The chronic effects of nonylphenol and vitamin C on the level of gene expression

Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) which are one of precursor toxic enviromental pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals threaten all living creatures. APEs are surfactants that are used in products such as paint, cleaning products, herbicides and pesticides. Nonylphenol (NF), which is the degradation product of APE stands out as the most important intermediate product that is widely used in formulation of household products and industrial products. Paints, textile products, personal care products and plastics are abundant in NF. Being available in the environment and having a toxic effect increase the importance of NF. In this thesis, it was sought to determine whether environmentally relevant concentration of NP has an effect on the expresson of genes that regulates apoptosis. In order to determine the level of changes in the gene expression, relative quantity of the target mRNA has been determined and fluorescent data coming from real-time PCR have been assessed in line with the data analysis method. Results indicated that NP caused a significant increase in the expression of apoptotic caspase-3 gene, while it caused a significant decrease in the expression of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 genes in a dose dependent manner and the vitamin C enhanced the effects of NP in both cases (p<0.05). Morover, NP caused a dramatic decrease in the expression of p53 genes in all treatment groups, whereas it caused a dramatic rise in the expression bcl-XL gene in females but not in males. In conclusion, while NP induced the expression of apoptotic gene, it inhibited anti-apoptotic genes and vitamin C had been shown to accelarate the NP-induced effects in both cases.