Correlation of gene expression and contaminant concentrations in wild largescale suckers: a field-based study.
Toxic compounds such as organochlorine pesticides (OCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) have been detected in fish, birds, and aquatic mammals that live in the Columbia River or use food resources from within the river. We developed a custom microarray for largescale suckers (Catostomus macrocheilus) and used it to investigate the molecular effects of contaminant exposure on wild fish in the Columbia River. Using Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM) we identified 72 probes representing 69 unique genes with expression patterns that correlated with hepatic tissue levels of OCs, PCBs, or PBDEs. These genes were involved in many biological processes previously shown to respond to contaminant exposure, including drug and lipid metabolism, apoptosis, cellular transport, oxidative stress, and cellular chaperone function. The relation between gene expression and contaminant concentration suggests that these genes may respond to environmental contaminant exposure and are promising candidates for further field and laboratory studies to develop biomarkers for monitoring exposure of wild fish to contaminant mixtures found in the Columbia River Basin. The array developed in this study could also be a useful tool for studies involving endangered sucker species and other sucker species used in contaminant research.
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, 5501 Cook-Underwood Road, Cook, WA 98605, USA. Electronic address: hchristiansen@usgs.gov.
Helena E
HE
Christiansen
University of Florida, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, 2187 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Electronic address: alvinam@sccwrp.org.
Alvine C
AC
Mehinto
Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, 2033 Mowry Road, P.O. Box 103622, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address: fyu@ufl.edu.
Fahong
F
Yu
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, 5501 Cook-Underwood Road, Cook, WA 98605, USA. Electronic address: rperry@usgs.gov.
Russell W
RW
Perry
University of Florida, Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, 2187 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Electronic address: ndenslow@ufl.edu.
Nancy D
ND
Denslow
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, 5501 Cook-Underwood Road, Cook, WA 98605, USA. Electronic address: amaule@usgs.gov.
Alec G
AG
Maule
U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Columbia River Research Laboratory, 5501 Cook-Underwood Road, Cook, WA 98605, USA. Electronic address: mmesa@usgs.gov.
Matthew G
MG
Mesa
D000818:Animals; D003531:Cypriniformes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
D005411:Flame Retardants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Columbia River; Contaminants; Largescale sucker; Microarray; Polybrominated biphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls