Bisphenol A (BPA) modulates the expression of endocrine and stress response genes in the freshwater snail Physa acuta.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that can mimic the action of oestrogens by interacting with hormone receptors, is potentially able to influence reproductive functions in vertebrates and invertebrates. The freshwater pulmonate Physa acuta is a sensitive organism to xenobiotics appropriate for aquatic toxicity testing in environmental studies. This study was conducted to explore the effects of BPA on the Gastropoda endocrine system.

Endocrine-related genes are altered by antibacterial agent triclosan in Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent widely used in personal care and consumer products and commonly detected in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effects of TCS on endocrine-related genes of Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae, a reference organism in aquatic toxicology, were evaluated. Twenty-four-hour in vivo exposures at 10µg/L, 100µg/L, and 1000µg/L TCS revealed that this xenobiotic was able to alter the transcriptional activity of ecdysone receptor gene (EcR), the ultraspiracle gene (usp), the estrogen-related receptor gene (ERR), and the E74 early ecdysone-inducible gene, as measured by real-time RT-PCR.

Transcriptional deregulation of genetic biomarkers in Chironomus riparius larvae exposed to ecologically relevant concentrations of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant used worldwide as a plasticizer and solvent in many formulations. Based on available toxicological data, it has been classified as toxic for reproduction and as an endocrine disruptor. Despite this, ecotoxicological studies in aquatic wildlife organisms are still scarce.

Cadmium in vivo exposure alters stress response and endocrine-related genes in the freshwater snail Physa acuta. New biomarker genes in a new model organism.

The freshwater snail Physa acuta is a sensitive organism to xenobiotics that is appropriate for toxicity testing. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal with known toxic effects on several organisms, which include endocrine disruption and activation of the cellular stress responses. There is scarce genomic information on P.

UV filters induce transcriptional changes of different hormonal receptors in Chironomus riparius embryos and larvae.

Organic ultraviolet (UV) filters are emerging contaminants that are ubiquitous in fresh and marine aquatic systems due to their extensive use in cosmetics, plastics, paints, textiles, and many other industrial products. The estrogenic effects of organic UV filters have been long demonstrated in vertebrates, and other hormonal activities may be altered, according to more recent reports. The impact of UV filters on the endocrine system of invertebrates is largely unknown.

Ultraviolet filters differentially impact the expression of key endocrine and stress genes in embryos and larvae of Chironomus riparius.

Several organic UV filters have hormonal activity in vertebrates, as demonstrated in fishes, rodents and human cells. Despite the accumulation of filter contaminants in aquatic systems, research on their effects on the endocrine systems of freshwaters invertebrates is scarce. In this work, the effects of five frequently used UV filters were investigated in embryos and larvae of Chironomus riparius, which is a reference organism in ecotoxicology.

The effects of binary UV filter mixtures on the midge Chironomus riparius.

Organic ultraviolet (UV) filters are used in a wide variety of products, including cosmetics, to prevent damage from UV light in tissues and industrial materials. Their extensive use has raised concerns about potential adverse effects in human health and aquatic ecosystems that accumulate these pollutants. To increase sun radiation protection, UV filters are commonly used in mixtures.

The ribosome biogenesis pathway as an early target of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) toxicity in Chironomus riparius larvae.

Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) is a ubiquitous contaminant whose presence in the environment is expected for decades, since it has been extensively used worldwide as a plasticizer in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry and the manufacturing of many other products. In the present study, the interaction of BBP with the ribosome biogenesis pathway and the general transcriptional profile of Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae were investigated by means of changes in the rDNA activity (through the study of the internal transcribed spacer 2, ITS2) and variations in the expression profile of ribosomal protein genes (rpL4, rpL11, and rpL13) after acute 24-h and 48-h exposures to a wide range of BBP doses. Furthermore, cytogenetic assays were conducted to evaluate the transcriptional activity of polytene chromosomes from salivary gland cells, with special attention to the nucleolus and the Balbiani rings (BRs) of chromosome IV.

Characterization of six small HSP genes from Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae): Differential expression under conditions of normal growth and heat-induced stress.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) comprise the most numerous, structurally diverse, and functionally uncharacterized family of heat shock proteins. Several Hsp genes (Hsp 90, 70, 40, and 27) from the insect Chironomus riparius are widely used in aquatic toxicology as biomarkers for environmental toxins. Here, we conducted a comparative study and characterized secondary structure of the six newly identified sHsp genes Hsp17, Hsp21, Hsp22, Hsp23, Hsp24, and Hsp34.

The plasticizer benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) alters the ecdysone hormone pathway, the cellular response to stress, the energy metabolism, and several detoxication mechanisms in Chironomus riparius larvae.

Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) has been extensively used worldwide as a plasticizer in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry and the manufacturing of many other products, and its presence in the aquatic environment is expected for decades. In the present study, the toxicity of BBP was investigated in Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae. The effects of acute 24-h and 48-h exposures to a wide range of BBP doses were evaluated at the molecular level by analysing changes in genes related to the stress response, the endocrine system, the energy metabolism, and detoxication pathways, as well as in the enzyme activity of glutathione S-transferase.

Transcriptional changes induced by in vivo exposure to pentachlorophenol (PCP) in Chironomus riparius (Diptera) aquatic larvae.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been extensively used worldwide as a pesticide and biocide and is frequently detected in the aquatic environment. In the present work, the toxicity of PCP was investigated in Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae. The effects following short- and long-term exposures were evaluated at the molecular level by analyzing changes in the transcriptional profile of different endocrine genes, as well as in genes involved in the stress response and detoxification.

The UV filter benzophenone 3 (BP-3) activates hormonal genes mimicking the action of ecdysone and alters embryo development in the insect Chironomus riparius (Diptera).

Numerous studies have evaluated the endocrine effects of UV filters in vertebrates, but little attention has been paid to their possible hormonal activity in invertebrates. We examined the effects of benzophenone-3 (BP-3), one of the most common sunscreen agents, in Chironomus riparius (Insecta), a reference organism in aquatic toxicology. Salivary glands from larvae were treated with either the hormone ecdysone or BP-3 to compare the response of endocrine genes.

Characterization of the small heat shock protein Hsp27 gene in Chironomus riparius (Diptera) and its expression profile in response to temperature changes and xenobiotic exposures.

Small heat shock proteins constitute the most diverse and least conserved group within the large family of heat shock proteins, which play a crucial role in cell response to environmental insults. Chironomus riparius larvae are widely used in environmental research for testing pollutant toxicity in sediments and freshwater environments. Different genes, such as Hsp70, Hsc70, Hsp90, and Hsp40, have been identified in this species as sensitive biomarkers for xenobiotics, but small Hsps genes remain largely unknown.

Genotoxic effects of environmental endocrine disruptors on the aquatic insect Chironomus riparius evaluated using the comet assay.

Genotoxicity is one of the most important toxic endpoints in chemical toxicity testing and environmental risk assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of various environmental pollutants frequently found in aquatic environments and characterized by their endocrine disrupting activity. Monitoring of DNA damage was undertaken after in vivo exposures of the aquatic larvae of the midge Chironomus riparius, a model organism that represents an abundant and ecologically relevant macroinvertebrate, widely used in freshwater toxicology.

Transcriptional responses, metabolic activity and mouthpart deformities in natural populations of Chironomus riparius larvae exposed to environmental pollutants.

Biomarkers are an important tool in laboratory assays that link exposure or effect of specific toxicants to key molecular and cellular events, but they have not been widely used in invertebrate populations exposed to complex mixtures of environmental contaminants in their natural habitats. The present study focused on a battery of biomarkers and their comparative analysis in natural populations of the benthic larvae of Chironomus riparius (Diptera), sampled in three differentially polluted rivers (the Con, Sar, and Louro in Galicia, Spain). In our study, some parameters were identified, such as hsp70 gene activity, GST enzymatic activity, total glycogen content and mouthpart deformities, which showed significant differences among populations from the three rivers that differed in the levels and types of sedimentary contaminants analyzed (metals, organic-chlorine pesticides, alkylphenols, pharmaceutical, and personal care products).

DNA damage and transcriptional changes induced by tributyltin (TBT) after short in vivo exposures of Chironomus riparius (Diptera) larvae.

Tributyltin (TBT) is a widespread environmental contaminant in aquatic systems whose adverse effects in development and reproduction are related to its well-known endocrine-disrupting activity. In this work, the early molecular effects of TBT in Chironomus riparius (Diptera) were evaluated by analyzing its DNA damaging potential and the transcriptional response of different endocrine-related genes. Twenty-four-hour in vivo exposures of the aquatic larvae, at environmentally relevant doses of TBT, revealed genotoxic activity as shown by significant increases in DNA strand breaks quantified with the comet assay.

Effects of in vivo exposure to UV filters (4-MBC, OMC, BP-3, 4-HB, OC, OD-PABA) on endocrine signaling genes in the insect Chironomus riparius.

There is increasing evidence indicating that several UV filters might have endocrine disruptive effects. Numerous studies have evaluated hormonal effects in vertebrates, mainly reporting estrogenic and androgenic activities in mammals and fishes. There is only limited knowledge about potential endocrine activity in invertebrate hormonal systems.

Overexpression of long non-coding RNAs following exposure to xenobiotics in the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent an important transcriptional output of eukaryotic genomes. In addition to their functional relevance as housekeeping and regulatory elements, recent studies have suggested their involvement in rather unexpected cellular functions. The aim of this work was to analyse the transcriptional behaviour of non-coding RNAs in the toxic response to pollutants in Chironomus riparius, a reference organism in aquatic toxicology.

Characterization of a cytochrome P450 gene (CYP4G) and modulation under different exposures to xenobiotics (tributyltin, nonylphenol, bisphenol A) in Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae.

Cytochrome P450 family members participate in xenobiotic transformation as a detoxification mechanism. We have characterized a CYP gene, assigned to the 4G family, in Chironomus riparius, a reference organism in aquatic toxicology. Due to the potential interest of CYP genes and P450 proteins for monitoring pollution effects at the molecular level, the alterations in the pattern of expression of this gene, induced by different xenobiotics, were analyzed.

Comparative effects of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on the aquatic larvae of Chironomus riparius based on gene expression assays related to the endocrine system, the stress response and ribosomes.

In this work, the effects of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), two of the most extensively used phthalates, were studied in Chironomus riparius under acute short-term treatments, to compare their relative toxicities and identify genes sensitive to exposure. The ecotoxicity of these phthalates was assessed by analysis of the alterations in gene expression profiles of selected inducible and constitutive genes related to the endocrine system, the cellular stress response and the ribosomal machinery. Fourth instar larvae, a model system in aquatic toxicology, were experimentally exposed to five increasing concentrations (0.

Characterization of Hsp70 gene in Chironomus riparius: expression in response to endocrine disrupting pollutants as a marker of ecotoxicological stress.

We characterized the Hsp70 cDNA in Chironomus riparius and evaluated its expression profile under different environmental stressors. It is highly conserved, at both DNA and protein levels, displaying many of the hallmarks of Hsps and sharing 80-96% of overall amino acid identities with homologous sequences from other diptera. The changes are mainly concentrated in the C-terminal domain of the protein.

Nucleolar localization of a reverse transcriptase related to telomere maintenance in Chironomus (Diptera).

A growing number of cellular processes originally thought not to involve the nucleolus now seem to be associated with this organelle. In recent years, a variety of RNAs and proteins with no apparent function in ribosome genesis have been discovered in this nuclear compartment. This paper reports the presence in the nucleolus of a reverse transcriptase (RT) previously found to be associated with telomeres in Chironomus.