Publication details
Do cyanobacteria produce estrogenic compounds?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Number of studies document hazardous potential of cyanobacterial metabolites.Despite the observed effects on reproduction related parameters, growth and development,there is little information on endocrine disruptive potential of compounds from cyanobacteria.Our research aimed to determine if complex water bloom of cyanobacteria collected from the environment contain compounds that would interact with the signaling pathways of arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), androgenic receptor (AR), estrogenic receptor (ER),glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or retinoid acid receptor (RAR).In vitro reporter gene trans-activation assays were used to determine the potency of samples to elicit receptor-mediated responses.Estrogenicity was detected for most environmental samples, their estimated estrogenic equivalents ranged from 19 to 2200 ng 17b-estradiol /g dw.Some of them also interfered with the signalling of androgen receptor.The follow-up study investigated in greater detail estrogenic potency of both inner content and exudates of individual cyanobacteria and algae cultured in laboratory.The results document estrogenic potential of compounds produced by cyanobacteria and algae, generally more for the compounds excreted to their surroundings.Exudates from two algal species and from most tested pure strains of cyanobacteria elicited estrogenic activity with concentrations of estrogenic equivalents in the range of ng/L, which could be considered relatively large since equivalent potencies of estrogens have been shown to cause reproductive toxicity to aquatic animals.Aqueous extracts caused significant estrogenicity only in case of both algal species and one cyanobacteria(Aphanizomenon gracile) with estrogenic equivalents ranging from 15 to 280 ng 17b-estradiol/g DW.There does not seem to be any clear relation between the estrogenic potency and concentration of known cyanotoxins. |
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