PARENT SESSION

2L - Immunotoxicity - genotoxicity - ED
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Wednesday, 30 April 2003
Chair: Hansen, P.D.¹, ¹

(WEP/110) Does bis-Phenol A disrupt gonadal development and stress protein responses in Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda).

Köhler, Anna Maria Ilona¹, Jungmann, Dirk², Ladewig, Vanessa², Schirling, Martin¹, Köhler, Heinz-Rüdiger¹, Triebskorn, Rita^{1, 3}, ¹ Animal Physiological Ecology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany² Hydrobiology, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Saxony, Gernany³ Steinbeis-Transfer Center for Ecotoxicology and Ecophysiology Rottenburg, Rottenburg, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

ABSTRACT- One aim of the XehoGamm-(XenoHormones in Gammarids) project* was to identify possible effects of bis-Phenol A in Gammarus fossarum at different biological levels. As test organisms, we collected precopula-staged male and female gammarids at the Zschonerbach, a small and relatively unpolluted stream near Dresden, Eastern Germany. Precopula status assured that all females were in a comparable maturation status and that their sexual behaviour was normal at the beginning of the experiment. Animals were exposed to different concentrations of bis-Phenol A in artificial stream systems (ASS), indoor, at the Institute of Hydrobiology at Dresden University. The ASS consisted of 5 isolated streams with 15°C water temperature (except temperature control with 17°C to exclude temperature effects): (1) control 1, (2) control 2 (17°C), (3) 5g/L bis-Phenol A, (4) 50g/L bis-Phenol A, (5) 500g/L bis-Phenol A. In each of the ASS, three caging boxes with 25 precopula pairs were placed. In addition, each of the ASS contained an artificial gammarid population of different size classes which was exposed free in the stream. The bis-Phenol A concentrations were measured every week and if necessary adjusted to the nominal-test-concentrations. Samples for histological investigations of the gonads and stress protein analyses (hsp70 and hsp90) were taken monthly for 3 months. Histological samples were embedded in resin, cut (4m) and stained with methylene-blue azurII. For stress protein analyses we used a quantitative Western blot. Histological endpoints were (A) maturity stage of the females, (B) the size of oocytes and (C) percentage of atresia. For both methods, concentration-effect relationships were established and discussed with respect to the possible endocrine potential of bis-Phenol A in gammarids. *(XehoGamm was financed by the German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA), UFOPLAN-Ref. No. 29965221)

Key words: Gammarus, Histology, endocrine disruption, bis-Phenol A