Hepatic xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in two species of benthic fish showing different prevalences of contaminant-associated liver neoplasms

Journal Article · Wed Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0041-008X(92)90131-B· OSTI ID:5266830

Collier, T K; Singh, S V; Awasthi, Y C; Varanasi, U ^[1]

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1. Environmental Conservation Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington (United States)

English sole (Parophrys vetulus) and starry flounder (Platichthys stellatus) are closely related benthic fish which show substantial differences in prevalences of contaminant-associated hepatic neoplasms and putatively preneoplastic foci of cellular alteration when captured from estuaries containing a variety of organic chemical contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Because PAH are strongly implicated as causative agents in the etiology of these lesions, several of the hepatic enzymes involved in activation and detoxication of PAH were studied in these two species. Hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH), epoxide hydrolase (EH), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were measured in animals sampled from both contaminated and reference areas. English sole, the species showing higher prevalences of contaminant-associated hepatic lesions, had higher (1- to 2-fold) hepatic activities of AHH and lower activities of EH (0.8-fold) and GST (1.8-fold) than those of starry flounder, regardless of site of capture. These results are largely consistent with increased activation and decreased detoxication of PAH by English sole in comparison to starry flounder. Both laboratory and field data suggested that the observed species differences in enzyme activities were constitutive and not related to differential exposure to contaminants. There were also substantial differences between these species with respect to expression of GST isoenzymes, in that starry flounder expressed two highly anionic GST isoenzymes which did not correspond to any GST isoenzymes expressed in English sole liver; a previous study in an elasmobranch fish showed that an anionic GST was most active toward PAH oxides.

• OSTI ID: 5266830
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology; (United States), Journal Name: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology; (United States) Vol. 113:2; ISSN TXAPA; ISSN 0041-008X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BENTHOS
BILE
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARCINOGENESIS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CONTAMINATION
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
ESTUARIES
FISHES
GENETIC VARIABILITY
GLANDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROLASES
HYDROXYLASES
LIVER
MATERIALS
MICROSOMES
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PROTEINS
RIBOSOMES
SURFACE WATERS
TRANSFERASES
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION