Comparison of in vitro vitellogenin synthesis among different nonylphenol products using primary cultures of tilapia hepatocytes

Effect of nonylphenol (NP) products from different companies on in vitro vitellogenin (VTG) synthesis was compared using tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) hepatocytes cultures. Addition of NP at a concentration of 10-3 M to the medium caused death of hepatocytes (NP-A and NP-B) and delay of monolayer formation (NP-C). No cell death was observed at a concentration of 10-4 M (NP-A, -B and -C) but cell adhesion was slower than control. These results suggest that high concentration of NP is toxic against tilapia hepatocytes. When effects of estradiol-17β (E2, 10-7 M) and NP (10-4 M) on in vitro VTG synthesis were examined, addition of E2 and NP-A and NP-B to the media resulted in elevation of VTG. NP-C did not induce VTG in the medium. Co-treatment of NP-B and tamoxifen, a non-steroidal anti-estrogen, reduced VTG synthesis. These results suggest that NP has estrogenic potential in primary cultures of tilapia hepatocytes and acts through binding to the estrogen receptor, and that there is a difference in the induction level of VTG among different NP products.