?Skin vitellogenin and estrogen receptor as sensitive biomarkers of estrogenicity in a sub-Antarctic fish?

FERREIRA, M. F.; LO NOSTRO, F.; AURELIANO, D.R.; FERNANDEZ, D. A.

ROMA

Simposio; SETAC; 2018

SETAC EUROPE

The presence of many persistent organic pollutants has been reportedin water, sediments and in vertebrates from Antarctic and sub-Antarcticareas; however, information about their potential impact on fishphysiology is still scarce. The populated southernmost city of the world,Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) and its bay, are not the exceptionto the decline of the environmental quality. The black southern cod,Patagonotothen tessellata, belongs to sub order Notothenioidei, thedominant group of the coastal ichthyofauna of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. This specie is widespread in the Beagle Channel, livesin the intertidal zone and possess paternal care. In the present study weassess the physiological effects after 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment andwe used vitellogenin (vtg) and estrogen receptor (ERα) as biomarkersof estrogenicity in skin of P. tessellata in order to provide a tool todevelop and perform periodic biomonitoring in sub-Antarctic waters toevaluate environmental risk in places where pollution already exists.