title: Histopathology and stress biomarkers in the clam Venerupis philippinarum from the Venice Lagoon (Italy).
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the histomorphology and the stress response in the bivalve Venerupis philippinarum sampled in four differently polluted sites of the Venice Lagoon (Palude del Monte, Marghera, Ca' Roman and Val di Brenta). This species is often used as bioindicator of environmental pollution since it can bioaccumulate a large variety of pollutants because of its filter feeding. Chemical analyses for heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were performed on whole soft tissues of V. philippinarum. The histological evaluation of clams revealed the presence of Perkinsus sp. infection in animals from all sites, although a very high prevalence of parasites was evidenced in clams from Ca' Roman. Perkinsus sp. were systemically distributed in the mantle, in the intestine and digestive gland, in gonads and gills. The trophozoites of Perkinsus sp. were found isolated or in cluster surrounded by a heavy hemocitical response. Haemocytes always exhibited an immunopositivity to cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and nitrotyrosine (NT) antibodies. The digestive gland of animals from Palude del Monte showed the highest malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, whereas clams from Ca' Roman exhibited the highest quantity of metallothioneins.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boscolo Papo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bertotto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quaglio
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vascellari
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pascoli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negrato
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Binato
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, Agripolis, Viale dell'Università 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.radaelli@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radaelli
mesh_terms: D056893:Alveolata / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007558:Italy; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008315:Malondialdehyde
keywords: Clam; Haemocytes; Histology; Perkinsosis; Stress biomarkers