DNA adduct formation in northern pike (Esox lucius) exposed to a mixture of benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[k]fluoranthene and 7H-dibenzo[c, g]carbazole: time-course and dose-response studies.

The time-course and dose dependent formation of DNA adducts in juvenile northern pike (Esox lucius) following a single exposure to a mixture of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF) and 7H-dibenzo[c,g]carbazole (DBC) were investigated by use of the (32)P-postlabelling assay. A complex adduct pattern was detected in liver and intestine of exposed fish. For the time-course studies fish were exposed either by oral administration or by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. Following a single i.p. injection of the mixture (40micromole/kg body weight of each substance) significantly elevated DNA adduct levels were detected in the liver after 1 day. Adduct levels were higher in liver than in intestine, in which significant elevation were detected from day 3 to 12. Following exposure via food (80micromole/kg body weight of each substance), adduct levels were detected in both liver and intestine 1 day after exposure, and continued to increase until day 3 in liver and day 6 in intestine. Calculation of a binding index, which compensates for differences in dosage, resulted in much higher adduct formation (five times in liver and 22 times in intestine) following oral exposure. Pikes receiving single oral doses of 12.5, 50, 100 or 200micromole/kg body weight of each substance exhibited significantly higher adduct levels in both liver and intestine compared to controls. Hepatic adduct levels were also higher in fish given 100 and 200micromole/kg compared to 12.5micromole/kg. Results from this study show that DNA adducts are rapidly formed in juvenile northern pike following both i.p. injection and feeding of a mixture of BaP, BkF and DBC. A maximum level was reached within a few days, which then persisted at approximately the same level for at least 9-12 days. The results also shows that higher levels of adducts were obtained following oral administration compared to i.p. injection, particularly in the intestine.