Metallothionein responses in the Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) after exposure to trivalent arsenic.
The main objective of this work was to evaluate arsenic effects on metallothionein (MT) induction by exposing a freshwater Asiatic clam (Corbicula fluminea) to different concentrations of this metalloid. The presence of MT-like proteins was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and compared with a standard rabbit MT. In addition, the polarographic response showed good correspondence between standard MT and MT-like curves from C. fluminea, allowing MT quantification. The results show that clams exposed to different concentrations of arsenic are able to induce significant levels of MTs. Although variability was found in MT induction, significant differences in MT levels were found after 28 days of exposure in all treatments in comparison with the controls, suggesting that exposure to arsenic induced MT-like proteins in C. fluminea.
Diniz
Mário S
MS
Instituto do Mar, Dept de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente, Caparica, Portugal. mesd@fct.unl.pt
Santos
Hugo M
HM
Costa
Pedro M
PM
Peres
Isabel
I
Costa
Maria H
MH
Capelo
José L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049874:Corbicula / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005618:Fresh Water; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011048:Polarography; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology*
D001152:Arsenicals; D015415:Biomarkers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008668:Metallothionein