Arrays to Measure Endocrine Disruption in Fish

描述（由申请人提供）：环境中的内分泌干扰化合物（EDCs）可导致动物和人类的各种生理问题。 因此，测量和分析环境中的内分泌干扰物是非常重要的环境保护局（EPA）在其超级基金监测活动。 研究人员已经开发出一种原型宏阵列，它对羊头小鱼的效果非常好，可以预测实验室暴露鱼类的雌激素结果。 他们试图应用这项技术来生产大嘴鲈鱼的宏阵列膜（或芯片），其中包含许多主要激素受体的cDNA，许多下游调节基因和毒理学重要性的其他基因。 基因阵列是鉴定动物分子变化的有力工具。 内分泌干扰化合物通过受体介导和非受体介导的途径在基因水平上起作用以诱导或抑制基因表达。 根据初步数据，研究人员希望能够确定与混合物中存在的特定类型污染物相关的基因表达模式。 他们寻求资金来准备阵列，在实验室暴露的条件下测试它们，并在超级基金现场测试它们。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the environment can cause a variety of physiological problems in animals and humans. Thus, measurement and analysis of EDCs in the environment is very important to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Superfund monitoring activities. The investigators have developed a prototype macroarray that works exceptionally well with sheepshead minnow to predict estrogenic outcomes in laboratory-exposed fish. They seek to apply this technology to produce a macroarray membrane (or chip) for largemouth bass that would contain cDNAs for many of the major hormone receptors, many of their downstream-regulated genes and additional genes of toxicological importance. Gene arrays are powerful tools for identifying molecular changes in animals. Endocrine disrupting compounds act at the gene level to induce or repress gene expression through both receptor-mediated and non-receptor- mediated pathways. Based on preliminary data, the investigators expect to be able to identify gene expression patterns related to specific types of contaminants present in mixtures. They seek funding to prepare the arrays, test them under laboratory-exposed conditions and to test them at Superfund sites.