title: Histopatological alterations and oxidative stress in liver and kidney of Leuciscus cephalus following exposure to heavy metals in the Tur River, North Western Romania.
abstract: Pollution of the aquatic environment by heavy metals is a great concern worldwide. Freshwater fish ingests various metals through gills, skin or diet. Our aim was to investigate the oxidative stress and histopathological injuries induced by Fe, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd in the liver and kidney of Leuciscus cephalus. Fish samples were collected from two sites in the Tur River, NW Romania, in upstream and downstream of a pollution source. Metals were differently distributed in the liver and kidney of fish. The highest concentrations of Fe, Cu and Pb were found in liver, whereas Zn and Cd concentrations were the highest in kidney in specimens collected from the downstream site. The histopathological changes were associated with metal bioaccumulation, being more severe in kidney than liver. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) increased significantly in the liver and kidney of fish from downstream site compared to upstream one, whereas reduced glutathione (GSH) decreased. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) increased significantly in livers, whereas SOD increased in kidney. Our study revealed that liver has a higher capacity and adaptability to counteract ROS compared to kidney. The more pronounced increase of hepatic SOD, CAT and GST activities is related milder structural changes observed in liver compared to kidney, where lesions were not reduced by antioxidant defense system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania. Electronic address: anca.hermenean@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hermenean
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; Medical Laboratory Service Synevo, 18 Creanga, Medgidia, Romania.
authors.forename: Georgiana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Damache
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Albu
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardelean
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Gavril
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ardelean
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Doru
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puiu Ardelean
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horge
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Mihály
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zsuga
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Debrecen, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kéki
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Marieta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costache
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dinischiotu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005618:Fresh Water; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012383:Romania; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Leuciscus cephalus; Liver and kidney; Oxidative stress; eavy metals bioaccumulation; istopathology