Two distinct mechanisms lead to either oocyte or spermatocyte decrease in C. elegans after whole developmental exposure to γ-rays

Wildlife is subject to various sources of pollution, including ionizing radiation. Adverse effects can impact the survival, growth, or reproduction of organisms, later affecting population dynamics. In invertebrates, reproduction, which directly impacts population dynamics, has been found to be the most radiosensitive endpoint. Understanding the underlying molecular pathways inducing this reproduction decrease can help to comprehend species-specific differences in radiosensitivity. From our previous studies, we found that decrease in reproduction is life stage dependent in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, possibly resulting from an accumulation of damages during germ cell development and gamete differentiation. To go further, we used the same experimental design to assess more precisely the molecular determinants of reproductive toxicity, primarily decreases in gamete number. As before, worms were chronically exposed to 50 mGy·h-1 external gamma ionizing radiation throughout different developmental periods (namely embryogenesis, gametogenesis, and full development). To enable cross species extrapolation, conserved molecular pathways across invertebrates and vertebrates were analysed: apoptosis and MAP kinase Ras/ERK (MPK-1), both involved in reproduction and stress responses. Our results showed that these pathways are life-stage dependent, resulting from an accumulation of damages upon chronic exposure to IR throughout the life development. The Ras/ERK pathway was activated in our conditions in the pachytene region of the gonad where it regulates cell fate including apoptosis, but not in the ovulation zone, where it controls oocyte maturation and ovulation. Additionally, assessment of germ cell proliferation via Ras/ERK pathway showed no effect. Finally, a functional analysis of apoptosis revealed that while the decrease of the ovulation rate is caused by DNA-damaged induced apoptosis, this process does not occur in spermatocytes. Thus, sperm decrease seems to be mediated via another mechanism, probably a decrease in germ cell proliferation speed that needs further investigation to better characterize sex-specific responses to IR exposure. These results are of main importance to describe radio-induced reprotoxic effects and contribute as weight of evidence for the AOP #396 "Deposition of ionizing energy leads to population decline via impaired meiosis".

Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for radiation-induced reproductive effects in environmental species: state of science and identification of a consensus AOP network

BACKGROUND

Reproductive effects of ionizing radiation in organisms have been observed under laboratory and field conditions. Such assessments often rely on associations between exposure and effects, and thus lacking a detailed mechanistic understanding of causality between effects occurring at different levels of biological organization. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP), a conceptual knowledge framework to capture, organize, evaluate and visualize the scientific knowledge of relevant toxicological effects, has the potential to evaluate the causal relationships between molecular, cellular, individual, and population effects. This paper presents the first development of a set of consensus AOPs for reproductive effects of ionizing radiation in wildlife. This work was performed by a group of experts formed during a workshop organized jointly by the Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI) and the European Radioecology Alliance (ALLIANCE) associations to present the AOP approach and tools. The work presents a series of taxon-specific case studies that were used to identify relevant empirical evidence, identify common AOP components and propose a set of consensus AOPs that could be organized into an AOP network with broader taxonomic applicability.

CONCLUSION

Expert consultation led to the identification of key biological events and description of causal linkages between ionizing radiation, reproductive impairment and reduction in population fitness. The study characterized the knowledge domain of taxon-specific AOPs, identified knowledge gaps pertinent to reproductive-relevant AOP development and reflected on how AOPs could assist applications in radiation (radioecological) research, environmental health assessment, and radiological protection. Future advancement and consolidation of the AOPs is planned to include structured weight of evidence considerations, formalized review and critical assessment of the empirical evidence prior to formal submission and review by the OECD sponsored AOP development program.

"Radio-Protective Effect of Aminocaproic Acid in Human Spermatozoa"

BACKGROUND

The negative effects of ionizing radiation on organs and the reproductive system are well known and documented. Exposure to gamma radiation can lead to oligospermia, azoospermia and DNA damage. Up to date, there is no effective pharmaceutical compound for protecting the male reproductive system and sperm.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at investigating the ability of Ɛ-aminocaproic acid (EACA) to prevent the damage of human spermatozoa and DNA induced by ionizing radiation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sperm samples were obtained from healthy volunteers (35 men; 31.50 ± 7.34 years old). There were 4 experimental groups: 1) control group (CG), 2) group exposed to maximal radiation dose 67.88 mGy (RMAX), 3) low-dose radiation (minimal) 22.62 mGy (RMIN), and 4) group treated with radiation (67.88 mGy) and EACA (dose 50 ng/ml). Sperm motility, viability, and DNA damage were assessed.

RESULTS

We observed a significant decrease in total sperm motility of the RMAX group compared to CG (p < 0.05). Sperm viability in the RMAX group was also reduced in comparison to the control (p < 0.05). A significant increase in DNA fragmentation was detected in the RMAX group. The results demonstrated that the treatment of sperm with EACA led to a decrease in the fragmentation of the sperm DNA (compared to the RMAX group) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that EACA effectively protects human spermatozoa from DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation. Treatment of spermatozoa with EACA led to the preservation of cell motility, viability, and DNA integrity upon radiation exposure.

Application of the comet assay for the evaluation of DNA damage in mature sperm

DNA integrity is considered an important parameter of semen quality and is of significant value as a predictor of male fertility. Currently, there are several methods that can assess sperm DNA integrity. One such assay is the comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis, which is a simple, sensitive, reliable, quick and low-cost technique that is used for measuring DNA strand breaks and repair at the level of individual cells. Although the comet assay is usually performed with somatic cells from different organs, the assay has the ability to detect genotoxicity in germ cells at different stages of spermatogenesis. Since the ability of sperm to remove DNA damage differs between the stages, interpretation of the results is dependent on the cells used. In this paper we give an overview on the use and applications of the comet assay on mature sperm and its ability to detect sperm DNA damage in both animals and humans. Overall, it can be concluded that the presence in sperm of significantly damaged DNA, assessed by the comet assay, is related to male infertility and seems to reduce live births. Although there is some evidence that sperm DNA damage also has a long-term impact on offspring's health, this aspect of DNA damage in sperm is understudied and deserves further attention. In summary, the comet assay can be applied as a useful tool to study effects of genotoxic exposures on sperm DNA integrity in animals and humans.

Realism and usefulness of multispecies experiment designs with regard to application in radioecology: A review

Multispecies experiments like microcosms and mesocosms are widely used in many fields of research but not in radioecology. In radioecology, size limitations are important as large experimental volumes involve problems with waste (radionuclides), or shielding, absorption and available space in gamma fields (often within a climate chamber). We have therefore performed a literature review (ISI Web of Science, n = 406) of the design and properties of multispecies effect studies <100 L in size and with three or more mentioned taxa in other research fields to assess their suitability to radioecology. Studies with more mentioned taxa assess structural ecosystem parameters more often than studies with fewer mentioned taxa, while the opposite trend is seen for indirect effects/interactions. Studies of indirect effects benefit from more replicates and longer experiments. Almost all studies assess some ecosystem level parameter but only a quarter take a holistic approach assessing both structural and functional as well as indirect effects. We find that most cosms are custom-made systems, rather than standardised designs. Unmanipulated cosms consist of excised portions of the natural environment with a higher number of mentioned taxa, high ecological complexity and high realism, but have a relatively low replicability. In contrast, standardised cosms with fewer mentioned taxa have less ecological complexity but much higher replicability. This literature review shows that smaller cosm sizes have similar ecological complexity (e.g. number of taxa and trophic levels) and experimental duration as larger sized cosms, allowing for ecologically-relevant investigations, despite their small size. We encourage multispecies radioecology studies, preferably with environmental relevant doses and sufficient detail on dosimetry.

Moderate temperature elevation increase susceptibility of early-life stage of the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis to metal-induced genotoxicity

The present study aims to evaluate the effects of copper and silver alone or along with a moderate temperature increase on embryonic development, DNA integrity and target gene expression levels in early life stages of Mytilus galloprovincialis. For this purpose, upon fertilized embryos were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration of Cu (9.54 μg/L), Ag (2.55 μg/L) and to the mixture of the two metals (Cu (6.67 μg/L) + Ag (1.47 μg/L)) along with a temperature gradient (18, 20 and 22 °C). In all experiments, larvae were exposed to stressors for 48 h except for those designed to DNA damage analysis exposed only for 24 h (before shell formation).Our results showed a significant increase in the percentage of malformed D-larvae (p < 0.05) with increasing temperature and exposure to silver and copper alone or in a mixture. Moreover, metal toxicity increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the temperature rise. Genotoxicity was evaluated using classic and modified with Formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) Comet assay. Results suggest that co-exposure to metals and temperature significantly increased DNA damage on mussel larvae with a more accentuated oxidative damage. A significant transcription modulation was observed for genes involved in DNA repair and DNA replication (p53, DNA ligase II and topoisomerase II) when larvae are exposed to a single stressor. However, in the case of multiple stresses, caspase involved in the cell apoptosis pathway was overexpressed. Our study suggests that mussel larvae exposed to a moderate increase in temperature may have a compromised ability to defend against genotoxicity. This is particularly relevant in the context of global warming and thermal pollution.

Effect of gamma radiation on the production of bystander signals from three earthworm species irradiated in vivo

The effect of gamma radiation delivered over 24 h on the induction of bystander signals of three earthworm species exposed in vivo was investigated: A. chlorotica, A. caliginosa, and E. tetraedra. Worms were exposed to external gamma irradiation (Co-60 source) for 24 h and samples of head, body, and clitellum were dissected from exposed and control worms and placed in culture medium for 24 h at 19 C. The harvested medium was filtered and assayed for expression of bystander signals using both clonogenic and mitochondrial reporter assays. Different responses were observed in the different species and in the different tissues. A. chlorotica worm-treated reporters show insignificant mitochondrial response for all sections, yet a significant clonogenic reduction in survival for body sections. A. caliginosa worm-treated reporters show a significant mitochondrial response for some sections and insignificant mitochondrial response and insignificant reduction in clonogenic survival for the rest. E. tetraedra worms from a control site show significant evidence of bystander signalling, measured by mitochondrial response in reporter cells, for all sections while those harvested from a contaminated site show insignificant changes in baseline signalling when exposed to the challenge dose. In vivo exposure of earthworm species shows evidence of bystander signalling using two different reporter assays. This effect varied between the different species and tissues. There is also evidence of attenuated bystander signalling in worms harvested from a site contaminated with radiation.

Radio-protective dosimetry of Pangasius sutchi as a biomarker, against gamma radiation dosages perceived by genotoxic assays

Exposure to ionizing radiation is harmful to any living organism. It may cause varying levels of genetic mutation or ultimately death. Synthetic compounds have been used to counteract the hazardous effect of radiation on the live cells, but the possibility of these synthetic compounds being harmful to the organism being treated also exists. Herbal formulations are thus being explored as a possible alternative for the synthetic radioprotectant. Induction of DNA damage in fishes caused by ionizing radiation and its protection by phytocompounds is a hardly studied topic. In this study, we analyzed the radioprotective effect of Gymnema sylvestre leaves extract (GS) and its active compound gymnemagenin (GG) against different doses of gamma radiation (⁶⁰Co) on the freshwater fish Pangasius sutchi. The radioprotective efficacy was assessed by micronuclei and alkaline comet assays. The freshwater fish P. sutchi was pre-treated with intramuscular injection (IM) of amifostine (83.3 mg/kg of B.W.), GS (25 mg/kg of B.W.) and GG (0.3 mg/kg of B.W.), 1 h prior to the gamma radiation. The fishes were exposed to LD₃₀, LD₅₀ and LD₇₀ of gamma radiation and the protection activities were assessed by analyzing the number of micronuclei (MN) and erythrocytic abnormalities in the blood after 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days after exposure. Compared to the irradiated fishes, frequency of erythrocytic abnormalities were decreased in response to the radio-protection in the amifostine treated groups for all three doses of gamma radiation (LD₇₀ - 77.62%), (LD₅₀ - 80.11%) and (LD₃₀ - 82.30%); GS (LD₇₀ - 62.66%), (LD₅₀ - 69.74%) and (LD₃₀ - 70.81%); and GG (LD₇₀ - 49.42%), (LD_{50 -} 53.43%) and (LD₃₀ - 58.42%). Similarly, a significant radio-protective effect in terms of decremented DNA damage was observed using the comet assay after post exposure. The percentage of protection noted for amifostine was (LD₇₀ - 58.68%), (LD₅₀ - 64.52%) and (LD₃₀ - 74.40%); GS (LD₇₀ - 53.84%), (LD₅₀ - 59.02%) and (LD₃₀ - 65.97%); GG (LD₇₀ - 49.85%), (LD₅₀ - 52.56%) and (LD₃₀ - 64.30%). From the current study, we can conclude that the radioprotective efficacy of the GS is similar to the synthetic compound (amifostine) and also greater than the bioactive compound (GG). The synergetic effect of the plant extract which leads to a better protection than the bioactive compound must be further studied. MN and Comet assays can easily identify the damage due to radiation exposure and thus can be used as predictive biomarkers for aquatic organisms exposed to radiation.

Mode of action of Cr(VI) in immunocytes of earthworms: Implications for animal health

Chromium (Cr) is one of the major and most detrimental pollutant, widely present in the environment as a result of several anthropogenic activities. In mammalian cells, Cr(VI) is known to enhance reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and to cause toxic and genotoxic effects. Less commonly investigated are the effects and mode of action of this contaminant in invertebrates, particularly in soil organisms. In this work, earthworms of the species Eisenia andrei were exposed for 1 and 3 days to various sublethal concentrations of Cr(VI) (2, 15, 30µgmL^-1) using the paper contact toxicity test. In amoeboid leukocytes we investigated intracellular ROS and lipoperoxide production, oxidative DNA damage, and the effects on different cell functions. The analysis of the results shows that Cr(VI) triggered severe adverse reactions; the first events were an increase of intracellular ROS levels, generating in the cells oxidative stress conditions leading to membrane lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage. Lysosomes showed relevant changes such as a strong membrane destabilization, which was accompanied by an increased catabolism of cytoplasmic proteins and accumulation of lipofuscin. With an increase in the dose and/or time of exposure, the physiological status of intracellular organelles (such as lysosomes, nucleus and mitochondria) showed further impairment and amoebocyte immune functions were adversely affected, as shown by the decrease of the phagocytic activity. By mapping the responses of the different parameters evaluated, diagnostic of (oxidative) stress events, against lysosomal membrane stability, a "health status" indicator (able to describe the stress syndrome from its early phase to pathology), we have shown that this biomarker is suitable as a prognostic test for health of earthworms. This is viewed as a crucial step toward the derivation of explanatory frameworks for prediction of pollutant impact on animal health.

Biomarker responses of Eisenia andrei to a polymetallic gradient near a lead mining site in North Tunisia

Eisenia andrei earthworms were exposed for 7 and 14 days to six samples of soil taken from around an abandoned lead (Pb) mine and characterized by different levels of metal contamination (S6-S1, this latter being the most contaminated soil). The organisms were analyzed for metal bioaccumulation and for biological parameters as biomarkers of stress (lysosomal membrane stability; lipofuscin lysosomal content; lysosomal/cytoplasmic volume ratio) and genotoxicity (Micronucleus frequency). Chemical analysis showed the loads of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu in the worms following exposure. Among the stress biomarkers, lysosomal membrane stability was significantly affected in the coelomocytes of the earthworms exposed already 7 days to different contaminated soils. Organisms exposed for 14 days to S1 showed in the cells of the chloragogenous tissue, a particularly relevant increase in lipofuscin, a biomarker of oxidative stress, and an increase in the lysosome/cytoplasm volume ratio, indicating stressful condition at the tissue level. Moreover, in the same conditions, a decrease in total body weight was observed. At the longer exposure time, the coelomocytes of worms exposed to S1, S2, and S3 (soils with higher metal concentrations) showed a significant increase in micronuclei (MNi) frequency. Expressions of the P21 and topoisomerase genes, which are involved in DNA repair, showed significant up-regulation in the cells of worms exposed to S1, S2, S3, S4 and to a less extend S6. This may indicate that the worms were only able to successfully reduce the level of DNA damage in S4 and S5 if considering MN frequency data. The biomarker data was integrated by the Earthworm Expert System, allowing an objective interpretation of the complex biological data and clearly defining the areas in which the presence of chemicals is toxic for the edaphic organisms.

Evaluation of genotoxicity of the acute gamma radiation on earthworm Eisenia fetida using single cell gel electrophoresis technique (Comet assay)

Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) most suitable biological indicators of radioactive pollution. Radiation-induced lesions in DNA can be considered to be molecular markers for early effects of ionizing radiation. Gamma radiation produces a wide spectrum of DNA. Some of these lesions, i.e., DNA strand breaks and alkali labile sites can be detected by the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) or comet assay by measuring the migration of DNA from immobilized nuclear DNA. E. fetida were exposed to different doses of gamma radiation, i.e., 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50Gy, and comet assay was performed for all the doses along with control at 1, 3 and 5h post irradiation to evaluate the genotoxicity of gamma radiation in this organism. The DNA damage was measured as percentage of comet tail DNA. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed in samples exposed to 5Gy and above, and the increase in DNA damage was dose dependent i.e., DNA damage was increased with increased doses of radiation. The highest DNA damage was noticed at 1h post irradiation and gradually decreased with time, i.e., at 3 and 5h post irradiation. The present study reveals that gamma radiation induces DNA damage in E. fetida and the comet assay is a sensitive and rapid method for its detection to detect genotoxicity of gamma radiation.

Genotoxicity and gene expression modulation of silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in mice

Recently, we showed that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) caused apoptosis, necrosis and DNA strand breaks in different cell models in vitro. These findings warranted analyses of their relevance in vivo. We investigated the genotoxic potential and gene expression profiles of silver particles of nano- (Ag20, 20 nm) and submicron- (Ag200, 200 nm) size and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs, 21 nm) in selected tissues from exposed male mice including the gonades. A single dose of 5 mg/kg bw nanoparticles was administered intravenously to male mice derived from C57BL6 (WT) and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase knock-out (Ogg1(-/-) KO). Testis, lung and liver were harvested one and seven days post-exposure and analyzed for DNA strand breaks and oxidized purines employing the Comet assay with Formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (Fpg) treatment, and sperm DNA fragmentation by the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). Based on an initial screening of a panel of 21 genes, seven genes were selected and their expression levels were analyzed in all lung and testis tissues sampled from all animals (n = 6 mice/treatment group) using qPCR. AgNPs, in particular Ag200, caused significantly increased levels of DNA strand breaks and alkali labile sites in lung, seven days post-exposure. Fpg-sensitive lesions were significantly induced in both testis and lung. The transcript level of some key genes; Atm, Rad51, Sod1, Fos and Mmp3, were significantly induced compared to controls, particularly in lung samples from Ag200-exposed KO mice. We conclude that the Ag200 causes genotoxicity and distinct gene expression patterns in selected DNA damage response and repair related genes.

High throughput sample processing and automated scoring

The comet assay is a sensitive and versatile method for assessing DNA damage in cells. In the traditional version of the assay, there are many manual steps involved and few samples can be treated in one experiment. High throughput (HT) modifications have been developed during recent years, and they are reviewed and discussed. These modifications include accelerated scoring of comets; other important elements that have been studied and adapted to HT are cultivation and manipulation of cells or tissues before and after exposure, and freezing of treated samples until comet analysis and scoring. HT methods save time and money but they are useful also for other reasons: large-scale experiments may be performed which are otherwise not practicable (e.g., analysis of many organs from exposed animals, and human biomonitoring studies), and automation gives more uniform sample treatment and less dependence on operator performance. The HT modifications now available vary largely in their versatility, capacity, complexity, and costs. The bottleneck for further increase of throughput appears to be the scoring.

Chronic exposure by ingestion of environmentally relevant doses of (226)Ra leads to transient growth perturbations in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque, 1820)

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of environmentally relevant levels of ingested (226)Ra on a common freshwater fish species.

METHODS

Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque) were obtained at the first feeding stage and established on a commercial fish food diet containing (226)Ra in the activity range 10 mBq/g(-1), -10,000 mBq/g(-1). They remained on this diet for 24 months and were sampled invasively at 1,6,18 and 24 months to assess growth, biochemical indices and accumulated dose and non-invasively also at 12 and 15 months to assess growth.

RESULTS

Fish fed 10 and 100 mBq/g(-1) diet showed a small transitory deregulation of growth at 6 and 12 months. Fish fed higher activities showed less significant or insignificant effects. There was a trend at 18 months which was stronger at 24 months for the population distribution to change in all of the (226)Ra fed groups so that smaller fish were smaller and bigger fish were bigger than the controls. There were also significant differences in the ratios of protein:DNA at 24 months which were seen as a trend but were not significant at earlier time points.

CONCLUSIONS

Fish fed a radium diet for 2 years show a small and transitory growth dysregulation at 6 and 12 months. The effects predominate at the lower activities suggesting hormetic or homeostatic adjustments. There was no effect on growth of exposure to the high activities (226)Ra. This suggests that radium does not have a serious impact on the ecology of the system and the level of radium that would be transferred to humans is very low. The results may be important in the assessment of long-term environmental impacts of (226)Ra exposure.

Oxidative and genotoxic effects of 900 MHz electromagnetic fields in the earthworm Eisenia fetida

Accumulating evidence suggests that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) can have various biological effects. In this study the oxidative and genotoxic effects were investigated in earthworms Eisenia fetida exposed in vivo to RF-EMF at the mobile phone frequency (900 MHz). Earthworms were exposed to the homogeneous RF-EMF at field levels of 10, 23, 41 and 120 V m(-1) for a period of 2h using a Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic (GTEM) cell. At the field level of 23 V m(-1) the effect of longer exposure (4h) and field modulation (80% AM 1 kHz sinusoidal) was investigated as well. All exposure treatments induced significant genotoxic effect in earthworms coelomocytes detected by the Comet assay, demonstrating DNA damaging capacity of 900 MHz electromagnetic radiation. Field modulation additionally increased the genotoxic effect. Moreover, our results indicated the induction of antioxidant stress response in terms of enhanced catalase and glutathione reductase activity as a result of the RF-EMF exposure, and demonstrated the generation of lipid and protein oxidative damage. Antioxidant responses and the potential of RF-EMF to induce damage to lipids, proteins and DNA differed depending on the field level applied, modulation of the field and duration of E. fetida exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic radiation. Nature of detected DNA lesions and oxidative stress as the mechanism of action for the induction of DNA damage are discussed.