The ionic composition of the plasma and erythrocytes of deep sea fish

Precision-cut liver slices to investigate responsiveness of deep-sea fish to contaminants at high pressure

While deep-sea fish accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), the toxicity associated with this contamination remains unknown. Indeed, the recurrent collection of moribund individuals precludes experimental studies to investigate POP effects in this fauna. We show that precision-cut liver slices (PCLS), an in vitro tool commonly used in human and rodent toxicology, can overcome such limitation. This technology was applied to individuals of the deep-sea grenadier Coryphaenoides rupestris directly upon retrieval from 530-m depth in Trondheimsfjord (Norway). PCLS remained viable and functional for 15 h when maintained in an appropriate culture media at 4 °C. This allowed experimental exposure of liver slices to the model POP 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC; 25 μM) at levels of hydrostatic pressure mimicking shallow (0.1 megapascal or MPa) and deep-sea (5-15 MPa; representative of 500-1500 m depth) environments. As in shallow water fish, 3-MC induced the transcription of the detoxification enzyme cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A; a biomarker of exposure to POPs). This induction was diminished at elevated pressure, suggesting a limited responsiveness of C. rupestris toward POPs in its native environment. This very first in vitro toxicological investigation on a deep-sea fish opens the route for understanding pollutants effects in this highly exposed fauna.

TMAO and other organic osmolytes in the muscles of amphipods (Crustacea) from shallow and deep water of Lake Baikal

Concentrations of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) and other 'compatible' osmolytes were analyzed in the muscle tissue of Lake Baikal amphipods (Crustacea) in relation to water depth of the freshwater Lake Baikal. Using HPLC and mass spectrometry, glycerophosphoryl choline (GPC), betaine, S-methyl-cysteine, sarcosine, and taurine were detected for the first time in freshwater amphipods. These osmolytes were frequently found in the five species studied but mixtures were too complex to be quantified. The pattern of these osmolytes did not change with respect to water depth. The TMAO concentration, however, was significantly higher in the muscle tissue of amphipods living in deep water than of those living in shallow water, which supports the hypothesis that TMAO acts as a protective osmolyte at increased hydrostatic pressure. We propose that eurybathic amphipods, exposed to raised hydrostatic pressure in the extremely deep freshwater Lake Baikal, have elevated TMAO levels to counteract the adverse effect of high pressure on protein structure. The elevated intracellular osmotic pressure is balanced by upregulating the extracellular hemolymph NaCl concentration.

Red blood cell aggregability is enhanced by physiological levels of hydrostatic pressure

The effect of hydrostatic pressure of up to 15 bars on the aggregability of rat and human red blood cells (RBC), i.e., their capability to form aggregates, was studied using computerized image analysis. The aggregate size distribution was determined under ambient pressure, following application of hydrostatic pressure for various durations up to 2 h. It was found that RBC aggregability markedly increases, up to three-fold, as the pressure which had been applied was increased. Accordingly, higher shear stress is required for dispersing the aggregates of pressure-treated RBC than those of untreated cells. The median size of human RBC aggregates was about three times higher than that of rat RBC, and this ratio was maintained following pressure treatment. RBC aggregability is a major determinant in blood flow, especially in the microcirculation. Pressure at the levels used in this study occurs in physiological states such as hyperbaric treatment or diving. The enhanced aggregability induced by application of such pressure implies that blood flow in microvessels might be altered under conditions associated with elevated hydrostatic pressure.

The adaptation of biological membranes to temperature and pressure: fish from the deep and cold

The homeostatic regulation of bilayer order is a property of functional importance. Arguably, it is best studied in those organisms which experience and must overcome disturbances in bilayer order which may be imposed by variations in temperature of hydrostatic pressure. This article reviews our recent work on the adaptations of order in brain membranes of those fish which acclimate to seasonal changes in temperature or which have evolved in extreme thermal or abyssal habitats. The effects of temperature and pressure upon hydrocarbon order and phase state are reviewed to indicate the magnitude of the disturbances experienced by animals in their environments over the seasonal or evolutionary timescale. Acclimation of fish to altered temperature leads to a partial correction of order, while comparison of fish from extreme cold environments with those from temperate or tropical waters reveals a more complete adaptation. Fish from the deep sea also display adaptations of bilayer order which largely overcome the ordering effects of pressure.