A novel mechanism underlies atrazine toxicity in quails (Coturnix Coturnix coturnix): triggering ionic disorder via disruption of ATPases

Abstract

The widely used atrazine has been reported to exhibit extensive ecological hazards. Due to the biological accumulation, atrazine elicits widespread toxic effects on different organisms. However, true proof for the mechanism of atrazine-induced toxicity is lacking. To determine the potential mechanism by which atrazine exerted toxic effects, quails were treated with atrazine (0, 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg) by gavage administration for 45 days. Atrazine significantly increased the histological alterations and serum creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and choline esterase levels. A marked disorder in ionic (Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+)contents and the decrease of ATPases (Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase) activities were observed in the heart and liver of atrazine-exposed quails. Of note, it was also observed that atrazine suppressed the transcription of Na+, K+ transfer associated genes (Na+-K+-ATPase subunits) and Ca2+ transfer associated genes (Ca2+-ATPase subunits, solute carriers) in heart and liver. In conclusion, atrazine induced cardiac and hepatic damage via causing the ionic disorder, triggering the transcription of the ion transporters and leading the histopathological and functional alternations in the heart and liver of quails. This study demonstrated atrazine significantly induced the ionic disorder via decreasing the ATPases activities and disturbing the transcription of the ion transporters.

Transport stress induces weight loss and heart injury in chicks: disruption of ionic homeostasis via modulating ion transporting ATPases

“…Moreover, they exert important influence in regulating the transmembrane ionic balance to maintain proper function of the vasculature [35, 36]. The previous investigations demonstrated that high temperature inhibited the mitochondrial Ca 2+ -ATPase activity in broilers [38].…”

“…It has been reported that once the ion balance is disrupted, cellular injury and disorders in cardiac function will occur [ 33 , 34 ]. The changes of cardiac ATPase activities and the transcription of its subunits could disturb the ionic homeostasis and finally induce heart injury in quails [ 35 , 36 ]. The heat stress caused a loss of ion homeostasis in marine crabs, which impaired the cardiac function [ 37 ].…”

“…As the member of the major category of ion transporters, ATPases are in charge of the basic metabolic and physiological activities of most substances, and they also participate in immediate release of energy. Moreover, they exert important influence in regulating the transmembrane ionic balance to maintain proper function of the vasculature [ 35 , 36 ]. The previous investigations demonstrated that high temperature inhibited the mitochondrial Ca 2+ -ATPase activity in broilers [ 38 ].…”

Mechanism and Kinetic Analysis of Degradation of Atrazine by US/PMS

“…The research conducted by HAYES [12] and others found that, when the growth of the African tree frog from larva to adult are exposed to the ATZ solution with the concentration of 0.1 μg/L, 20% of the young frogs will develop into hermaphrodites, which indicates that ATZ with a low concentration can feminize the male African tree frog. The team of Jia [13] indicated that ATZ can further cause heart and liver damage in quails by causing ion disturbances. Meanwhile, the study by Sanderson [14] and others discovered that ATZ can interfere with endocrine balance by increasing the activity of the CYP19 enzyme in the human body.…”

Activating nuclear xenobiotic receptors and triggering ER stress and hepatic cytochromes P450 systems in quails (Coturnix C. coturnix) during atrazine exposure

“…Chronic ATR exposure results in high accumulative levels in multiple species, including frogs, fish, and rodents . Birds are one of the most important ecological pollution indicators due to their strong sensitivities to environmental pollutants . Overall, researches about the effect of ATR in birds might be particular significance to evaluations of the adverse effects of ATR in the environment.…”