Assessment of seasonal variability of biomarkers in three-spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) from a low contaminated stream: Implication for environmental biomonitoring

• Published in: Environment international 2008-08, Vol.34 (6), p.791-798
• Main Authors: Sanchez, Wilfried, Piccini, Benjamin, Ditche, Jean-Maxence, Porcher, Jean-Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Basal level; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarker; Biomarkers - metabolism; Biomonitoring; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 - metabolism; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Endocrine Disruptors - metabolism; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Sciences; Female; Fish; Fish Proteins - metabolism; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gasterosteus aculeatus; General aspects; Glutathione - metabolism; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Life Sciences; Lipid Peroxidation; Male; Oxidative Stress; Seasonal variability; Seasons; Smegmamorpha - metabolism; Synecology; Techniques; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism; Three-spined stickleback; Toxicology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Vitellogenins - metabolism; Water Pollution - adverse effects; Xenobiotics - metabolism
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2008.01.005

In this study, wild three-spined sticklebacks were sampled every six weeks, between April and October, in a low contaminated stream. For all fish, physiological indexes, such as condition factor, hepato-, gonado- and nephro-somatic index were calculated to determine fish condition and reproductive status. Moreover, a set of biomarkers including biotransformation enzymes, oxidative stress parameters, neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption markers was measured. The results allowed to determine biomarker variability due to fish gender or sampling season. For example, 7-ethoxyresorufin- O-deethylase activity, glutathione peroxidase as well as vitellogenin and spiggin exhibited strong gender differences. Conversely, lipoperoxidation and acethylcholinesterase activity were characterised by a lack of gender and seasonal variation, and can be considered as more robust parameters for a field application. The present work allowed to establish practical guideline for biomarker measurements in wild sticklebacks and to define a reference system which can be used to analyze variations in future monitoring studies.