Rapid ecotoxicological assessment using Cyprinus carpio cell lines

Abstract

Abstract Fish are known for their exceptional sensitivity and rapid physiological responses to environmental pollutants, making them a valuable tool for ecotoxicological assessment. However, the complex sensitivity of fish to a variety of stressors other than pollutants makes it difficult to obtain objective ecotoxicological data to pollutants. To address these issues, fish-derived cell lines have emerged as important tools to indirectly measure the ecotoxicity. In this study, we established cell lines from Cyprinus carpio (C. carpio) to assess the ecotoxicity of four toxicants: copper sulphate (CuSO4), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), sodium chloride (NaCl) and selenium. CuSO4, PFOA, NaCl and selenium exhibited semi-effective concentrations (EC50) of 83.55, 2343.41, 5901.62 and 83.62 ppm, respectively. Remarkably, these EC50 values closely mirrored the EC50 or lethal concentration 50 (LC50) values recorded in other fish species, underlining the predictive power of our cell-based platform. We also performed a comprehensive analysis of DNA damage using the neutral comet assay, a technique used to assess genotoxicity. Our results showed that CuSO and NaCl significantly increased the level of DNA damage, confirming their genotoxic potential, while PFOA and selenium showed no significant genotoxic effects. In conclusion, we have established an innovative ecotoxicological assessment platform capable of generating accurate, rapid and comprehensive data on toxicants. This platform avoids the direct use of live fish, highlighting its ethical and practical value as a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and protection.