TEMPORAL TRENDS IN ETHOXYRESORUFIN-O-DEETHYLASE ACTIVITY OF BROOK TROUT (SALVELINUS FONTINALIS) FED 2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-p-DIOXIN

Changes in ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity were monitored through an extended 6-month dietary exposure to determine the relationship between EROD activity and uptake of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis. Brook trout were fed labeled TCDD during a 4-week loading phase and an 11-week maintenance phase to achieve whole-body concentrations of 0, 75, 150, 300, 600, and 1,200 pg TCDD/g fish. A spawning phase followed during which no TCDD was introduced. The TCDD had an extended half-life, with maximal levels detected in the late loading–early maintenance phases and 81 d after TCDD had been removed from the diet. Accumulation in liver increased as whole-body target concentration increased but was generally less than half of anticipated whole-body target concentrations. The EROD activity demonstrated a dose-dependent increase. Positive correlations were observed between EROD activity and TCDD body burdens for both males and females. For males, maximal induction was attained early in the maintenance phase and maintained during latter phases. For females, induction was characterized by a biphasic pattern. Maximal induction was attained during late loading–early maintenance, with an attenuated response observed just before spawning. In addition, the induction response was modulated by sex, as induction was lower in females when compared with males. If sexual biases are considered, increased EROD activity may serve as an indicator of level of TCDD exposure and a sublethal predictor of effects of exposure. Keywords—Ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase Induction 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis