Effects of tributyltin on salmon interrenal CYP11β, steroidogenic factor-1 and glucocorticoid receptor transcripts in the presence and absence of second messenger activator, forskolin.

The mechanisms by which TBT produces modulations of the endocrine systems are not fully described. In this study, juvenile salmon were force-fed diet containing TBT (0: solvent control, 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg fish) for 72 h. Subsequently, fish exposed to solvent control and 10 mg/kg TBT were exposed to waterborne concentration of the adenyl cyclase stimulator forskolin (200 μg/L) for 2 and 4 h. Tissue and blood were sampled from individual fish (n=6). Gene expression patterns of CYP11β, steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), and glucocorticoid receptor (GlucR) were determined by qPCR. TBT generally decreased mRNA levels of CYP11β, GlucR and SF-1, compared to the solvent control and these effects were differentially modulated by the presence of forskolin. This study suggests that TBT may exert broader endocrine disrupting effects through possible modulation of cAMP/PKA second messenger systems.