Protein Metabolic Response to Carbon Tetrachloride in A Freshwater Fish, Sarotherodon Mossambicus

Exposure of a freshwater teleost, Sarotherodon mossambicus, to a sublethal concentration (26 ppm) of carbon tetrachloride for periods up to 30 days led to significant changes in the soluble protein fractions (albumin and globulins) and free amino acid content. the decrease in total protein content was greater in liver than in muscle. the protein loss was expected due to the impairement of protein synthetic activity during stress conditions.     

不同城市PM2.5致小鼠肝脏纤维化的效应差异研究

为阐明PM_2.5诱发肝脏纤维化的潜在机制以及导致这种不良效应的主要组分,本研究以采自我国太原、北京、杭州和广州市的PM_2.5暴露10月龄C57BL/6雌性小鼠4周后,利用组织切片染色,荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)以及Western blot技术检测小鼠肝脏纤维化的发生,并采用皮尔森相关系数法分析不同城市PM_2.5暴露组小鼠肝脏纤维化相关基因表达水平与各城市典型化学组分的线性相关关系.结果发现,与对照组相比,太原组和杭州组小鼠肝脏脏器系数显著降低;太原组小鼠肝脏胶原沉积面积显著增加,肝脏纤维化相关基因(Col1a1、Col3a1、TGF-β和MMP2)的转录水平显著升高,并且也仅有太原组PM_2.5暴露诱导了小鼠肝脏Col1a1蛋白的显著增高,而其他城市PM_2.5暴露组并未见上述纤维化相关因子的显著变化.相关性分析结果显示,Cr、Mn、Mo、Cs、Pb、Bi、U和Fe等金属组分与Col1a1和Col3a1的mRNA表达呈显著正相关,除NA、AC及BaP外其余15种多环芳烃均与Col1a1表达显著相关,18种PAHs之和与Col3a1表达显著相关.上述结果表明,PM_2.5暴露可导致小鼠肝脏纤维化的发生,其中太原市PM_2.5诱导肝脏纤维化发生最为显著,TGF-β及其通路中相关信号分子在介导PM_2.5诱发肝脏纤维化发生中发挥了重要作用,Cr、Mn、Mo、Cs、Pb、Bi、U、Fe及PAHs很可能是细颗粒物暴露导致小鼠肝脏纤维化的关键毒性组分.     

Multielement distribution in different plant organs∗

Different elements were found to accumulate at different levels at different parts of balsam plants. Results on multielement concentrations determined for plant foodstufffs of root, seed and leaf nature and As, Cr and Zn distributions along the stems and roots of balsam plant agree well with the above finding.     

Effects of aerobic exercise on histopathology and toxicology of ZnO and nano ZnO in male rats

The effects of four weeks of aerobic exercise on histopathological and toxicological effects induced by nano ZnO and ZnO powders in male rats were evaluated. Tissue sections of liver and kidneys of ZnO and nano ZnO rats showed some histopathological changes, which were partly reverted by exercise. ZnO and nano ZnO treatments caused an increase in the level of tumor necrosis factor-α, while the mean of Interleukin 10 was declined. Exercise training enhanced the mean value of and declined mean level of in rats treated with ZnO and nano ZnO. The ZnO and ZnO groups demonstrated the highest means of insulin resistance, low density lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride levels and lower mean value of compared to the other groups, while exercise resulted in improvement in mean of these factors.     

Dichloroacetate- and trichloroacetate-induced modulation of superoxide dismutase,catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and glutathione level in the livers of mice after subacute and subchronic exposures

Dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA) were previously found to induce various levels of oxidative stress in the hepatic tissues of mice after subacute and subchronic exposures. The cells are known to have several protective mechanisms against production of oxidative stress by different xenobiotics. To assess the roles of the antioxidant enzymes and glutathione (GSH) in DCA- and TCA-induced oxidative stress, groups of B6C3F1 mice were administered either DCA or TCA at doses of 7.7, 77, 154, and 410 mg kg^?1 day^?1, by gavage for 4 weeks (4-W) and 13 weeks (13-W), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, as well as GSH were determined in the hepatic tissues. DCA at doses ranging between 7.7–410, and 7.7–77 mg kg^?1 day^?1, given for 4-W and 13-W, respectively, resulted in either suppression or no change in SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities, but doses of 154–410 mg DCA kg^?1 day^?1 administered for 13-W were found to result in a significant induction of the three enzyme activities. TCA administration on the other hand, resulted in increases in the SOD and CAT activities, but caused suppression of GSH-Px activity in both the periods. Except for the DCA doses of 77–154 mg kg^?1 day^?1 administered for 13-W that resulted in a significant reduction in the GSH levels, all other DCA as well as TCA treatments produced no changes in GSH. Since these enzymes are involved in the detoxification of the reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion (SA), and H₂O₂, it is concluded that SA is the main contributor to DCA-induced oxidative stress, while both ROS contribute to that of TCA. The increase in the enzyme activities associated with 154–410 mg DCA kg^1? day^?1 in the 13-W period suggest their role as protective mechanisms contributing to the survival of cells modified in response to those treatments.     

Sub-chronic exposure to carbendazim induces biochemical and hematological alterations in male goats

The present investigation reports the effect of repeated (90 days) administration of carbendazim on the biochemical and hematological parameters in male goats. Carbendazim administered orally at a daily dose of 50 mg kg^?1 body weight for 90 consecutive days resulted in increased plasma concentration of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), creatinine and albumin, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and glucose levels were decreased. Decrease in total leukocyte (TLC) and neutrophil count and increase in lymphocyte count was observed in the treatment group. The findings of the present investigation indicate that sub-chronic exposure to carbendazim in male goats causes hepatic and slight kidney dysfunctions.     

Histology of Sculpin spp. in east Greenland. I. Histological measures

There is inadequate morphological nomenclature and definition of organ pathology when using wild fish in biomonitoring of environmental pollution. The aim of this investigation was to provide a guide that assesses histology of Shorthorn (Myoxocephalus scorpius) and Fourhorn (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) sculpins obtained from a study using these two fish species as bioindicator organisms to evaluate environmental impact attributed to a dumpsite located in East Greenland. Specific histopathological lesions were quantified on the basis of Bernet et al. and all lesions were photomicrographed, evaluated, and placed into specific categories of five reaction patterns. These were circulatory disturbances, regressive changes, progressive alterations, inflammation, and tumors based on anatomical location, type, and severity. This method is postulated to enable an objective assessment of the histological integrity of fish gills and liver; thus, making it possible to compare sculpin pathology and reaction patterns at different locations. Data suggest that this updated histological guide might be used for identification and quantification of histological lesions when applying sculpins in biomonitoring programs in Greenland and other Arctic regions.     

Histology of Sculpin spp. in East Greenland. II. Histopathology and trace element concentrations

Abstract

For many years, the sculpin has been utilized as a sentinel monitoring species for anthropogenic impacts on the marine environment. To further develop its potential as a screening model body burden of several trace elements, including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and selenium (Se), were investigated. In addition, histopathology in shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius; n?=?20) and fourhorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus quadricornis; n?=?10) were examined at three sites around the Scoresby Sound settlement in Central East Greenland. Fourhorn sculpins caught at the most distant site from the settlement, contained significantly higher hepatic Cu and Cd concentrations as well as significantly elevated gill Pb levels compared to the shorthorn sculpins collected at two other sites closer to the settlement. Histological examinations showed that fish with significantly higher concentrations of hepatic Cd and Se exhibited greater nuclear alterations, interstitial hyperplasia/hypertrophy, interstitial mononuclear infiltrations and granulomas. Further, fish with higher Cd and Cu gill tissue levels displayed a significantly higher number of cytoplasmic alterations and lamellar epithelium lifting, hypertrophic and hyperplastic epithelium along with mucus cell hyperplasia. While the presence of liver lesions were not species or sex-specific, the presence of gill lesions decreased in the order female fourhorn sculpins?>?female shorthorn sculpins?>?male fourhorn sculpins?>?male shorthorn sculpins. Hepatic Hg concentrations exceeded known lowest observable effect doses (LOED) for fish (0.1–0.5?μg g^?1 ww) in 27% of fish, while liver Cd residues in 80% exceeded LOED (0.42–1.8?μg g^?1 ww). Based upon these results, data suggest that using the sculpin as a valuable sentinel fish species histopathology may serve as a reliable tool for assessing marine ecosystem exposure to trace metals. However, confounding physiological and ecological factors also need to be considered.     

Accumulation and elimination of cadmium and lead in juvenile milkfish during sublethal exposure

Pollution of aquatic environments by trace metals is a worldwide environmental problem. Metal pollutants are increasingly being released into the environment as a result of industrialization. In this study, the bioaccumulation of cadmium and lead in young juvenile milkfish liver (Chanos chanos) was investigated after exposure to three sublethal concentration of each pollutants (1/20, 1/10, and 1/5 LC₅₀ of 96-h LC₅₀) for acute time 12, 24, and 96 h and subchronically for 7, 14, and 21 days. Cadmium and lead accumulation in liver increased with the exposure period and concentrations of pollutant. Compared to controls, the uptake of cadmium is much higher than that of lead. Accumulation factors showed an increase with exposure time and for lead an inverse relationship between accumulation factor and exposure concentration. The elimination of the two pollutants during the 30 days depuration was investigated after 30 days depuration time. During this phase, cadmium and lead concentrations decreased.     

Enzymatic and cellular level effects of nickel∗

The effects of Ni on hepatic enzymes of tilapia, viz. acid‐ and alkaline phosphatases, catalase and glucose‐6‐phosphatase, both under in vivo and in vitro conditions reflected the following tendencies. In vivo conditions indicated maximal increase in activity for acid phosphatase at 3.00 ppm, equivalent to 28.5%, followed by a slight decrease and increase thereafter. As for alkaline phosphatase, gradual increase in activity was observed with maximal activity at 9 ppm of Ni, equivalent to 16.8%. Catalase demonstrated similar tendencies with maximal activity at 9.0 ppm, equivalent to 101.2%. In the case of glucose‐6‐phosphatase, the tendency was the reverse with maximal inhibition at 9.00 ppm, i.e. 41.9%. In contrast to in vivo conditions, in vitro systems indicated that all investigated enzymes were inhibited in the region of 4–10% except for catalase which demonstrated a slight increase by 5–6% in activity between concentrations of 10–15 ppm of Ni but thereafter continuous inhibitory effects prevailed.

At cellular level, exposure of tilapia to a lethal dose of 9 ppm of Ni indicated not much of an adverse effect except for a slight depletion in fat and glycogen content. In the case of mitochondria, they were normal and a few large secondary lysosomes were observed. In relation to the cell membrane no dramatic change was detected.