title: Oxygen radicals production and actin filament disruption in bivalve haemocytes treated with benzo(a)pyrene.
abstract: Haemocytes play an essential role in the internal defence of molluscs. It has been reported that organic xenobiotics commonly found as pollutants in the marine environment impair defence capabilities of haemocytes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P] on the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton and on endocytosis in haemocytes and to see if these effects are related to generation of reactive oxygen species. Haemocytes were exposed in vitro to B(a)P (0.5-40 microg/ml) for 1 h. Cell viability (using 2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide or XTT assay) indicated that selected doses were sublethal. Uptake of neutral red was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in B(a)P-treated haemocytes. Distribution of actin filaments, labeled with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin, was altered in haemocytes treated with 20 or 40 microg/ml B(a)P. These effects could be related to an increased production of superoxide anion during B(a)P metabolism, as detected by the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction assay in haemocytes treated with > or = 10 microg/ml B(a)P.
authors.affiliation: Biologia Zelularra eta Histologia Laborategia, Zoologia eta Animali Zelulen Dinamika Saila, Zientzi Fakultatea, UPV/EHU, Bilbo, Basque Country, Spain.
authors.forename: Amagoia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez-Mendikute
authors.forename: Ainhoa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Etxeberria
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Olabarrieta
authors.forename: Miren P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cajaraville
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004705:Endocytosis; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009499:Neutral Red / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009499:Neutral Red; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene