Expression patterns of metallothionein, cytochrome P450 1A and vitellogenin genes in western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) in response to heavy metals

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2014 Jul:105:97-102. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.04.012. Epub 2014 May 7.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three metals (Zn, Cd and Pb) on hepatic metallothionein (MT), cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) and vitellogenin (Vtg) mRNA expression in the liver of adult female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) after 1, 3 or 8d. Both concentration-response and time-course effects of hepatic MT, CYP1A and Vtg at the transcription level were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results from this study showed that Zn, Cd and Pb could significantly induced MT, CYP1A and Vtg mRNA expression levels in mosquitofish. In general, this study demonstrated that heavy metals modulate MT, CYP1A and Vtg mRNA expression levels in a metal-, concentration- or time-dependent manner.

Keywords: Cytochrome P450 1A; Heavy metals; Metallothionein; Mosquitofish; Vitellogenin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cyprinodontiformes / genetics*
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Male
  • Metallothionein / genetics
  • Metals, Heavy / toxicity*
  • Vitellogenins / genetics
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / toxicity*

Substances

  • Metals, Heavy
  • Vitellogenins
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Metallothionein