Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163237
Title: THE USE OF FRESHLY ISOLATED PRIMARY BRAIN CELLS FROM TILAPIA OREOCHROMIS NILOTICA IN TOXICITY TESTING

Author
item Evans, Joyce
item Klesius, Phillip

Submitted to: Book of Abstracts Aquaculture America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/31/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: EVANS, J.J., KLESIUS, P.H. THE USE OF FRESHLY ISOLATED PRIMARY BRAIN CELLS FROM TILAPIA OREOCHROMIS NILOTICA IN TOXICITY TESTING. BOOK OF ABSTRACTS AQUACULTURE AMERICA. 1999.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A large number of potential contaminants in the aquaculture environment that include chemicals and toxins from bacteria and harmful algal blooms, justifies, the need for rapid and accurate in vitro tests to predict toxicity. Little or no use of cytotoxicity tests have been reported in tilapia that constitute one of the most important food sources worldwide. In the present study, the usefulness of freshly isolated primary brain cells from tilapia in toxicity testing was evaluated and compared in an established epithelial cell line from fathead minnows. Few cytotoxicity tests other than the neutral red (NR) assay have been routinely employed. The literature indicates advantages in the use of a number of different types of bioassays for evaluation of toxicity of potential aquatic contaminants and pathogens. The study employed the following colorirnetric and chemosensitivity assays, 5-(3 carboxylmethoxy-phenyl)-2(4,5-dimethylthiazoyl-)-3-(4-sulfophenyl) tetrazoliun, inner salt (MTS), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazo2-yl)-2,-(diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), lactate dehydrogenase (LHD), bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and NR, to measure cytotoxicity. The results showed that primary brain cells were more sensitive than endothelial cells in predicting potential aquatic neurotoxins. Significant positive correlation between MTS and MTT and between these tetrazolium-based assays and LDH was found. The NR assay was the least sensitive and was not positively correlated to other assays. The study indicated the usefulness of freshly isolated primary brain cells from tilapia to predict contamination by chemicals, toxins from bacteria and harmful algal blooms that may be associated with sublethal changes in fish behavior and health.