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Vieira JCS, Braga CP, Queiroz JVD, Cavecci-Mendonça B, Oliveira GD, Freitas NGD, Fernandes AAH, Fernandes MDS, Buzalaf MAR, Adamec J, Zara LF, Padilha PDM. The effects of mercury exposure on Amazonian fishes: An investigation of potential biomarkers. Chemosphere 2023; 316:137779. [PMID: 36632955 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to mercury can interfere with the expression of proteins and enzymes, compromise important pathways, such as apoptosis and glucose metabolism, and even induce the expression of metallothioneins. In this study, analytical techniques were used to determine the concentration of total mercury (THg) in muscle and liver tissue, protein pellets, and spots [using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS)], and molecular techniques were used to identify metalloproteins present in mercury-associated protein spots. Thirty individuals from three different fish species, Cichla sp. (n = 10), Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (n = 10), and Semaprochilodus sp. (n = 10) from the Brazilian Amazon were used. Oxidative stress indicators [such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), a marker of lipid peroxidation (LPO)] and the possible expression of metallothioneins in muscle and liver tissues were investigated. The two piscivorous species, Cichla sp. and B. filamentosum, presented the highest concentrations of mercury in their hepatic tissue, 1219 ± 15.00 and 1044 ± 13.6 μg kg-1, respectively, and in their muscle tissue, 101 ± 1.30 μg kg-1 and 87.4 ± 0.900 μg kg-1, respectively. The non-carnivorous species Semaprochilodus sp. had comparatively low concentrations of mercury in both its hepatic (852 ± 11.1 μg kg-1) and muscle (71.4 ± 0.930 μg kg-1) tissues. The presence of mercury was identified in 24 protein spots using GFAAS; concentrations ranged from 11.5 to 787 μg kg-1, and mass spectrometry identified 21 metal-binding proteins. The activities of GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD, related to oxidative stress, decreased proportionally as tissue Hg concentrations increased, while the levels of LPO markers increased, indicating the presence of stress. Our study results demonstrate possible mercury interference in oxidative stress markers (GSH-Px, CAT, SOD, and LPO), in addition to the identification of 21 metal-binding proteins as possible biomarkers of mercury exposure in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - João Vitor de Queiroz
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruna Cavecci-Mendonça
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Grasieli de Oliveira
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Jiri Adamec
- University of Nebraska (UNL), Lincoln, United States
| | - Luiz Fabrício Zara
- University of Brasília (UNB), College of Planaltina, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Pedro de Magalhães Padilha
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), Institute of Biosciences, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil; São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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