Estrogen receptor and multixenobiotic resistance genes in freshwater fish and snails: identification and expression analysis after pharmaceutical exposure

Project: Dissertation

Project Details

Description

Several different pharmaceuticals from societal use e.g. human use and agriculture) are today continuously being released into aquatic environments where they can interfere with wild organisms' biological processes. The general
research objective of this research project was to analyze how aquatic freshwater organisms are affected by exposure to pharmaceuticals that are categorized by
the EU as potential risk factors to the environment (i.e., estrogens, EE2, and diclofenac). We have analyzed the unknown mechanistic actions of EE2 and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as diclofenac) on estrogen receptor (er) genes or multixenobiotic resistance (mxr) genes in both common freshwater snails and fish. We identified several new molecular EE2 targets in freshwater wildlife such as the estrogen receptor (er) genes in aquatic slugs (Bithynia tentaculata, and Radix balthica) and the fresh water fish roach (Rutilus rutilus). By profiling gene expression responses, we added to the currently limited knowledge on the mechanistic activities of pharmaceutical compounds in exposed aquatic organisms.

Popular science description

Organisms that live in aquatic environments are today at risk because of modern society's high use of pharmaceutical compounds. These substances often make their way into the water from sewage treatment plants with insufficient cleaning steps, and leakage from agriculture where livestock are treated with for example antibiotics. How species are disrupted by the pharmaceuticals is difficult to predict but requires attention.
Short titlePharmaceutical exposure in fish and snails
AcronymPhamaFishSnail
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date2010/12/062016/03/18

UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This project contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 15 - Life on Land

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Biological Sciences
  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Zoology
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Fish and Aquacultural Science (including Fish farming, Fish Genetics, Fish Ethology)
  • Ecology (including Biodiversity Conservation)