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Transcriptional responses of cancer-related genes in turbot Scophthalmus maximus and mussels Mytilus edulis exposed to heavy fuel oil no. 6 and styrene

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Abstract

Recent spills in European waters have released polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, important components of heavy fuel oil, and the hydrocarbon styrene. Heavy fuel oil and styrene are classified as potentially genotoxic and carcinogenic. Here we investigate transcription of genes involved in cancer development in the liver of juvenile turbots and in the digestive gland of mussels exposed to heavy fuel oil and to styrene and after a recovery period. In turbot, oil produced a significant up-regulation of p53 and gadd45α after 14 days exposure. cyclin G1 was up-regulated after 7 days treatment with styrene. In mussels, ras was down-regulated in both treatments after the recovery periods. No mutations in ras hotspots were detected in exposed mussels. gadd45α was up-regulated after the recovery period of the styrene experiment. Overall, transcriptional responses differed in mussels compared to turbot. Turbot responded to hydrocarbon exposure by triggering cell cycle arrest (p53) and DNA repair (gadd45α).

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Abbreviations

AHR:

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor

CG1:

Cyclin G1

CH:

Cyclin H

CYP1A1:

Cytochrome P4501A1

Dnaj4:

Heat shock protein Dnaj4

EF1-α:

Elongation factor 1 alpha

GADD45α:

Growth arrest- and DNA damage inducible 45 alpha

NCBI:

National center for biotechnology information

PAH:

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

PCNA:

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RQ:

Relative quantification

WAF:

Water accommodated fraction

WSF:

Water soluble fraction

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the European Commission (Directorate-General Environment) through the PRAGMA project “A pragmatic and integrated approach for the evaluation of environmental impact of oil and chemicals spilled at sea: Input to European guidelines” (grant No 07.030900/2005/429172/SUB/A5), the Spanish MEC (project CANCERMAR, CTM2006-06192 and a predoctoral fellowship to P. Ruiz) and the Basque Government through the strategic action ETORTEK-IMPRES and a grant to consolidated research groups (GIC07/26-IT-393-07).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena z/g, E-48940, Leioa, Basque Country, Spain

    Pamela Ruiz, Amaia Orbea & Miren P. Cajaraville

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK

    Jeanette M. Rotchell

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  1. Pamela Ruiz
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  2. Amaia Orbea
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  3. Jeanette M. Rotchell
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  4. Miren P. Cajaraville
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Correspondence to Miren P. Cajaraville.

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Ruiz, P., Orbea, A., Rotchell, J.M. et al. Transcriptional responses of cancer-related genes in turbot Scophthalmus maximus and mussels Mytilus edulis exposed to heavy fuel oil no. 6 and styrene. Ecotoxicology 21, 820–831 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0843-6

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