[Bioaccumulation and toxicity test of diethylstilbestrol to zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo]

The bioaccumulation regulation and the toxicity of diethylstilbestrol (DES) were studied on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos with the methods of HPLC and early life stage test, and the toxic mechanisms were also discussed with the techniques of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and gene chips. After the zebrafish embryos exposed at 0.2 mg x L(-1) DES for 24, 48 and 72 h, the body levels of DES in zebrafish embryo were (25.78 +/- 4.95), (54.88 +/- 7.10) and (71.93 +/- 10.55) microg/g, respectively. Even exposure started at different time (0 hpf and 8 hpf), the most sensitive sub lethal endpoints were both 72 h delayed hatch, and the EC50 values for them were (0.14 +/- 0.09) and (0.33 +/- 0.14) mg/L, so that zebrafish embryo was more sensitive to the exposure of DES before the stage of gastrula (8 h after fertilization). QSAR studies found when compared with other phenol-endocrine disrupts, DES was much more toxic, and this related to its higher TE value (52.1217 eV). Meanwhile, when adult zebrafish exposed at 5 microg/L DES for 21 d, it was found by the gene chips that parts of gene expressions would be changed and the genetic toxicity of DES was approved. DES was concluded to be developmental and genetic toxic to zebrafish, and the biochemical reaction-associated process might be the key parameter in determining the toxicity level.