Evaluation of heavy-metal ion toxicity in fish cells using a combined stress protein and cytotoxicity assay

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620130804· OSTI ID:7199008

Ryan, J A; Hightower, L E ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

All organisms, from bacteria and yeast to humans, respond to physical and chemical stressors by increasing the synthesis of a small group of cellular stress proteins.'' The authors have developed a simple in vitro system for quickly screening environmentally relevant stressors to detect stress-induced proteins that are good candidates for biomarkers. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to detect stressor-induced, concentration-dependent changes in cellular stress protein levels in two fish cell culture systems, whereas simultaneous in vitro neutral red uptake cytotoxicity assays measured the stressors effect on cellular physiology. There was a direct concentration-dependent relationship between sublethal cytotoxic effects and the increases in stress protein levels. Increases of 50 to 200% were detected in stress proteins from desert topminnow, Poeciliopsis lucida, hepatoma-derived cell cultures exposed to cadmium or copper. Three proteins showed similar increases in winter flounder, Pleuronectes americanus, kidney cell cultures exposed to the same stressors. Increases in the evolutionarily conserved heat-shock protein hsp70 were detected in each experiment; its level increased with increasing stressor concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 7199008
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 13:8; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CADMIUM
TOXICITY
COPPER
FISHES
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
PROTEINS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology