A wide spectrum of chemicals is altered in fish due to biotransformation enzymes. For the transformation of chemicals with known high toxicity, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, the responsible enzyme group is CYP1A. The activation of these enzymes is very energy demanding for a cell – for this reason the enzymes are activated only if the respective chemicals are present. This is what we use in the toxicological assessment of chemicals and WETS in the so-called EROD assay. A comparison of the EROD activity induced by samples with known reference chemicals allows moreover a classification of the relative toxic potency.
We offer the EROD assay with rainbow trout liver cells, RTL-W1, for testing of chemicals as well as water, environmental and tissue samples (WETS).
- For basic characterization of this cell line, see Lee et al., 1993, Cell Biol. Toxicol. 9: 279-294.
- See Bols et al., 1999, Ecotoxicol. Environ. Safety 44: 118-128 and Schirmer et al. 2004, Toxicol. 205: 211-221 as an example for assessing CYP1A induction in RTL-W1 cells of individual chemicals and water samples, respectively.