Cadmium accumulation and biochemical responses in Sparus aurata following sub-lethal Cd exposure.
Cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal with limited biological function, is widely distributed in the aquatic environment as a result of natural and anthropogenic activities. The effect of 4 and 11 days exposure of gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata to sub-lethal concentrations of Cd was evaluated as levels of Cd content and Cd-metallothionein (MT) presence in different organs. The possible genotoxic effect was also evaluated in erythrocytes by using the "comet assay", a promising tool for estimating DNA damage at the single-cell level. The results obtained show that in the controls, Cd content was significantly higher in gills compared to in liver, but the treatment of fish with 0.1mg/l Cd induced a stronger accumulation of metal in liver depending on the length of the exposure period. Cd traces were found in plasma, muscle and kidney. Cd forms complexes in the cytosol with MT only in the liver but Cd-MT content significantly increased after 11 days of exposure to the metal, while after 4 days of treatment the protein level was similar to the control. The "comet assay" performed on S. aurata eryhtrocytes isolated from fish treated for 4 and 11 days with 0.1mg/l Cd, showed that there was no DNA damage at both exposure periods.
Veterinary Clinical Department, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
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Isani
Veterinary Clinical Department, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
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Andreani
Department of Molecular Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
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Cocchioni
Department of Molecular Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy.
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Fedeli
Veterinary Clinical Department, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
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Carpené
Department of Molecular Cellular and Animal Biology, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy. Electronic address: giancarlo.falcioni@unicam.it.
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Falcioni
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D020552:Comet Assay; D003300:Copper / Q000633:toxicity; D003600:Cytosol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004249:DNA Damage; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000633:toxicity; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000378:metabolism*; D012623:Seawater
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein