Dose-related carcinogenic effects of water-borne benzo(a)pyrene on livers of two small fish species

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-6513(88)90052-8· OSTI ID:6071561

Hawkins, W E; Walker, W W; Overstreet, R M; Lytle, T F; Lytle, J S

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) administered by water-borne exposures caused dose-related carcinogenic effects in livers of two small fish species, the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) and the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Medaka and guppies each were given two 6-h exposures. The first exposure was conducted on 6- to 10-day-old specimens. The second exposure was given 7 days later. The tests incorporated five treatment groups: (1) control, (2) carrier (dimethylformamide) control, (3) low BaP dose (not detectable--4 ppb), (4) intermediate BaP dose (about 8-47 ppb BaP), and (5) high BaP dose (200-270 ppb). Following the high-dose exposure, hepatocellular lesions classified as foci of cellular alteration (altered foci), adenomas, and hepatocellular carcinomas occurred in both species. In medaka, the lesions appeared to develop sequentially with the appearance of altered foci followed by adenomas and then hepatocellular carcinomas. Most lesions in guppies, however, were classified as altered foci although a few adenomas occurred in the early (24-week) sample and hepatocellular carcinomas occurred in the late (52-week) sample. When total lesions were combined, medaka had an 11% incidence at 24 weeks after the initial exposure and 36% incidence at 36 weeks. In guppies, 8% had liver lesions at 24 weeks, 19% at 36 weeks, and 20% at 52 weeks. A single extrahepatic neoplasm, a capillary hemangioma in a gill filament, occurred in a medaka from the 36-week high-dose sample. The results suggest that the medaka and guppy are capable of metabolizing water-borne BaP to carcinogenic metabolites which initiate hepatic tumor development.

• Research Organization: Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, MS (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6071561
• Journal Information: Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States), Journal Name: Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.; (United States) Vol. 16:3; ISSN EESAD
• 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.
ADENOMAS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
BENZOPYRENE
BODY
CARCINOGENS
CARCINOMAS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FISHES
GLANDS
HYDROCARBONS
LIVER
METABOLITES
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
POLLUTION
SENSITIVITY
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION