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 originale | Inglese |
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pagine (da-a) | 398-405 |
Numero di pagine | 8 |
Rivista | Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part - C: Toxicology and Pharmacology |
Volume | 146 |
Numero di pubblicazione | 3 |
DOI | |
Stato di pubblicazione | Pubblicato - set 2007 |