Development of multi-generation assay for endocrine disrupting chemicals

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

In this study, we investigated to develop a multiple-generation toxicity assay for biological evaluation of chemicals. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was adopted for a model organism. Then we examined the sublethal toxicity, fecundity and reproduction for over five generations. As the results, C. elegans responds to vertebrate steroid hormones. Especially estradiol has a cholesterol-like potency in supporting the reproduction of C. elegans. In contrast testosterone and diethylstibestrol suppressed the fecundity rate of C. elegans. Some chemicals were evaluated by same method. In particular, bisphenol A was decreased the number of C. elegans significantly even at 1 nM. A comparison of the number of viable worms and eggs suggested that the phenols exert hatching toxicity.When we performed western-blotting analyses using specific antibodies for phosphorylated amino acids, we could detect some proteins which phosphorylation levels were changed in estradiol exposed C. elegans extracts.These results indicated that this toxicity assay had 100-1000-fold higher sensitivity than the LC50s and free living nematode C. elegans is becoming an effective model organism for testing chemical toxicity including reproductive disruption.