A synchronized amphibian metamorphosis assay as an improved tool to detect thyroid hormone disturbance by endocrine disruptors and apolar sediment extracts

Changes in thyroid histomorphology and thyroglobulin immunostaining upon exposure to thiourea in Triturus newts

Amphibians are useful bioindicators for monitoring aquatic health and the influence of xenobiotics such as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Because aquatic ecosystems experience the majority of global pollution, aquatic organisms are most exposed and vulnerable to endocrine disruptors. Furthermore, penetration of endocrine disruptors into aquatic organisms especially in amphibians is even easier because of more permeable skin, resulting in high bioavailability and bioaccumulation of chemicals. One of the most potent endocrine disruptors is thiourea, which chemically blocks the synthesis of thyroid hormones and prevents metamorphosis in amphibians. We investigated the influence of thiourea on histomorphology of the thyroid gland in Triturus newts at the metamorphic stage, when thyroid hormone concentrations should reach their maximum level. Chronic exposure to thiourea induced hypertrophy and hyperplasia of follicular cells as well as a significant reduction of interstitial tissue. The intensity of the thyroglobulin immunostaining signal significantly decreases upon chronic exposure to thiourea. Successful cross-reactivity of human primary antibody in immunochemical detection of thyroglobulin in Urodela confirms potential homology in thyroglobulin structure throughout the vertebrates.

Oxidative Stress Parameters in Goitrogen-Exposed Crested Newt Larvae (Triturus spp.): Arrested Metamorphosis

Thiourea is an established disruptor of thyroid hormone synthesis and is frequently used as an inhibitor of metamorphosis. The changes caused by thiourea can affect processes associated with the oxidative status of individuals (metabolic rate, the HPI axis, antioxidant system). We investigated the parameters of oxidative stress in crested newt (Triturus spp.) larvae during normal development in late larval stage 62 and newly metamorphosed individuals, and during thiourea-stimulated metamorphosis arrest in individuals exposed to low (0.05%) and high (0.1%) concentrations of thiourea. Both groups of crested newts exposed to thiourea retained their larval characteristics until the end of the experiment. The low activities of antioxidant enzymes and the high lipid peroxidation level pointed to increased oxidative stress in larvae at the beginning of stage 62 as compared to fully metamorphosed individuals. The activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and the concentration of sulfhydryl (SH) groups were significantly lower in larvae reared in aqueous solutions containing thiourea than in newly metamorphosed individuals. The high thiourea concentration (0.1%) affected the antioxidative parameters to the extent that oxidative damage could not be avoided, contrary to a lower concentration. Our results provide a first insight into the physiological adaptations of crested newts during normal development and simulated metamorphosis arrest.

Contaminant and Environmental Influences on Thyroid Hormone Action in Amphibian Metamorphosis

Aquatic and terrestrial environments are increasingly contaminated by anthropogenic sources that include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial and agricultural chemicals (i. e., pesticides). Many of these substances have the potential to disrupt endocrine function, yet their effect on thyroid hormone (TH) action has garnered relatively little attention. Anuran postembryonic metamorphosis is strictly dependent on TH and perturbation of this process can serve as a sensitive barometer for the detection and mechanistic elucidation of TH disrupting activities of chemical contaminants and their complex mixtures. The ecological threats posed by these contaminants are further exacerbated by changing environmental conditions such as temperature, photoperiod, pond drying, food restriction, and ultraviolet radiation. We review the current knowledge of several chemical and environmental factors that disrupt TH-dependent metamorphosis in amphibian tadpoles as assessed by morphological, thyroid histology, behavioral, and molecular endpoints. Although the molecular mechanisms for TH disruption have yet to be determined for many chemical and environmental factors, several affect TH synthesis, transport or metabolism with subsequent downstream effects. As molecular dysfunction typically precedes phenotypic or histological pathologies, sensitive assays that detect changes in transcript, protein, or metabolite abundance are indispensable for the timely detection of TH disruption. The emergence and application of 'omics techniques-genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and epigenomics-on metamorphosing tadpoles are powerful emerging assets for the rapid, proxy assessment of toxicant or environmental damage for all vertebrates including humans. Moreover, these highly informative 'omics techniques will complement morphological, behavioral, and histological assessments, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of how TH-dependent signal disruption is propagated by environmental contaminants and factors.

A multi-tiered, in vivo, quantitative assay suite for environmental disruptors of thyroid hormone signaling

The essential role of thyroid hormone (TH) signaling in mammalian development warrants the examination of man-made chemicals for its disruption. Among vertebrate species, the molecular components of TH signaling are highly conserved, including the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs), their heterodimer binding partners the retinoid-X receptors (RXRs), and their DNA recognition sequences (TREs). This molecular conservation allows examination of potential TH disruption in the tractable, in vivo model system of amphibian metamorphosis. Metamorphosis requires TH signaling for both instigation and progression, and it provides dramatic and well-characterized phenotypes involving different cell fates. Here we describe a quantitative, precocious-metamorphosis assay suite we developed using one-week post-fertilization (PF) Xenopus laevis tadpoles in order to assess disruption of TH signaling. Tadpoles at this developmental stage (Nieuwkoop-Faber (NF)-48) are competent to respond to TH hormone, although not yet producing TH, along many metamorphic pathways, and they are uniform in size. This allowed us to quantify changes in morphology associated with natural metamorphosis (e.g. gill and tail resorption, brain expansion, and craniofacial remodeling) after five days of treatment. Using the same tadpoles from morphological measurements, we quantified a 20-fold increase in TH-induced cellular proliferation in the rostral head region by whole-mount immunocytochemistry. At the molecular level, we used F3-generation tadpoles from a transgenic X. laevis line, which expresses luciferase under the control of a native TRE, to assess the ability of compounds to disrupt TR function. The luciferase reporter showed over 10-fold activation by physiologic concentrations of TH. We used the synthetic TR antagonist NH-3 to demonstrate the feasibility of our assay suite to measure inhibition of TH activity at the level of the receptor. Finally, we assessed the capabilities of suspected TH-disrupting chemicals tetrabrominated diphenyl ether 47 (BDE-47) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). We found that BDE-47 displays general toxicity rather than TH disruption, as it did not increase brain width nor affect the TRE-luciferase reporter. However, TBBPA, a suspected TR antagonist, although not effective in antagonizing cell proliferation, significantly inhibited the TRE-luciferase reporter, suggesting that it bears closer scrutiny as a TH disruptor. Overall the assay suite has important advantages over the classical tadpole metamorphosis assays with respect to the uniformity of animal size, small test volume, reproducibility, and short test period. The assays are performed before endogenous TH production and free feeding start, which further reduces complexity and variability.

miR-21 is involved in skeletal deficiencies of zebrafish embryos exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure increases the incidence and severity of skeletal diseases, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relationship. We exposed zebrafish embryos to PCB₁₂₅₄ and assessed the changes in bone morphology protein receptor II (BMPRII), which is involved in bone formation and embryonic development, miRNA-21, for which BMPRII is a known target, and calcium metabolism. PCB₁₂₅₄ upregulated the expression of miR-21 and suppressed BMPRII expression. The inhibition of miR-21 reversed the downregulation of BMPRII and alleviated the PCB₁₂₅₄-induced loss of calcium. These findings suggest new biomarkers of developmental defects of the skeleton caused by PCBs.

Evaluation and characterization of thyroid-disrupting activities in soil samples along the Second Songhua River, China

In this study, a recombinant thyroid receptor (TR) gene yeast assay combined with Monte Carlo simulation were used to evaluate and characterize soil samples collected from Jilin (China) along the Second Songhua River, for their ant/agonist effect on TR. No TR agonistic activity was found in soils, but many soil samples exhibited TR antagonistic activities, and the bioassay-derived amiodarone hydrochloride equivalents, which was calculated based on Monte Carlo simulation, ranged from not detected (N.D.) to 35.5μg/g. Hydrophilic substance fractions were determined to be the contributors to TR antagonistic activity in these soil samples. Our results indicate that the novel calculation method is effective for the quantification and characterization of TR antagonists in soil samples, and these data could provide useful information for future management and remediation efforts for contaminated soils.

In vitro toxicity assessment of sediment samples from Huangpu River and Suzhou River, Shanghai, China

Sediments are the ultimate sink for many toxic organic contaminants released into aquatic environment. The present study evaluated the toxicity effect of 13 surface sediment samples from Huangpu River and Suzhou River, East China using two-hybrid yeast bioassays for estrogenic and thyroidal effects and H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay for ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity. Toxicity was expressed as 17β-estradiol equivalent (E2-EQ), 3,3',5-triiodothyronine equivalent (T3-EQ), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) equivalent (TEQ). At the same time, the causality between the observed EROD activity and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was examined. The results showed that the total estrogenic effects in sediments ranged from 0.06 to 1.21 μg E2-EQ kg(-1) dry weight (dw), the thyroidal effects ranged from 4.68 to 69.9 μg T3-EQ kg(-1) dw, and significantly positive correlations were found between lgT3-EQs and lgE2-EQs. The AhR agonist effects varied from 26.5 to 148.3 ng TEQ kg(-1) dw. Chemical analysis-derived TEQs contributed by PAHs ranged from 13.8 to 66.0 ng kg(-1) dw accounting for 27.2-109.9 % with mean of 48.9 % of TEQbio, indicating that PAHs made important contributions to the EROD effects of sediment extracts from the two rivers. The present study would provide meaningful information for further analysis and risk evaluation for organic pollutants in Huangpu River and Suzhou River.

The toxicity of sediments from Taihu Lake evaluated by several in vitro bioassays

In vitro bioassays are useful techniques for the determination of biological effects in sediment samples containing complex mixtures of contaminants. In this study, 28 surface sediment samples from Taihu Lake, East China, were collected for toxicity assessment using a battery of in vitro bioassays. The battery included a two-hybrid yeast bioassay for estrogenic and thyroidal effects, the H4IIE rat hepatoma cell bioassay for aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor (Ah-agonists)-mediated effects as measured by ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and the SOS/umu bioassay for genotoxic effects. Toxicities were expressed as 17β-estradiol equivalents (EEQs), T3 (3,5,3'-triiodothyronine) equivalents (T3-EQs), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQs), and induction ratios (IRs) of β-galactosidase activity. The results showed that total estrogenic effects in sediment samples ranged from 0.0011 to 12.4 pg EEQ/g sediment [dry weight (d.w.)], the thyroidal effects ranged from 0.35 to 24.8 pg T3-EQ/g sediment (d.w.), the Ah-agonist effects varied from 2.70 to 37.8 pg TEQ/g sediment (d.w.), and the weight of soil required for the extracts to lead to a positive result (IR 2.0) in the SOS/umu bioassay was between 1.98 and 15.3 mg (d.w.) per well. Significantly positive correlations were only found between lgT3-EQs and lgEEQs, which indicated similar spatial distributions of estrogenic and thyroidal effects in Taihu Lake. These results suggested that the applied battery of in vitro bioassays represented an efficient (fast and cost-effective) screening system for the identification of emerging contaminants in Taihu Lake and provided meaningful information for further analysis and risk evaluation.

Molecular characterization and developmental expression patterns of thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) and their responsiveness to TR agonist and antagonist in Rana nigromaculata

Considering some advantages of Rana nigromaculata as an experimental species, we propose that this species, like Xenopus laevis, could be used to assay thyroid hormone (TH) signaling disrupting actions. To validate the utilizability of R. nigromaculata, we investigated the responsiveness of R. nigromaculata to a TH receptor (TR) agonist (T3) and antagonist (amiodarone) by analyzing expression, based on characterizing TR cDNA and developmental expression patterns. With high levels of identity with the corresponding genes in X. laevis, both TRα and TRβ in R. nigromaculata exhibited roughly similar developmental expression patterns to those of X. laevis, in spite of some species-specific differences. Both TRα and TRβ expression had greater changes in the liver and intestine than in the tail and brain during metamorphosis. T3 exposure for 2days induced more dramatic increases of TRβ expression in stage 27 than in stage 34 tadpoles but not in stage 42 tadpoles, showing that the responsiveness of R. nigromaculata to TH decreased with development and disappeared at the onset of metamorphic climax. Corresponding to greater changes of TRβ expression in the liver and intestine than in the tail and brain during metamorphosis, the liver and intestine had higher responsiveness to exogenous T3 than the tail and brain. Amiodarone inhibited T3-induced TRβ expression. Our results show that R. nigromaculata can be used as a model species for assaying TH signaling disrupting actions by analyzing TRβ expression, and intestine tissues at stage 27 are ideal test materials due to high responsiveness and easy accessibility.

Thyroid hormone disrupting activities of sediment from the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing, China

In the present study, yeast bioassays were used to evaluate and characterize the thyroid receptor (TR) disrupting activities of the organic extracts and elutriates of the sediments from the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing, China. An accelerated solvent extraction was used to separate the organic extracts, which were subjected to a yeast bioassay. The organic extracts could affect thyroid hormone signaling by decreasing the binding of the thyroid hormone. The TR antagonistic activity equivalents (TEQbio) referring to amiodarone hydrochloride were calculated and the observed TEQbio-organic extracts ranged from 25.4 ± 3.7 to 176.9 ± 18.0 μg/g. Elutriate toxicity tests using the modified yeast bioassay revealed that the elutriates also significantly antagonized the TR, with the TEQbio-elutriates ranging from N.D. to 7.8 ± 0.8 μg/L. To characterize the toxic compounds, elutriates were extracted by using a C18 cartridge or treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, 30 mg/L). The results suggested that the addition of EDTA eliminated over 74.3% of the total effects, and the chemical analysis revealed that heavy metals, some of which exhibited TR disrupting potency, for example Zn and Cd, were detectable with higher concentrations in the elutriates. Thus, the cause(s) of toxicity in the elutriate appear to be partly related to the heavy metals.

Chronic effects of environmentally-relevant concentrations of lead in Pelophylax nigromaculata tadpoles: Threshold dose and adverse effects

Lead (Pb) is a common heavy metal in the natural environment, but its concentration has been increasing alongside widespread industrial and agricultural development in China. The dark-spotted frog Pelophylax (formerly Rana) nigromaculata (Anura: Ranidae) is distributed across East Asia and inhabits anthropogenic habitats such as farmland. Here, P. nigromaculata tadpoles (Gosner stage 19-46) were exposed to Pb at different concentrations (0, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640 and 1280µg/L) and Pb-induced survival, metamorphosis time, development, malformations, mobility and gonad structure were monitored. The results showed that above the threshold concentration of Pb, adverse effects were obvious. As the concentration of Pb increased, the adverse effects on different traits followed different patterns: the effects on hindlimb length, survival rate, metamorphosis rate, total malformation rate, swimming speed and jumping speed largely exhibited a linear pattern; the effects on snout-vent length, body mass and forelimb length largely exhibited a bimodal pattern. Sex ratio and gonadal histology were not affected by Pb, suggesting that Pb is not strongly estrogenic in P. nigromaculata.

Teratogenic effects of organic extracts from the Pearl River sediments on Xenopus laevis embryos

Toxicity of organic extracts from the Pearl River sediments was investigated with Xenopus laevis embryos. The effects of sediment organic extracts on the mortality, body length and malformation of X. laevis embryos were tested by the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus (FETAX). The 96-h LC₅₀ values for X. laevis embryos ranged from 62 to 137 g/L (g extracted sediment per L), and the toxicity effect on body length of larvae was not significant under 20 g/L. However, the teratogenic effects produced by sediment organic extracts were diverse, including edema, hypopigmentation, cardiac and ocular malformations, abdomen recurved and curved spine. The percentage of malformations increased with increasing sediment organic extracts, and even reached almost 100% at 10 and 20 g/L in Guangzhou district. A gradient of pollution in the Pearl River sediments was discerned from the teratogenic toxicity. Guangzhou district showed higher teratogenic toxicity compared with Panyu and Nansha districts as a possible consequence of high levels of PAHs, PCBs, OCPs and NP in the sediments. The teratogenic effects of organic extracts from the Pearl River sediments were successfully assessed which indicated the feasibility of teratogenic potential studies of sediments using X. laevis embryos.

Metabolic activation of nonpolar sediment extracts results in enhanced thyroid hormone disrupting potency

Traditional sediment risk assessment predominantly considers the hazard derived from legacy contaminants that are present in nonpolar sediment extracts, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans (PCDD/Fs), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although in vivo experiments with these compounds have shown to be thyroid hormone disrupting (THD), in vitro their THD potency is not observed in nonpolar sediment extracts. This is hypothesized to be due to the absence of in vitro biotransformation which will result in bioactivation of the lipophilic compounds into THD hydroxyl metabolites. This study reveals that indeed metabolically activated nonpolar contaminants in sediments can competitively bind to thyroid hormone transport proteins. Sediment fractions were incubated with S9 rat microsomes, and the metabolites were extracted with a newly developed method that excludes most of the lipids to avoid interference in the applied nonradioactive 96-well plate TTR competitive binding assay. Metabolic activation increased the TTR binding potency of nonpolar fractions of POP-polluted sediments up to 100 times, resulting in potencies up to 240 nmol T4 equivalents/g sediment equivalent (nmol T4-Eq/g SEQ). This demonstrates that a more realistic in vitro sediment THD risk characterization should also include testing of both polar and medium polar sediment extracts for THD, as well as bioactivated nonpolar sediment fractions to prevent underestimation of its toxic potency.

Making leaps in amphibian ecotoxicology: translating individual-level effects of contaminants to population viability

Concern that environmental contaminants contribute to global amphibian population declines has prompted extensive experimental investigation, but individual-level experimental results have seldom been translated to population-level processes. We used our research on the effects of mercury (Hg) on American toads (Bufo americanus) as a model for bridging the gap between individual-level contaminant effects and amphibian population viability. We synthesized the results of previous field and laboratory studies examining effects of Hg throughout the life cycle of B. americanus and constructed a comprehensive demographic population model to evaluate the consequences of Hg exposure on population dynamics. Our model explicitly considered density-dependent larval survival, which is known to be an important driver of amphibian population dynamics, and incorporated two important factors that have seldom been considered in previous amphibian modeling studies: environmental stochasticity and sublethal effects. We demonstrated that decreases in embryonic survival and sublethal effects (e.g., reduced body size) that delay maturation have minor effects on population dynamics, whereas contaminant effects that reduce late-larval or post-metamorphic survival have important population-level consequences. We found that excessive Hg exposure through maternal transfer or larval diet, alone, had minor effects on B. americanus populations. Simultaneous maternal and dietary exposure resulted in reduced population size and a dramatic increase in extinction probability, but explicit prediction of population-level effects was dependent on the strength of larval density dependence. Our results suggest that environmental contaminants can influence amphibian population viability, but that highly integrative approaches are needed to translate individual-level effects to populations.

The hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis in teleosts and amphibians: endocrine disruption and its consequences to natural populations

Teleosts and pond-breeding amphibians may be exposed to a wide variety of anthropogenic, waterborne contaminants that affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. Because thyroid hormone is required for their normal development and reproduction, the potential impact of HPT-disrupting contaminants on natural teleost and amphibian populations raises special concern. There is laboratory evidence indicating that persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, pharmaceutical and personal care products, agricultural chemicals, and aerospace products may alter HPT activity, development, and reproduction in teleosts and amphibians. However, at present there is no evidence to clearly link contaminant-induced HPT alterations to impairments in teleost or amphibian population health in the field. Also, with the exception of perchlorate for which laboratory studies have shown a direct link between HPT disruption and adverse impacts on development and reproductive physiology, little is known about if or how other HPT-disrupting contaminants affect organismal performance. Future field studies should focus on establishing temporal associations between the presence of HPT-disrupting chemicals, the occurrence of HPT alterations, and adverse effects on development and reproduction in natural populations; as well as determining how complex mixtures of HPT contaminants affect organismal and population health.

Application of bioassays in toxicological hazard, risk and impact assessments of dredged sediments

Given the potential environmental consequences of dumped dredged harbour sediments it is vital to establish the potential risks from exposure before disposal at sea. Currently, European legislation for disposal of contaminated sediments at sea is based on chemical analysis of a limited number of well-known contaminants for which maximum acceptable concentrations, action levels (ALs), have been set. The present paper addresses the issue of the applicability of in vitro and in vivo bioassays for hazard, risk and local impact assessment of dredged polluted sediments to be disposed of at sea. It discusses how and to what extent selected bioassays can fill in the gaps left open by chemical analysis and the way in which the bioassays may contribute to the present licensing system for disposal. Three different purposes for application were distinguished: the most basic application (A) is a rapid determination of the hazard (potential toxicity) of dredged sediments which is then compared to ALs in a licensing system. As with chemical analysis on whole sediment extracts, the bioavailability of the chemicals is not taken into account. As in vitro assays with sediment extracts are not sensitive to matrix effects, a selection of specific in vitro bioassays can be suitable fast and standardized additions for the licensing system. When the outcome of (A) does not convincingly demonstrate whether the sediment is clean enough or too polluted, further bioanalysis can help the decision making process (B). More aspects of the mostly unknown complex chemical mixtures are taken into account, including the bioavailability and chronic toxicity focusing on ecologically relevant endpoints. The ecotoxicological pressure imposed by the dredged sediments can be quantified as the potentially affected fraction (PAF) based on chemical or biological analysis of levels of contaminants in sediment or biota. To validate the predicted risk, the actual impact of dumped harbour sediments on local ecosystems (C) can be determined using a dedicated set of in vitro and in vivo bioassays as well as bio-indicators selected based on the information obtained from (A) and (B) and on the characteristics of the local ecosystem. Conversely, the local sediment impact assessment (C) can direct fine-tuning of the selection of chemical and bioassay analyses and for setting safe levels in the licensing system. It is concluded that in vitro and in vivo bioassays and biological indicators are useful tools in the process of hazard, ecotoxicological risk and impact assessment of dredged harbour sediments, provided they are consciously chosen and quality criteria for assay performance are defined.

Amphibians and agricultural chemicals: review of the risks in a complex environment

Agricultural landscapes, although often highly altered in nature, provide habitat for many species of amphibian. However, the persistence and health of amphibian populations are likely to be compromised by the escalating use of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals. This review examines some of the issues relating to exposure of amphibian populations to these chemicals and places emphasis on mechanisms of toxicity. Several mechanisms are highlighted, including those that may disrupt thyroid activity, retinoid pathways, and sexual differentiation. Special emphasis is also placed on the various interactions that may occur between different agro-chemicals and between chemicals and other environmental factors. We also examine the indirect effects on amphibian populations that occur when their surrounding pond communities are altered by chemicals.

In vitro assessment of thyroid and estrogenic endocrine disruptors in wastewater treatment plants, rivers and drinking water supplies in the greater Paris area (France)

The presence of estrogenomimetic compounds in the environment, and particularly in water resources, is well known. In contrast, little data is available about the disruption of the thyroid system, even though thyroid hormones are strongly involved in regulating metabolism, growth and development. The aim of this study was to carry out a parallel evaluation of the disruptions of thyroid and estrogenic hormone receptor transcriptional activities, induced by water samples from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in the river Seine, and from four drinking treatment plants located in the Paris area. Two in vitro bioassays were used for the evaluation of thyroid (PC-DR-LUC) and estrogenic (MELN) disruption. Our observations of thyroidal activity show that a disruption potential was only present in the WWTPs influents, whereas estrogenicity was systematically detected in both influents and effluents. The great majority of endocrine activity was removed during the biological process. In the river Seine, only estrogenicity was detected, and no activity was observed in drinking water supplies. Fractionation of the influents revealed that most of the thyroidal effect was associated with compounds with low polarity, and could be partly attributable to 4-nonylphenol.

Prolonged ELS test with the marine flatfish sole (Solea solea) shows delayed toxic effects of previous exposure to PCB 126

The effect of the dioxin-like PCB 126 (3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl) on the early development of the marine flatfish sole (Solea solea) was tested in a newly developed early life stage (ELS) test that includes the metamorphosis of the symmetric larvae into an asymmetrical flatfish. Early life stages of sole were exposed to a concentration series of PCB 126 in seawater until 4, 8, 10 and 15 days post fertilisation (dpf). Subsequently the development of the larvae was registered under further unexposed conditions. The LC50s at the start of the free-feeding stage (12 dpf) ranged between 39 and 83 ng PCB 126/l depending on exposure duration. After the fish had completed the metamorphosis, the LC50 values ranged between 1.7 and 3.7 ng PCB 126/l for the groups exposed for 4, 8 and 10 dpf, respectively. Thus exposure for only 4 days, covering only the egg stage, was sufficient to cause adverse effects during a critical developmental phase two weeks later. The internal dosages of these larvae, determined by means of an in vitro gene reporter assay as dioxin-equivalent values (TEQ), revealed a LD50 of 1ng TEQ/g lipid, which is within the same order of magnitude as TEQ levels found in fish from highly polluted areas. This study indicates that ELS fish tests that are terminated shortly after the fish becomes free-feeding, underestimate the toxic potential of compounds with low acute toxicity such as PCBs. Our prolonged ELS with this native marine flatfish suggests that reproductive success of fish populations at contaminated sites can be affected by persistent compounds that are accumulated by the female fish and passed on to the eggs.