Plasma vitellogenin - A blood parameter to evaluate exposure of fish to xenoestrogens

Abstract

Besides natural and synthetic estrogens, a variety of industrial chemicals and pesticides are suspected to mimic the natural estrogen 17ß-estradiol, thereby disrupting the animal endocrine system. Based on observations, such as the occurrence of hermaphroditism and feminization of male fish, many investigations focus on fish as indicator organisms for xenoestrogenic compounds within the aquatic environment. Both in vitro assays and in vivo approaches have been developed to evaluate estrogenic effects of these toxicants. The occurrence of the female specific egg yolk precursor protein vitellogenin (Vtg) in the plasma of male fish has widely been used as an indicator or biomarker of xenoestrogen exposure. This paper briefly reviews potential xenoestrogens known so far, physiological aspects of vitellogenesis, current applications of Vtg plasma levels in fish as a biomarker for estrogenic compounds, and various aspects concerning the possible biological significance of this parameter. Xenoestrogens, vitellogenin, fish.