title: Amphetamine exposure imbalanced antioxidant activity in the bivalve Dreissena polymorpha causing oxidative and genetic damage.
abstract: Illicit drugs have been recognized as emerging aquatic pollutants due to their presence in aquatic ecosystems up to µg/L level. Among these, the synthetic psycho-stimulant drug amphetamine (AMPH) is commonly found in both surface and wastewaters worldwide. Even though the environmental occurrence of AMPH is well-known, the information on its toxicity towards non-target freshwater organisms is completely lacking. This study investigated the imbalance of the oxidative status and both oxidative and genetic damage induced by a 14-day exposure to two concentrations (500 ng/L and 5000 ng/L) of AMPH on the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha by the application of a biomarker suite. We investigated the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and GPx), the phase II detoxifying enzyme GST, the lipid peroxidation level (LPO) and protein carbonyl content (PCC), as well as primary (Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay) and fixed (DNA diffusion assay and Micronucleus test) genetic damage. Our results showed that a current realistic AMPH concentration (500 ng/L) did neither cause notable imbalances in enzymatic activities, nor oxidative and genetic damage to cellular macromolecules. In contrast, the bell-shaped trend of antioxidants showed at the highest tested concentration (5000 ng/L) suggested an overproduction of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative damage, as confirmed by the significant increase of protein carbonylation and DNA fragmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: marco.parolini@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magni
authors.affiliation: IRCCS - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche "Mario Negri", Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Via La Masa 19, 20156, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castiglioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binelli
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D020552:Comet Assay; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D049875:Dreissena / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D000661:Amphetamine; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C041116:leukotriene-C4 synthase
keywords: Amphetamine; Dreissena polymorpha; Illicit drugs; Oxidative and genetic biomarkers