Application of a biomarker battery for the evaluation of the sublethal effects of pollutants in the earthworm Eisenia andrei.
We applied a battery of biomarkers in the earthworm Eisenia andrei to assess the pollutant-induced stress syndrome. Earthworms were exposed to sublethal concentrations of copper (1-10 microM) and benzo[a]pyrene (0.01-10 microM) as models of inorganic and organic pollutants for 1, 3 and 7 days. Four potential biomarkers of stress were measured: lysosomal membrane stability of coelomocytes, lysosomal accumulation of lipofuscin in chloragogenous tissue and of neutral lipids in coelomatic cells, plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase activity in the intestinal epithelium; metallothionein content was also evaluated as a biomarker of exposure. Significant changes were observed in the parameters measured in earthworms exposed to both contaminants. Certain biomarkers, such as lysosomal membrane stability and Ca2+-ATPase activity, that showed a decreasing trend with increasing pollutant concentration and time of exposure, proved to be particularly suitable to describe the evolution of a stress syndrome from its early phase to the development of pathological conditions. On the other hand, contaminant-induced changes in lysosomal lipofuscin and neutral lipid accumulation showed a bell-shaped trend, indicating that these biomarkers are able to follow the development of pollutant-induced stress syndrome as far as an equilibrium in the cell functions is maintained; therefore, they are particularly useful to describe mild stress conditions.
Gastaldi
Laura
L
Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e della Vita, DiSAV, Università del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro, 15100 Alessandria, Italy.
Ranzato
Elia
E
Caprì
Flavia
F
Hankard
Peter
P
Pérès
Guénola
G
Canesi
Laura
L
Viarengo
Aldo
A
Pons
Giovanni
G
D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000633:toxicity*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000378:metabolism; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000378:metabolism; D009835:Oligochaeta; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D018675:Toxicity Tests
D015415:Biomarkers; D008062:Lipofuscin; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; C029892:cupric chloride