Effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on the hepatic cytochrome P450 1A1 system in rainbow trout

Abstract

Effects on the hepatic cytochrome P450 1A1 system were investigated in juvenile rainbow trout i.p. injected with three different aromatic containing fractions: kerosene, light gas oil or heavy gas oil, originated from distilled North Sea crude oil. Kerosene treatment resulted in no effect on the P450 1A1 system, light gas oil injection caused a weak induction of EROD activities and heavy gas oil treatment resulted in a prominent induction of EROD activities as well as accumulation of CYP1A1 mRNA and P450 1A1 protein levels. The effects of heavy gas oil were compared with effects of β-napthoflavone (β-NF) on the P450 1A1 system. It was obvious that important discrepancies seemed to exist between EROD activities and corresponding CYP1A1 mRNA and P450 1A1 levels in rainbow trout treated with either heavy gas oil or β-NF i.e. heavy gas oil treatment resulted in higher specific EROD activities (EROD/P450 1A1) compared to β-NF. GC-MS analyses revealed that liver and bile from heavy gas oil treated rainbow trout in addition to naphthalene also contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as phenanthrenes, anthracene, pyrenes, fluoranthene benz(a)anthracene and chrysene, while none of these compounds were detected in control trout.