungomare A. Scipioni 6, I-63074 San Benedetto del Tronto, AP, Italy. francesco.palermo@unicam.it
authors: Francesco Alessandro
authors: FA
authors: Palermo
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Cocci
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Angeletti
authors: Alberta
authors: A
authors: Polzonetti-Magni
authors: Gilberto
authors: G
authors: Mosconi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000097:blood*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D010636:Phenols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014819:Vitellogenins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C041594:4-nonylphenol