Tissue and developmental variations in the heat shock response of sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus): effects of an increase in acclimation temperature

Exposure of adult sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius to stranded heavy fuel oil causes developmental toxicity on larval offspring

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) spills pose serious threat to coastlines and sensitive resources. Stranded HFO that occurs along the coastline could cause long-term and massive damage to the marine environment and indirectly affect the survival of parental marine invertebrates. However, our understanding of the complex associations within invertebrates is primarily limited, particularly in terms of the toxicity effects on the offspring when parents are exposed to stranded HFO. Here, we investigated the persistent effects on the early development stage of the offspring following stranded HFO exposure on the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. After 21 d exposure, sea urchins exhibited a significant decrease in the reproductive capacity; while the reactive oxygen species level, 3-nitrotyrosine protein level, protein carbonyl level, and heat shock proteins 70 expression in the gonadal tissues and gametes significantly increased as compared to the controls, indicating that HFO exposure could cause development toxicity on offspring in most traits of larval size. These results suggested that the stranded HFO exposure could increase oxidative stress of gonadal tissues, impair reproductive functions in parental sea urchins, and subsequently impact on development of their offspring. This study provides valuable information regarding the persistent toxicity effects on the offspring following stranded HFO exposure on sea urchins.

Sea lamprey cardiac mitochondrial bioenergetics after exposure to TFM and its metabolites

Population control of invasive sea lamprey relies heavily on lampricide treatment of infested streams. The lampricide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) is thought to impair mitochondrial ATP production through uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation. However, the effect of TFM on the entire electron transport chain (complexes I to V) in the mitochondria is not clear. In addition, TFM is reduced in phase I metabolism by sea lamprey at higher levels than in other fish species. The effects of these TFM reductive metabolites on mitochondria have not been explored. In this study, we sought to examine the effects of TFM and its reductive metabolite amino-TFM (TFMa) on cardiac mitochondrial oxygen consumption and membrane potential to delineate potential mechanisms for toxicity. To determine if molecules with similar structure also exhibit similar effects on mitochondria, we used 4-nitro-3-methylphenol (NMP) and its reductive metabolites 4-amino-3-methylphenol (NMPa) and 4-nitroso-3-methylphenol (NMPn) for comparisons. We found that mitochondrial bioenergetics was heavily affected with increasing concentrations of TFM, NMP, and NMPa when complexes I and II of the electron transport chain were examined, indicating that the toxic action of these compounds was exerted not only by uncoupling complex V, but also affecting complexes I and II.

Effects of heat stress on respiratory burst, oxidative damage and SERPINH1 (HSP47) mRNA expression in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

For rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, high temperature is a major abiotic stress that limits its growth and productivity. In this study, spleen macrophage respiratory burst (RB), serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and mRNA expression of the SERPINH1 (HSP47) gene in different tissues (liver, spleen, head kidney and heart) were measured in unstressed (18 °C) and heat-stressed (25 °C) fish. Spleen macrophage RB activity, serum SOD activity and MDA content all increased significantly (P < 0.05) during heat shock, and peaked at 8, 12 and 4 h, respectively. SERPINH1 mRNA expression responded in a time- and tissue-specific manner to heat stress, which was mainly reflected in the significant up-regulation in all tissues (P < 0.05) and greater expression in the liver than the other tissues (P < 0.05). During the heat-shock recovery period, the MDA content returned to the unstressed level. These results indicate that heat shock causes cell injury, induces oxidative damage and promotes SERPINH1 mRNA expression, which plays an important protective function during heat stress in O. mykiss. In practice, close attention should be given to temperature changes in O. mykiss production to reduce the effects of high temperature.

Differences in heat shock protein 70 expression during larval and early spat development in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791)

For a variety of species, changes in the expression of heat shock proteins (HSP) have been linked to key developmental changes, i.e., gametogenesis, embryogenesis, and metamorphosis. Many marine invertebrates are known to have a biphasic life cycle where pelagic larvae go through settlement and metamorphosis as they transition to the benthic life stage. A series of experiments were run to examine the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) during larval and early spat (initial benthic phase) development in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. In addition, the impact of thermal stress on HSP 70 expression during these early stages was studied. C. virginica larvae and spat expressed three HSP 70 isoforms, two constitutive, HSC 77 and HSC 72, and one inducible, HSP 69. We found differences in the expression of both the constitutive and inducible forms of HSP 70 among larval and early juvenile stages and in response to thermal stress. Low expression of HSP 69 during early larval and spat development may be associated with the susceptibility of these stages to environmental stress. Although developmental regulation of HSP 70 expression has been widely recognized, changes in its expression during settlement and metamorphosis of marine invertebrates are still unknown. The results of the current study demonstrated a reduction of HSP 70 expression during settlement and metamorphosis in the Eastern oyster, C. virginica.

Field and laboratory investigations of the thermal influence on tissue-specific Hsp70 levels in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Thermal discharge from power stations can affect normal environmental conditions and change in heat shock proteins expression of native fish with increasing temperature. In this study, we investigated levels of Hsp70 in the heart, kidney, brain and gill of the common carp Cyprinus carpio both in long-term heat discharge environment and after 24 h acute heat shock exposure. In laboratory exposure experiments, fish acclimated at 10 degrees C were exposed to various elevated temperatures (20, 24 and 28 degrees C). Hsp70 concentrations were determined in tissues by Western blotting analysis after one dimensional SDS-PAGE separation. In the field study, the level of Hsp70 in the gill of the carp remained at control values, and Hsp70 expression in the heart, kidney and brain underwent a 2.8 to 3.7-fold increase. A lower thermal sensitivity of the Hsp70 response of the brain, compared with the heart, kidney and gill, was observed in the laboratory experiments. Our data show that these tissues had different levels of Hsp70 responses to thermal influence both in acute exposure and long-term acclimation. The pattern of tissue Hsp70 expression may have a close relationship with the thermal tolerance of the carp and allows the fish to survive long-term thermal pollution.

Magnitude and Duration of Thermal Stress Determine Kinetics ofhspGene Regulation in the GobyGillichthys mirabilis

The stress-induced transcription of heat shock genes is controlled by heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), which becomes activated in response to heat and other protein denaturants. In previous research on the eurythermal goby Gillichthys mirabilis, thermal activation of HSF1 was shown to vary as a function of acclimation temperature, suggesting the mechanistic importance of HSF1 activation to the plasticity of heat shock protein (Hsp) induction temperature. We examined the effect of season on the thermal activation of HSF1 in G. mirabilis, as well as the relative kinetics of HSF1 activation and Hsp70 mRNA production at ecologically relevant temperatures. There was no predictable seasonality in the thermal activation of HSF1, perhaps due to the existence of stressors, in addition to heat, acting in the field. Concentrations of Hsp70, a negative regulator of HSF1, as well as those of HSF1, varied with collection date. The rapidity of HSF1 activation and of Hsp70 mRNA synthesis increased with laboratory exposure temperature. Furthermore, Hsp70 mRNA production was more sustained at 35 degrees C than at 30 degrees C. Therefore, both the magnitude and the duration of a heat shock are important in determining the intensity of heat shock gene induction.

Thermal acclimation changes DNA-binding activity of heat shock factor 1(HSF1) in the gobyGillichthys mirabilis: implications for plasticity in the heat-shock response in natural populations

The intracellular build-up of thermally damaged proteins following exposure to heat stress results in the synthesis of a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins called heat shock proteins (Hsps) that act as molecular chaperones, protecting the cell against the aggregation of denatured proteins. The transcriptional regulation of heat shock genes by heat shock factor 1(HSF1) has been extensively studied in model systems, but little research has focused on the role HSF1 plays in Hsp gene expression in eurythermal organisms from broadly fluctuating thermal environments. The threshold temperature for Hsp induction in these organisms shifts with the recent thermal history of the individual but the mechanism by which this plasticity in Hsp induction temperature is achieved is unknown. We examined the effect of thermal acclimation on the heat-activation of HSF1 in the eurythermal teleost Gillichthys mirabilis. After a 5-week acclimation period (at 13, 21 or 28°C) the temperature of HSF1 activation was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. HSF1 activation peaked at 27°C in fish acclimated to 13°C, at 33°C in the 21°C group, and at 36°C in the 28°C group. Concentrations of both HSF1 and Hsp70 in the 28°C group were significantly higher than in the colder acclimated fish. Plasticity in HSF1 activation may be important to the adjustable nature of the heat shock response in eurythermal organisms and the environmental control of Hsp gene expression.