PUBLICATION

Differential gene expression and biomarkers in zebrafish (Danio rerio) following exposure to produced water components

Authors
Holth, T.F., Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, R., Blaesbjerg, M., Grung, M., Holbech, H., Petersen, G.I., Aleström, P., and Hylland, K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-081031-6
Date
2008
Source
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)   90(4): 277-291 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Aleström, Peter, Holbech, Henrik, Nourizadeh-Lillabadi, Rasoul, Petersen, Gitte I.
Keywords
Produced water, PAH, Alkylphenol, Biomarker, Microarray, Danio rerio
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Bile/metabolism
  • Biomarkers/analysis
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects*
  • Larva/drug effects
  • Liver/drug effects*
  • Liver/metabolism
  • Male
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Petroleum/toxicity*
  • Phenols/toxicity
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/toxicity
  • Pyrenes/metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Survival Analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
PubMed
18963085 Full text @ Aquat. Toxicol.
Abstract
The main effluent from oil and gas production is produced water (PW), a waste that contains low to moderate concentrations of oil-derived substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylphenols (APs). PW components may be present in seawater at low concentrations over large areas in the vicinity of oil and gas production facilities. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to control and three treatments (high-, pulsed-, low-dose) of a synthetic PW mixture for 1, 7 and 13 weeks. The aim was to investigate the development of transcriptome and biomarker responses as well as relationships between early responses and population-relevant effects. The synthetic PW contained a mixture of low-molecular-weight PAHs (<5 ring) and short-chain APs (C1-C4). The water-borne exposure levels (sum PAH) ranged from 0.54ppb (low dose) to 5.4ppb (high dose). Bile pyrene metabolites ranged from 17-133ngg(-1) bile in the control group to 23-1081ngg(-1) bile in the high exposure group. Similar levels have been observed in wild fish, confirming an environmentally relevant exposure. The expression of mRNAs of hepatic genes was investigated in the high exposure group using the Zebrafish OligoLibrarytrade mark from Compugen. Functional clustering analysis revealed effects in the reproductive system, the nervous system, the respiratory system, the immune system, lipid metabolism, connective tissue and in a range of functional categories related to cell cycle and cancer. The majority of differentially expressed mRNAs of genes were down-regulated, suggesting reduction in gene transcription to be as relevant as up-regulation or induction when assessing biological responses to PW exposure. Biomarkers for effects of PAHs (cytochrome P450 1A) and environmental estrogens (vitellogenin) did not appear to be affected by the chronic exposure to low concentration of PW components. Effects at the population level included a reduction in condition factor in male fish from all exposed groups and spinal column deformations in the F1 generation of exposed groups. The different exposure regimes did not produce any significant differences in reproduction or recruitment. The results from this study demonstrate that environmentally relevant concentrations of PW affect gene expression and population-relevant endpoints in zebrafish, although links between the two were not obvious.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping