Carbaryl exposure and recovery modify the interrenal and thyroidal activities and the mitochondria-rich cell function in the climbing perch Anabas testudineus Bloch

Distortion of micronuclei and other peripheral erythrocytes caused by fenitrothion and their recovery assemblage in zebrafish

The experiment was explicated to investigate the fenitrothion persuaded genotoxicity in the peripheral erythrocytes of zebrafish (Danio rerio) through in vivo exposures (10 %, 20 % and 40 % of LC50 of fenitrothion, i.e., 0.8, 1.6, and 3.2 mg/L, respectively) for variable periods (1, 3, and 7 days) and its subsequent post-exposure recuperation array in pesticide-free water for similar intervals was also evaluated. With the exception of the control group (0% of fenitrothion), the obtained results pointed out that with the promotion of time and concentrations, fenitrothion induced significantly (p < 0.05) higher prevalence and severity of erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) such as- notched, micronucleus, nuclear bridges, blebbed, binucleated, nuclear bud and also erythrocytic cellular abnormalities (ECA) such as - echinocytic, elongated, tear-drop, crescentic, twin, fusion, and spindle-shaped cells. Recuperation data stated that zebrafish cured spontaneously and aberrated erythrocytic anomalies in all treatments were renormalized according to the concentration and duration dependence. Hence, we concluded that fenitrothion has a dangerous effect on the zebrafish, and this technology can be used to anticipate the sensitivity of aquatic animals to environmental pollution.

Zymosan-induced immune challenge modifies the stress response of hypoxic air-breathing fish (Anabas testudineus Bloch): Evidence for reversed patterns of cortisol and thyroid hormone interaction, differential ion transporter functions and non-specific immune response

Fishes have evolved physiological mechanisms to exhibit stress response, where hormonal signals interact with an array of ion transporters and regulate homeostasis. As major ion transport regulators in fish, cortisol and thyroid hormones have been shown to interact and fine-tune the stress response. Likewise, in fishes many interactions have been identified between stress and immune components, but the physiological basis of such interaction has not yet delineated particularly in air-breathing fish. We, therefore, investigated the responses of thyroid hormones and cortisol, ion transporter functions and non-specific immune response of an obligate air-breathing fish Anabas testudineus Bloch to zymosan treatment or hypoxia stress or both, to understand how immune challenge modifies the pattern of stress response in this fish. Induction of experimental peritonitis in these fish by zymosan treatment (200ngg^-1) for 24h produced rise in respiratory burst and lysozomal activities in head kidney phagocytes. In contrast, hypoxia stress for 30min in immune-challenged fish reversed these non-specific responses of head kidney phagocytes. The decline in plasma cortisol in zymosan-treated fish and its further suppression by hypoxia stress indicate that immune challenge suppresses the cortisol-driven stress response of this fish. Likewise, the decline in plasma T₃ and T₄ after zymosan-treatment and the rise in plasma T₄ after hypoxia stress in immune-challenged fish indicate a critical role for thyroid hormone in immune-stress response due to its differential sensitivity to both immune and stress challenges. Further, analysis of the activity pattern of ion-dependent ATPases viz. Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, H⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Na⁺/NH₄⁺-ATPase indicates a functional interaction of ion transport system with the immune response as evident in its differential and spatial modifications after hypoxia stress in immune-challenged fish. The immune-challenge that produced differential pattern of mRNA expression of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase α-subunit isoforms; nkaα1a, nkaα1b and nkaα1c and the shift in nkaα1a and nkaα1b isoforms expression after hypoxia stress in immune-challenged fish, presents transcriptomic evidence for a modified Na⁺/K⁺ ion transporter system in these fish. Collectively, our data thus provide evidence for an interactive immune-stress response in an air-breathing fish, where the patterns of cortisol-thyroid hormone interaction, the ion transporter functions and the non-specific immune responses are reversed by hypoxia stress in immune-challenged fish.

Long term effects of carbaryl exposure on antiviral immune responses in Xenopus laevis

Water pollutants associated with agriculture may contribute to the increased prevalence of infectious diseases caused by ranaviruses. We have established the amphibian Xenopus laevis and the ranavirus Frog Virus 3 (FV3) as a reliable experimental platform for evaluating the effects of common waterborne pollutants, such as the insecticide carbaryl. Following 3 weeks of exposure to 10 ppb carbaryl, X. laevis tadpoles exhibited a marked increase in mortality and accelerated development. Exposure at lower concentrations (0.1 and 1.0 ppb) was not toxic, but it impaired tadpole innate antiviral immune responses, as evidenced by significantly decreased TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-I, and IFN-III gene expression. The defect in IFN-I and IL-1β gene expression levels persisted after metamorphosis in froglets, whereas only IFN-I gene expression in response to FV3 was attenuated when carbaryl exposure was performed at the adult stage. These findings suggest that the agriculture-associated carbaryl exposure at low but ecologically-relevant concentrations has the potential to induce long term alterations in host-pathogen interactions and antiviral immunity.

Metabolic and transcriptional responses of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) to environmental stress: new insights in fish mitochondrial phenotyping

The aim of the current study was to phenotype fish metabolism and the transcriptionally-mediated response of hepatic mitochondria of gilthead sea bream to intermittent and repetitive environmental stressors: (i) changes in water temperature (T-ST), (ii) changes in water level and chasing (C-ST) and (iii) multiple sensory perception stressors (M-ST). Gene expression profiling was done using a quantitative PCR array of 60 mitochondria-related genes, selected as markers of transcriptional regulation, oxidative metabolism, respiration uncoupling, antioxidant defense, protein import/folding/assembly, and mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis. The mitochondrial phenotype mirrored changes in fish performance, haematology and lactate production. T-ST especially up-regulated transcriptional factors (PGC1α, NRF1, NRF2), rate limiting enzymes of fatty acid β-oxidation (CPT1A) and tricarboxylic acid cycle (CS), membrane translocases (Tim/TOM complex) and molecular chaperones (mtHsp10, mtHsp60, mtHsp70) to improve the oxidative capacity in a milieu of a reduced feed intake and impaired haematology. The lack of mitochondrial response, increased production of lactate and negligible effects on growth performance in C-ST fish were mostly considered as a switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. A strong down-regulation of PGC1α, NRF1, NRF2, CPT1A, CS and markers of mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis (BAX, BCLX, MFN2, MIRO2) occurred in M-ST fish in association with the greatest circulating cortisol concentration and a reduced lactate production and feed efficiency, which represents a metabolic condition with the highest allostatic load score. These findings evidence a high mitochondrial plasticity against stress stimuli, providing new insights to define the threshold level of stress condition in fish.