Nonylphenol Causes Decrease in Antioxidant Enzyme Activities, Increase in O₂⁻Content, and Alteration in Ultrastructures of FG Cells, a Flounder (<i>Paralichthys olivaceus</i>) Gill Cell Line

Abstract

ABSTRACT The findings in this study were that the exposure of FG cells to nonylphenol (NP) caused decreases in the cell growth rate, antioxidant enzyme activities, and ATP content; an increase in intracellular O(2)(-) content; and alteration of the organelles such as mitochondria and the RER. It is proposed that the reduction in antioxidant enzyme activities leads to accumulation of O(2)(-) content, which in turn results in the damage of mitochondrial infrastructures and a decline in energy production, which then causes the ultrastructural alterations in the cells. In addition, we show that FG cells are a good candidate system for evaluation of NP acute toxicities.