Toxicity of short-chain alcohols to the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: A comparison of endpoints

The toxicities of 4 short‐chain alcohols—namely methanol, ethanol, iso‐propanol and iso‐butanol—were compared in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using several different ecotoxicological endpoints. Range‐finding tests were conducted using transgenic PC161 worms carrying a double reporter construc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology 2005-04, Vol.19 (2), p.87-95
Main Authors: Thompson, Grace, de Pomerai, David I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohols - toxicity
Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans - genetics
Caenorhabditis elegans - metabolism
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - biosynthesis
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Fecundity
Feeding Behavior - drug effects
Feeding Inhibition
Heat-Shock Proteins - biosynthesis
Lethality
Nematoda
Small Heat-Shock Proteins
Stress Response
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Summary:The toxicities of 4 short‐chain alcohols—namely methanol, ethanol, iso‐propanol and iso‐butanol—were compared in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans using several different ecotoxicological endpoints. Range‐finding tests were conducted using transgenic PC161 worms carrying a double reporter construct (GFP plus lacZ) linked to the stress‐inducible hsp16‐1 promoter. These tests showed little response from the GFP reporter, but gave good dose–response curves for the lacZ reporter—showing clear induction at 0.5% v/v ethanol in an overnight assay, but only at 4% in a shorter 6‐h assay. Comparison of the short‐term dose–response curves shows a confusing pattern of differences between the four alcohols tested, although dose‐dependence is evident across at least part of the concentration range. Feeding inhibition assays are somewhat inconclusive with regard to alcohol type, although iso‐butanol and iso‐propanol appear more toxic than ethanol, while methanol is least toxic. To resolve some of the remaining ambiguities, we also used a fecundity assay to show that iso‐propanol is more toxic than ethanol, and a lethality assay to show that iso‐butanol is more toxic than iso‐propanol. Most of the endpoints studied are consistent with the following order of toxicity: iso‐butanol > iso‐propanol > ethanol ≥ methanol. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 19:87–95, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20060
ISSN:1095-6670
1099-0461
DOI:10.1002/jbt.20060