CYTOCHROME P450-DEPENDENT ENZYMES AND OXIDANT-MEDIATED RESPONSES IN RAINBOW-TROUT EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS

Hatchery-reared immature rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to different concentrations (2 and 4 liters) of contaminated sediment taken from a site receiving unbleached pulp mill effluents. The fish were held in aquaria and sampled three times during an experimental period of 21 days. The monooxygenase activity, measured as the deethylation of 7-ethoxyresorufin (EROD activity), increased three- to fourfold in the exposed fish relative to controls. The increase was not dependent on exposure concentration. Cytochrome P450IA1, the EROD catalyst, demonstrated proportional induction in the 2-liter exposed fish. However, exposure to 4 liters sediment strongly induced P450IA1 and did not reflect EROD activity. This may suggest inhibition of P450IA1 activity by the amount of chemicals discharged from pulp mills. UDPglucuronosyl-transferase increased at one stage of the experimental period, while glutathione S-transferase remained unchanged. Amounts of total glutathione in blood, liver, and muscle were slightly increased by exposure to contaminated sediments, but hepatic enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were not affected. In conclusion, monooxygenase activities appear to be a sensitive tool in the monitoring of sediment toxicity. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.