Effects of nonylphenol xenoestrogen on production and changes of plasma vitellogenin protein in Persian sturgeon as a Biomarker

The present study demonstrated the effects of nonylphenol (xenoestrogen) on Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) vitellogenin (VTG) protein changes and production. Identification, purification and changes of vitellogenin protein in sera of fish treated by 17-beta estradiol and different concentration of nonylphenol, were performed. Gel filtration of this protein demonstrated the actual size of vitelogenin is 420KD in the native form, but vitellogenin in denaturated polyacrylamide gel had the form of dimmer protein. Purified cleavage vitelloginin (lipovitelin), which obtained from protein of Persian sturgeon oocyte, injected to rabbit for polyclonal antibody production and polyclonal antibody tested with treated sera for vitellogenin production as a biomarker of xenoestrogen using Wester blotting and ELISA method. All groups treated with 10 and 100mg/kg concentration of nonylphenol had significant effect on VTG protein production (p< 0. 05) but the group received the lowest dose of nonylphenol (1mg/kg) showed no significant change in VTG protein production. These results further support the negative effect of xenoestrogen on Persian sturgeon, indicating that this index can be used as a biomarker of xenoestrogen in aquatic ecosystems.