Evaluation of Estrogenic Receptor (ER) and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) Agonists in Three Gorges Reservoir, China Using SPMD-Based Virtual Organisms

Jingxian Wang,Gerd Pfister,Liang Zhang,Toine F H Bovee,Bernhard Henkelmann,Karl-Werner Schramm

doi:10.4236/jep.2016.73028

Abstract

The evaluation of estrogenic activities and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists in water from Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) China was conducted by in vitro bioassays combined with SPMD-based virtual organisms (VO). VOs were deployed at seven sites in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China for two periods in 2009. The estrogenic activity was assessed using a rapid yeast estrogen bioassay, based on the expression of a green fluorescent reporter protein (yEGFP). The AhR activity was detected employing rat hepatoma cell line (H4IIE). The results indicate that AhR agonists distributed widely in water of TGR and almost homogenously distributed in most area of TGR. Weak antiestrogenic activities were also found homogenously distributed in water of TGR. Further studies are needed to determine the identities of these estrogenic compounds and AhR agonists and their potential adverse effects on wild biota in TGR.

Highlights

The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) constructed on the Yangtze River in China is the largest hydro-electricity project in the world and created the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) with an area of 1080 km2
Most organic chemicals could be metabolized by cultured cells after 72 h incubation [24] [25], the EROD activity after 72 h incubation is mainly caused by more persistent aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists and that after 24 h incubation is defined as the total potency of the mixture of AhR agonists
There was no significant difference in TCDD equivalents (TEQ) values of virtual organisms (VO) from the other five sampling sites

Summary

Introduction

The Three Gorges Dam (TGD) constructed on the Yangtze River in China is the largest hydro-electricity project in the world and created the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) with an area of 1080 km. Since the 1990s, the number of endangered fish species in the Yangtze River increased distinctly and some species disappeared [2]. Several studies [3] [4] demonstrate that local populations of Yangtze fish may be exposed to endocrinedisrupting chemicals (EDCs) at concentrations sufficient to cause impairment of their reproductive physiology. Our recent study detected estrogen receptor (ER) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activities in sediments from TGR [5]. Limited information is available on ER and AhR activities in water of TGR

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