Ioanna Katsiadaki

• BVMD (Veterinary Medicine)
• Science leader at Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

In fisheries, genetic based assignment of individuals to their population of origin can benefit efforts aimed at monitoring and managing stocks. Assignment combined with knowledge of the migration history of individuals can provide powerful insights into mechanisms of genetic mixing, for which refined sampling methods are required to minimise any i...

Enteric redmouth disease (ERM) caused by the enterobacterium Yersinia ruckeri poses a significant threat to salmonid aquaculture globally. Despite decades of experimental infection studies, key knowledge gaps remain regarding the onset of disease susceptibility and mechanisms of immunity during early developmental stages, undermining disease manage...

Experiments were carried out to determine whether, as with other mollusks that have been studied, the snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, can absorb, esterify and store vertebrate steroids that are present in the water. We also carried out experiments to determine whether neural tissues of the snail could be immunohistochemically stained with an antibody to...

Intricate links between aquatic animals and their environment expose them to chemical and pathogenic hazards, which can disrupt seafood supply. Here we outline a risk schema for assessing potential impacts of chemical and microbial hazards on discrete subsectors of aquaculture—and control measures that may protect supply. As national governments de...

The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteous aculeatus) is a common laboratory fish used across many scientific disciplines. However, little guidance is available on its housing and care in the scientific literature. Here we outline the methods to maintain a colony of sticklebacks based upon >20 years of experience at the Cefas Weymouth Laboratory....

Previous toxicokinetic studies have shown that mussels (Mytilus spp.) can readily absorb the three main mammalian sex steroids, estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and progesterone (P) from water. They also have a strong ability to store E2 and the 5α-reduced metabolites of T and P in the form of fatty acid esters. These esters were shown to have half...

The fish acute toxicity test (TG203; OECD, 2019) is frequently used and highly embedded in hazard and risk assessment globally. The test estimates the concentration of a chemical that kills 50% of the fish (LC 50) over a 96 h exposure and is considered one of the most severe scientific procedures undertaken. Over the years, discussions at the Organ...

In 2018 the Joint Programming Initiative Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans (JPI Oceans) established the Knowledge Hub on the integrated assessment of chemical contaminants and their effects on the marine environment. The purpose of the Knowledge Hub was to provide recommendations on how to improve the methodological basis for marine chemical s...

The monitoring of anthropogenic chemicals in the aquatic environment including their potential effects on aquatic organisms, is important for protecting life under water, a key sustainable development goal. In parallel with monitoring the concentrations of chemicals of concern, sentinel species are often used to investigate the biological effects o...

The monitoring of anthropogenic chemicals in the aquatic environment including their potential effects on aquatic organisms, is important for protecting life under water, a key sustainable development goal. In parallel with monitoring the concentrations of chemicals of concern, sentinel species are often used to investigate the biological effects o...

Appropriate end-points are integral to the refinement of laboratory animal experiments. Our recent experience has highlighted that ambiguity around end-points is hampering their adoption in experiments that cause severe suffering to fish. In toxicology, the term endpoint (single word) refers to the response variable to the treatment that is measure...

Model fish species such as sticklebacks and zebrafish are frequently used in studies that require DNA to be collected from live animals. This is typically achieved by fin clipping, a procedure that is simple and reliable to perform but that can harm fish. An alternative procedure to sample DNA involves swabbing the skin to collect mucus and epithel...

Aquaculture is predicted to supply the majority of aquatic dietary protein by 2050. For aquaculture to deliver significantly enhanced volumes of food in a sustainable manner, appropriate account needs to be taken of its impacts on environmental integrity, farmed organism health and welfare, and human health. Here, we explore increased aquaculture p...

Hepatocellular fibrillar inclusions (HFI) are an unusual pathology of unknown aetiology affecting European flounder (Platichthys flesus), particularly from estuaries historically impacted by pollution. This study demonstrated that the HFI prevalence range was 6–77% at several UK estuaries, with Spearman rank correlation analysis showing a correlati...

Hypoxia is a major stressor in aquatic environments and it is frequently linked with excess nutrients resulting from sewage effluent discharges and agricultural runoff, which often also contain complex mixtures of chemicals. Despite this, interactions between hypoxia and chemical toxicity are poorly understood. We exposed male three-spined stickleb...

Hypoxia is one of the major threats to biodiversity in aquatic systems. The association of hypoxia with nutrient-rich effluent input into aquatic systems results in scenarios where hypoxic waters could be contaminated with a wide range of chemicals, including metals. Despite this, little is known about the ability of fish to respond to hypoxia when...

The challenges around evidence interpretation for the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on wildlife have been elegantly described in a recent restatement. Pursuing a causal link between EDCs and population-level effects in the marine environment is not an easy task because of the uncertainty generated by the (still) largely undescrib...

Development requires the implementation of a plethora of molecular mechanisms, involving a large set of genes to ensure proper cell differentiation, morphogenesis of tissues and organs as well as the growth of the organism. Genome duplication and resulting paralogs are considered to provide the raw genetic materials important for new adaptation opp...

Based on the results of a SETAC-sponsored Horizon Scanning exercise focused on advancing the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework, the development of guidance related to AOP network development was identified as a critical need. This not only included questions focusing directly on AOP networks, but also on related topics such as mixture toxicit...

Toxicological responses to stressors are more complex than the simple one biological perturbation to one adverse outcome model portrayed by individual adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). Consequently, the AOP framework was designed to facilitate de facto development of AOP networks that can aid understanding and prediction of pleiotropic and interacti...

People living a subsistence lifestyle in the Arctic are highly exposed to persistent organic pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Formerly Used Defense (FUD) sites are point sources of PCB pollution; the Arctic contains thousands of FUD sites, many co-located with indigenous villages. We investigated PCB profiles and biological e...

Tributyltin (TBT) has been recognized as an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) for several decades. However, only in the last decade, was its primary endocrine mechanism of action (MeOA) elucidated-interactions with the nuclear retinoid-X receptor (RXR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), and their heterodimers. This molecular i...

Previous studies have shown that mussels can pick up 17β-estradiol [E2] and testosterone [T] from water, metabolize them and conjugate them to fatty acids (esterification), leading to their accumulation in tissue. A key requirement for the esterification process is that a steroid must have a 'reactive' hydroxyl group to conjugate to a fatty acid (w...

Female three-spined sticklebacks are batch spawners laying eggs in a nest built by the male. We sampled female sticklebacks at different time points, when they were ready to spawn and 6, 24, 48 and 72 h post-spawning (hps) with a male. Following spawning, almost all females (15 out of 19) had ovulated eggs again at Day 3 post-spawning (72 hps). At...

In conjunction with the second International Environmental Omics Symposium (iEOS) conference, held at the University of Liverpool (UK) in September 2014, a workshop was held to bring together experts in toxicology and regulatory science from academia, government and industry. The purpose of the workshop was to review the specific roles that high-co...

This article provides data in support of the research article entitled “Rapid uptake, biotransformation, esterification and lack of depuration of testosterone and its metabolites by Mytilus spp.” (Schwarz et al., submitted for publication) [1]. The uptake of tritiated testosterone (T) from water by mussels is presented. The two main radioactive pea...

S6 — Case Study Summary Vinclozolin S6 — Vinclozolin — Table S6–5

S7 — Methods Used for Case Studies

S5 — Case Study Summary Trenbolone S5 — Trenbolone Table S5–5 S5 — Trenbolone Table S5–6

S3 — Perchlorate Table S2–4

S4 — Case Study Summary Propiconazole S4 — Case Study Summary TBT S4 — TBT Table S4–1 S4 — TBT Table S4–2 S4 — TBT Table S4–3

S1 — Case Study Summary EE2 S1 — EE2 Tables S1–7

S2 — Case Study Summary Perchlorate

The endogenous metabolites excreted by organisms into their surrounding environment, termed the exometabolome, are important for many processes including chemical communication. In fish biology, such metabolites are also known to be informative markers of physiological status. While metabolomics is increasingly used to investigate the endogenous bi...

The presence of the vertebrate steroids, testosterone (T) and 17β-estradiol in mollusks is often cited as evidence that they are involved in the control of their reproduction. In this paper, we show that a likely source of T in at least one species, the common mussel (Mytilus spp.), is from uptake from water. When mussels were exposed to waterborne...

A SETAC Pellston Workshop® “Environmental Hazard and Risk Assessment Approaches for Endocrine-Active Substances (EHRA)” was held in February 2016 in Pensacola, Florida, USA. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide advice, based on current scientific understanding, to regulators and policy makers; the aim being to make considered, infor...

Some fish populations inhabiting contaminated environments show evidence of increased chemical tolerance, however the mechanisms contributing to this tolerance, and whether this is heritable, are poorly understood. We investigated the responses of two populations of wild three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) with different histories of...

Hypoxia is a global problem in aquatic systems and often co-occurs with pollutants. Despite this, little is known about the combined effects of these stressors on aquatic organisms. The objective of this study was to investigate the combined effects of hypoxia and copper, a toxic metal widespread in the aquatic environment. We used the three-spined...

The data presented in this article primarily provide support for the research article entitled “Mussels (Mytilus spp.) display an ability for rapid and high capacity uptake of the vertebrate steroid, estradiol-17β from water” [1]. Data are presented on the ability of mussels to absorb tritiated estradiol (E2) from water. The data indicate that most...

In the present study, existing regulatory frameworks and test systems for assessing potential endocrine active chemicals are described, and associated challenges are discussed, along with proposed approaches to address these challenges. Regulatory frameworks vary somewhat across geographies, but all basically evaluate whether a chemical possesses e...

Six experiments were carried out to define the optimum conditions for investigating the dynamics of uptake and metabolism of tritiated E 2 from water by adult blue mussels, Mytilus spp. Optimum uptake was achieved using 400 mL aerated sea water animal À1 and an incubation period of no more than 24 h. The pattern of disappearance conformed closest t...

http://globe.setac.org/2016/june/setac-nantes-session-summaries.html#

Background: The Arctic is subject to atmospheric deposition of persistent organic pollutants through the process of global distillation. It also contains thousands of sites with local sources of contamination, including military installations, mining operations, and petroleum extraction facilities. Pollutants accumulate in surface waters. Aim: To i...

Background: Female threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, are batch spawners. As in most teleosts, the ovulated eggs are kept in the ovarian cavity until spawning. If spawning or spontaneous release of the eggs does not take place, they can become overripe and harden, and in most cases remain in the ovary. The overripe eggs are lost for r...

Fisheries and aquaculture production, imports, exports and equitability of distribution determine the supply of aquatic food to people. Aquatic food security is achieved when a food supply is sufficient, safe, sustainable, shockproof and sound: sufficient, to meet needs and preferences of people; safe, to provide nutritional benefit while posing mi...

Aquatic environments are especially susceptible to anthropogenic chemical pollution. Yet although knowledge on the biological effects of pollutants on aquatic organisms is increasing, far less is known about how ecologically-important interspecific interactions are affected by chemicals. In particular, the consequences of anthropogenic pollution fo...

The Water Framework Directive (WFD), 2000/60/EC, requires an integrated approach to the monitoring and assessment of the quality of surface water bodies. The chemical status assessment is based on compliance with legally binding Environmental Quality Standards (EQSs) for selected chemical pollutants (priority substances) of EU-wide concern. In the...

Press release http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-03/s-nmt031315.php The Water Framework Directive (WFD), 2000/60/EC, requires an integrated approach to the monitoring and assessment of the quality of surface water bodies. The chemical status assessment is based on compliance with legally binding Environmental Quality Standards (EQSs) for...

In the context of the Water Framework Directive, the use of effect-based tools can be foreseen for the elaboration and implementation of monitoring programmes and could be used to support the assessment of water quality and provide a link between chemical and ecological assessments. The main aim of this technical report is to present the state of t...

The Annex contains the following topics: 1. Case Studies (14 in total) 2. Proposals to assess endocrine disruption 3. Native vs preatreated water samples and passive sampling 4. Standards/Guidances available 5. Validation and standardisation of bioassays and biomarkers 6. Factsheets for certain biomarkers and bioassays 7. Biomarkers and in vitro-a...

The use of effect-based tools has been mentioned in the context of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) guidance no.19 (on water chemical monitoring), in the CIS guidance no. 25 (on sediment and biota monitoring), and (in relation to sediment assessment) in the CIS guidance no. 27 (on environmental quality...

Annex to main technical report on effects-based monitoring

Oil pollution from various sources, including exploration, production and transportation, is a growing global concern. The highest toxicity of hydrocarbon pollutants is associated with the water-soluble phase compounds, including naphthenic acids, a known component found in all hydrocarbon deposits. Recently, naphthenic acids (NAs) have shown estro...

Pollution is a significant environmental pressure on fish populations in both freshwater and marine environments. Populations subjected to chronic exposure to pollutants can experience impacts ranging from altered reproductive capacity to changes in population genetic structure. Few studies, however, have examined the reproductive vigor of individu...

Increasing attention is being directed at the role played by anti-androgenic chemicals in endocrine disruption of wildlife within the aquatic environment. The co-occurrence of multiple contaminants with anti-androgenic activity highlights a need for the predictive assessment of combined effects, but information about anti-androgen mixture effects o...

An assessment of contaminants and their biological effects in Scottish flatfish Craig D. Robinson1, Kelly MacNeish1, Lynda Webster1, Janina Barsiene2, Aleksandras Rybakovas2, John Bignell3, Ioanna Katsiadaki3, Marion Sebire3 and Matthew Gubbins1 1Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory, PO Box 101, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen. AB11 9DB. UK. 2 N...

The aim of this study was to examine the occurrence of endocrine disruption close to sewage treatment plant effluent discharges along the Finnish Baltic Sea coast using a set of reproductive biomarkers present in adult three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Possible variation and sensitivity of the biomarkers during an entire reproducti...

Ovarian growth (vitellogenesis) in most lower vertebrates is mediated by estradiol-17beta (E2) secreted by the follicles in response to the follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh), whereas oocyte maturation and ovulation is mediated by progestins, such as 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one (17,20beta-P), produced in response to the luteinizing hor...

This study was designed to assess whether the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and other substances from a Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) effluent (receiving water: R. Ray, Swindon, UK) by granular activated carbon (GAC) affected biomarkers of exposure to EDCs [vitellogenin (VTG) and spiggin] in male and female three-spined stic...

Reproductive strategies differ remarkably among fish species, including the means by which fish find and attract mates, secure breeding sites and care for their eggs and offspring. These range from simple release of eggs and sperm in the water column to elaborate mating ceremonies, leading to fertilization in a protected place or inside the female...

Expression of site-predictive genes and metabolites. Expression profiles of the site-predictive genes and metabolites shown in Figure 6, separated by K-means clustering and functionally annotated within DAVID. (DOCX)

Gene expression and metabolic changes. Identifiable transcripts and metabolites that were significantly different between sampling sites (ANOVA FDR<0.05). Best viewed in MS-Excel. (XLSX)

Omic data altered with Lepeophtheirus infection. Genes and metabolites altered with Lepeophtheirus infection in Morecambe Bay fish (T-test FDR<0.05). Best viewed in MS-Excel. (XLSX)

Networks derived from modules that were predictive of sampling sites. A1 to A8 – Ingenuity networks derived from the union of modules that were highly predictive of sampling sites (5 or more), shown as major area A in Figure 3. B1 Ingenuity network derived from the module that was predictive of sampling sites (3), shown as minor area B in Figure 3....

Correlations of omic data with other variables. Correlations between gene and metabolite expression and chemistry data; comparisons of gene and metabolite expression with presence or absence of liver pathologies; comparisons of gene and metabolite expression with metallothionein quartile. Best viewed in MS-Excel. (XLSX)

Gene-chemical interactions associated with sampling sites. Best viewed in MS-Excel. (XLSX)

Modules overlapping with histopathology and chemical treatments. A to D – modules coloured red predict parasite infections and presence of histopathological liver abnormalities using GALGO with a sensitivity and specificity of >70%. E to L - modules coloured red significantly overlap (Fisher's Exact Test FDR<0.05) with transcripts significantly alt...

Supplementary methods, results and discussion. (DOCX)