R3 AM Ecotoxicogenomics of Emerging Chemical Issues
Thursday, 17 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in Ballroom 3

(VAN-1117-848978) Fish & Chips-Toxicogenomic Applications to Emerging Chemicals of Concern.

van Aggelen, G¹, Osachoff, H¹, Bruno, J¹, Skirrow, R, ¹ Environment Canada-Pacific Environmental Science Centre, North Vancouver, B.C., Canada

ABSTRACT- Conventional aquatic toxicological endpoint measurements are not sensitive enough to measure the molecular level deleteriousness of the emerging group of toxicants collectively referred to as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The application of genomic and other omic endpoint measurements to long established aquatic bioassay methods may provide aquatic toxicologists with a new suite of predictive tools. Municipal waste water effluents (MWWE) are known to contain a myriad of pharmaceuticals and personal care products many positively linked to causing endocrine disruption in salient aquatic organisms. These molecular level effects to a large extent are not manifested in the standard toxicological testing methods. To determine potential molecular level deleteriousness of complex mixtures which contain EDCs and pharmaceuticals and personal care products my research team has developed a targeted salmonid gene array. Our cDNA rainbow trout array has over 200 gene transcripts. It is a designer or targeted gene array in that we chose the genes for specific toxicological response, reproduction, mechanistic action and functional response. Toxicogenomic testing involved underyearling rainbow trout (O. mykiss) exposed to whole effluent at receiving water concentrations of municipal waste water effluent (MWWE) and selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). At various time intervals fish were euthanized and liver samples taken for total RNA. Reverse transcription was used to process cDNA. cDNA was fluorescently labeled and hybridized onto our array. Discussion will include results of gene array expression of the trout from the MWWE and from exposure to PPCPs and the utility of using the toxicogenomics approach and associated endpoints for prediction of deleterious effects.

Key words: Gene array, EDCs, pharmaceuticals, Rainbow trout