title: The sub-cellular fate of mercury in the liver of wild mullets (Liza aurata)--Contribution to the understanding of metal-induced cellular toxicity.
abstract: Mercury is a recognized harmful pollutant in aquatic systems but still little is known about its sub-cellular partitioning in wild fish. Mercury concentrations in liver homogenate (whole organ load) and in six sub-cellular compartments were determined in wild Liza aurata from two areas - contaminated (LAR) and reference. Water and sediment contamination was also assessed. Fish from LAR displayed higher total mercury (tHg) organ load as well as in sub-cellular compartments than those from the reference area, reflecting environmental differences. However, spatial differences in percentage of tHg were only observed for mitochondria (Mit) and lysosomes plus microsomes (Lys+Mic). At LAR, Lys+Mic exhibited higher levels of tHg than the other fractions. Interestingly, tHg in Mit, granules (Gran) and heat-denaturable proteins was linearly correlated with the whole organ. Low tHg concentrations in heat stable proteins and Gran suggests that accumulated levels might be below the physiological threshold to activate those detoxification fractions.
authors: IPMA - Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Brasília, 1449-006 Lisbon, Portugal; CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: olinda.araujo@ipma.pt.
authors: Olinda
authors: O
authors: Araújo
authors: IPMA - Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Brasília, 1449-006 Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors: Patrícia
authors: P
authors: Pereira
authors: Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Rute
authors: R
authors: Cesário
authors: Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
authors: Mário
authors: M
authors: Pacheco
authors: IPMA - Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Brasília, 1449-006 Lisbon, Portugal; CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Rua dos Bragas, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
authors: Joana
authors: J
authors: Raimundo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011174:Portugal; D023701:Smegmamorpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Liver; Liza aurata; Mercury; Ria de Aveiro; Sub-cellular partition