In vitro response of the brown bullhead catfish cell line, BB, to aquatic pollutants

Established cell lines from brown bullhead catfish (BB) and rainbow trout (RTG-2) and primary cultures of cells derived from gill, fin, and gonad tissues from brown bullhead catfish were evaluated for use as bioindicators in the neutral red cytotoxicity assay. The BB and RTG-2 cells were compared after a 1 day exposure to chlorinated pesticides and after a 6-day exposure to various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The BB cells were more sensitive to both classes of chemicals. The sequence of toxicity for the BB cells was 4,4'-DDD. 4,4'-DDT greater than aldrin, 4,4'-DDE and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) greater than 3-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene (3-OH-B(a)P) greater than benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P). For the RTG-2 cells, the sequence was aldrin greater than 4,4'-DDD greater than 4,4'-DDT greater than 4,4'-DDE and 3-OH-B(a)P greater than DMBA greater than B(a)P. The BB cells were also sensitive to benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)anthracene, and trans-7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxybenzo(a)pyrene. The responses of BB and RTG-2 cells were compared with those of primary cultures after a 1 day exposure to B(a)P. After 1 day of exposure, the RTG-2 cells and primary cultures were more sensitive than the BB cells to B(a)P. Apparently, after 1 day of incubation the RTG-2 and primary cells metabolized greater amounts of B(a)P to cytotoxic metabolites, than did the BB cells. However, by 6 days of incubation, the BB cells were more sensitive to B(a)P than were the RTG-2 cells. A 6-day exposure to B(a)P was not performed with the primary cell cultures.