Detection of exposure effects of mixtures of heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in zebrafish embryos.
In this study we evaluated the exposure effects of mixtures of five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); namely, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and chrysene on zebrafish embryos. Supplementation of the exposure media with 0.45% dimethyl sulfoxide and 50 ppm of Tween 20 could guarantee the solubilization and stabilization of the PAHs up to 24 h without affecting the embryos development. The exposure effects were tested by detecting the differential expression of a number of genes related to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor gene battery. Effects were detectable already after 6 h of exposure. After 24 h of exposure, all PAHs, except for benzo[a]anthracene, acted as potent inducers of the gene cyp1a1. Benzo[k]fluoranthene was the major inducer; the effect caused by the mixture at the lower concentration tested (1 ng ml-1) was dominated by its presence. However, in the mixture at the highest concentration tested (10 ng ml-1) it caused less induction and was not dominant. No significant bioaccumulation values were detected on embryos exposed to the PAHs tested in this study; however, the results obtained, indicated that PAHs undergo a very rapid metabolization inside the embryos, and that those biotransformation products yield changes on the expression of genes involved in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway. Future work should focus on identification of the PAH metabolization products and on the effect of these metabolites on toxicity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Food Research Division, AZTI, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Astondo Bidea 609, 48160, Derio, Spain.
Alejandro
A
Barranco
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Laura
L
Escudero
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Jon
J
Sanz Landaluze
Food Research Division, AZTI, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Astondo Bidea 609, 48160, Derio, Spain.
Sandra
S
Rainieri
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
PAHs; bioaccumulation; embryos; gene expression; mixtures; toxicity; zebrafish