ABSTRACT
OBJECTlVE To establish Tg(-6.3CYP3A65∶EGFP) transgenic zebrafish for quick, intuitive detection of heavy metals ( copper, cadmium and zinc) , dioxin-like PCBs ( PCB126) and other environmental pollutants. METHODS Tol2 transposon system was used to generate transgenic zebrafish lines Tg(-6.3CYP3A65∶EGFP) in which CYP3A65 promoter regualated labeled fluorescence. The effect of heavy mentals ( copper, cadmium and zinc ) and PCB126 on the relative amounts of CYP3A65 gene expression was determined by observing the change in fluorescence intensity. RESULTS The relative gene expression of CYP3A65 was significantly increased after 96 h exposure to copper 0.1 and 0.2μmol·L-1 , cadmium 0.35 and 0.7μmol·L-1 , zinc 1.5 and 3μmol·L-1 , and PCB126 2-32μmol·L-1 , respectively ( P<0.01) , but decreased after 96 h exposure to copper 0. 9 μmol·L-1 , cadmium 2. 7 and 5.4 μmol·L-1 , and zinc 24μmol·L-1 , respectively( P<0.01) . CYP3A65 gene expression was significantly increased after 168 h exposure to copper 0.1 and 0.2 μmol·L-1 , cadmium 0.35 and 0.7 μmol·L-1 , zinc 1.5 and 3 μmol·L-1, and PCB126 2-32 μmol·L-1, respectively(P<0.01), but decreased after 168 h exposure to copper 0.9 μmol·L-1, cadmium 2.7 and 5.4 μmol·L-1, and zinc 12 and 24 μmol·L-1( P<0.05) , in a concentration-dependent manner. CONCLUSlON The results suggest that zebrafish CYP3A65 gene expression and the CYP3A65 labeled fluorescence lines can be another candidate biomarker for detecting environmental pollutants.