PUBLICATION

Evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and teratogenicity of marine sediments from Qingdao coastal areas using in vitro fish cell assay, comet assay and zebrafish embryo test

Authors
Yang, F., Zhang, Q., Guo, H., and Zhang, S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-100730-7
Date
2010
Source
Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA   24(7): 2003-2011 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Yang, Fan
Keywords
Flounder cell, Toxicity, Comet assay, Marine sediment, PAH
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • China
  • Comet Assay
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
  • Environmental Pollutants/toxicity
  • Geologic Sediments/chemistry*
  • Mutagenicity Tests
  • Mutagens/isolation & purification
  • Mutagens/toxicity*
  • Seawater
  • Teratogens/isolation & purification
  • Teratogens/toxicity*
  • Toxicity Tests/methods*
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
20656009 Full text @ Toxicol. In Vitro
Abstract
Marine sediments are often a final sink for numerous anthropogenic contaminants and may impose serious effects on benthic organisms and ecosystem. An in vitro cell assay using a cell line derived from flounder gill (FG) cells, an in vitro comet assay in FG cells, and an in vitro zebrafish embryo assay were used to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity (measured by MTT reduction), genotoxicity and teratogenicity of crude sediment extracts of Li Cang (LC), Zhan Qiao (ZQ) and Olympic Sailing Center (OSC) from Qingdao coastal area. Sediments from the three sites displayed different cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and teratogenicity potencies; however, all three assays yielded similar LOECs (lowest observed effect concentration) for each site, suggesting that the assays were equally sensitive to and suitable for initial screening of the LOECs of marine sediments. The cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and teratogenicity for these three sampling sites were in the same order of LC > ZQ > OSC, indicating different degrees of contamination. Interestingly, trials with the three sediment extracts at the doses inducing a similar cytotoxicity as evaluated with MTT reduction did not produce similar genotoxicity and teratogenicity, with the genotoxic and teratogenic activities of LC and ZQ extracts being markedly higher than those of OSC sediments. These findings indicate that cytotoxicity does not form a fully equivalent toxicity index with that of genotoxicity and teratogenicity. Therefore, in order to assess the true toxic potential of marine sediments, all three assays should be performed. Analysis of 16 EPA (U.S Environmental Protection Agency) priority PAHs in these three sediment samples showed a clear correlation between PAH concentrations and sediment toxicities, with a higher PAH content corresponding to higher toxicity although PAHs are surely not the only cause.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping