Evaluation of the estrogenic effects of UV filters on the sergeant major damselfish, Abudefduf saxatilis

Mélina Soto,Gabriela Rodríguez-Fuentes

doi:10.7773/cm.v40i3.2390

Abstract

Oxybenzone, octyl salicylate, and octinoxate are compounds used in a variety of products as a protection against exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Concerns have emerged regarding their environmental safety as previous studies have shown that they tend to bioaccumulate and act as potential xenoestrogens in aquatic organisms. To our knowledge no studies have investigated their impact on tropical reef-associated species. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the estrogenic effects of these three compounds on the abundant, reef-associated sergeant major damselfish, Abudefduf saxatilis. As no genomic information of A. saxatilis was available, the first part of the study was to isolate and to sequence the vitellogenin (VTG) and β-actin genes. In the second part, the potential estrogenicity of the three compounds in juvenile fish (<5 cm) was studied using gene expression and protein synthesis analyses to evaluate the induction of VTG. Fish were exposed to doses of 5, 25, and 50 µg–1 of oxybenzone, octyl salicylate, octinoxate, and to a mixture of them in a similar proportion to the one used in commercial personal care products. An increment in alkali-labile phosphate was observed in all treatments, but it was only statistically significant in the positive control (17 β-estradiol). Relative gene expression was only statistically augmented in the positive control.

Highlights

Skin problems related to ultraviolet radiation (UV) have promoted the development of organic compounds capable of absorbing UV rays and mitigating the harmful effects of sun exposure
A series of surveys conducted in the Cancun hotel zone revealed that these three compounds are among the five most active ingredients in sunscreens used by national and foreign tourists and by the local inhabitants (Rodríguez-Fuentes et al 2010)
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of three UV filters and a mixture of them on VTG synthesis in A. saxatilis and attempt to establish its suitability as a sentinel organism in future ecotoxicological studies in Caribbean reef zones

Summary

Introduction

Skin problems related to ultraviolet radiation (UV) have promoted the development of organic compounds capable of absorbing UV rays and mitigating the harmful effects of sun exposure. The uses of these compounds have diversified and they are currently used as additives in numerous products (Schlumpf et al 2004). Los compuestos como la oxibenzona (3-benzofenona, 2hidroxi-4-metoxifenil benzofenona), el octil salicilato (2etilhexil salicilato) y el octinoxato (2-etilhexil trans-4metoxicinamato) son usados en diferentes productos para la Ciencias Marinas, Vol 40, No 3, 2014 sunscreens (Giokas et al 2007). A series of surveys conducted in the Cancun hotel zone revealed that these three compounds are among the five most active ingredients in sunscreens used by national and foreign tourists and by the local inhabitants (Rodríguez-Fuentes et al 2010)

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Conclusion