title: Head kidney, liver and skin histopathology and gene expression in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) exposed to highly polluted marine sediments from Portman Bay (Spain).
abstract: Biomarkers have become crucial tools in modern environmental assessment as they can help to predict magnitude of pollution. The head-kidney (HK) and liver (hematopoietic and xenobiotic metabolism organs, respectively) are the key organs in all fish toxicological studies, although the skin has received less attention in this respect. The impact of two different types of polluted sediment collected from Portman Bay (Spain) on HK, liver and skin gene expression in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) exposed for two weeks to the sediments was determined by real time-PCR. The expression levels of different antioxidant enzyme genes [superoxide dismutase (sod) glutathione reductase (gr) and catalase (cat)] and immune-related genes [interleukin -1β (il-1b), immunoglobulin M (igm), T-Cell receptor (tcr-b), cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2), colony-stimulating factor 1-receptor (csf-1r) and hepcidin (hep)] was analysed. Expression varied depending on both the organ and gene studied: tcr-b, csf-1r and hep genes were down-regulated in HK, as were gr, tcr-b and il-1b in liver and gr and il-1b in skin, while cox-2 was up-regulated in skin after exposure to both sediments. Concomitantly, histopathological alterations were also studied in HK, liver and skin. While no significant changes were detected in skin cells of fish reared in aquaria with polluted sediments marked changes in the general morphology of HK and liver were observed, accompanied by a substantial degree of cell death and melano-macrophage centre disorganization. The present study suggests that the biomarkers studied in gilthead seabream could be useful for assessing the impact of pollution in coastal environments.
authors.affiliation: Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology & Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Laboratory of Microbiology, Research Unity of Biodiversity and Valorisation of Bioressources in Arid Zones, University of Gabes, Faculty of Sciences of Gabes, City Erriadh, 6072, Gabes, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Hamed
authors.affiliation: Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology & Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guardiola
authors.affiliation: Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology & Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus Regional de Excelencia Internacional "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Salvadora
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus Regional de Excelencia Internacional "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Martínez-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Chemistry, Campus Regional de Excelencia Internacional "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez-Sirvent
authors.affiliation: Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology & Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: aesteban@um.es.
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Esteban
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D061006:Bays; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000235:genetics; D060226:Head Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D064451:Hepcidins / Q000235:genetics; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013030:Spain; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D029941:Fish Proteins; D064451:Hepcidins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002374:Catalase; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D016186:Receptor, Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
keywords: Biomarkers; Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.); Histopathology; Immune genes; Oxidative stress; Pollution; Portman Bay