title: An "ex vivo" model to evaluate toxicological responses to mixtures of contaminants in cetaceans: integumentum biopsy slices.
abstract: The need for powerful new tools to detect the effects of chemical pollution, in particular of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on Mediterranean cetaceans led us to develop and apply a suite of sensitive biomarkers for integument biopsies of stranded and free-ranging animals. This multi-response ex vivo method has the aim to detect toxicological effects of contaminant mixtures. In the present study, we applied an ex vivo assay using skin biopsy and liver slices, combining molecular biomarkers [Western blot of Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and Cytochrome P450 2B (CYP2B)] and gene expression biomarkers (Quantitative real-time PCR of CYP1A1, heat shock protein 70, estrogen receptor alpha and E2F transcription factor) in response to chemical exposure [organochlorines compounds (OCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and PAHs] for stranded Mediterranean Stenella coeruleoalba. The main goal of this experiment was to identify the biomarker and/or a suite of biomarkers that could best detect the presence of a specific class of pollutants (OCs, PBDEs, and PAHs) or a mixture of them. This multi-response biomarker methodology revealed an high sensitivity and selectivity of responses (such as CYP1A and ER α mRNA variations after OCs and PAHs exposure) and could represent a valid future approach for the study of inter- and intra-species sensitivities to various classes of environmental contaminants.
authors: Department of Earth, Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Fossi
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Casini
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Maltese
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Panti
authors: Giacomo
authors: G
authors: Spinsanti
authors: Letizia
authors: L
authors: Marsili
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000633:toxicity*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D050706:Stenella / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001189:Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases
keywords: Mediterranean cetaceans; Stenella coeruleoalba; biological response; lipophilic contaminant; skin organotypic cultures; treatments