Application of a biomarker battery for the evaluation of the sublethal effects of pollutants in the earthworm Eisenia andrei

Laura Gastaldi, Elia Ranzato, Flavia Caprì, Peter Hankard, Guénola Pérès, Laura Canesi, Aldo Viarengo, Giovanni Pons

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo su rivistaArticolo in rivistapeer review

Abstract

We applied a battery of biomarkers in the earthworm Eisenia andrei to assess the pollutant-induced stress syndrome. Earthworms were exposed to sublethal concentrations of copper (1-10 μM) and benzo[a]pyrene (0.01-10 μM) as models of inorganic and organic pollutants for 1, 3 and 7 days. Four potential biomarkers of stress were measured: lysosomal membrane stability of coelomocytes, lysosomal accumulation of lipofuscin in chloragogenous tissue and of neutral lipids in coelomatic cells, plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity in the intestinal epithelium; metallothionein content was also evaluated as a biomarker of exposure. Significant changes were observed in the parameters measured in earthworms exposed to both contaminants. Certain biomarkers, such as lysosomal membrane stability and Ca2+-ATPase activity, that showed a decreasing trend with increasing pollutant concentration and time of exposure, proved to be particularly suitable to describe the evolution of a stress syndrome from its early phase to the development of pathological conditions. On the other hand, contaminant-induced changes in lysosomal lipofuscin and neutral lipid accumulation showed a bell-shaped trend, indicating that these biomarkers are able to follow the development of pollutant-induced stress syndrome as far as an equilibrium in the cell functions is maintained; therefore, they are particularly useful to describe mild stress conditions.

Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)398-405
Numero di pagine8
RivistaComparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part - C: Toxicology and Pharmacology
Volume146
Numero di pubblicazione3
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - set 2007

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