Integrated assessment of biomarker responses and comparative toxicity pathway in snails Bellamya aeruginosa exposed to tributyltin and triphenyltin in sediments

Abstract

Background Sediments function as a secondary and significant source of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT) in aquatic ecosystems and may pose a potential threat on benthic organisms and human health. The subchronic toxicity of sediment-associated TBT or TPT to snails Bellamya aeruginosa at environmentally relevant concentrations was investigated in this study. Multiple endpoints at the biochemical [ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), protein carbonyl content (PCC) and lipid peroxidation (LPO)] and transcriptomic levels were examined. Results TBT or TPT in sediment could induce antioxidant enzymes’ activities and result in oxidative damage in the hepatopancreas of B. aeruginosa after 28-day exposure. A transcriptomic profile of B. aeruginosa exposed to TBT and TPT was reported. CYP genes and EROD activity were sensible and reliable biomarkers for toxicity assessment of TBT or TPT in sediments. Comparative pathway analysis revealed the alteration of steroid hormone biosynthesis and retinol metabolism in B. aeruginosa after 90-day exposure to sediment-associated TBT at the concentration of 2000 ng/g dw, which might affect both reproduction and lipogenesis functions. The ubiquitin proteasome system and immune system might be the toxicity target in B. aeruginosa after exposure to sediment-associated TPT for 90 days. Conclusions The results offered new mechanisms underlying the toxicity of sediment-associated tributyltin and triphenyltin.

Biomarkers Potency to Monitor Non-target Fauna Poisoning by Anticoagulant Rodenticides

“…Many drugs may increase or decrease the activity of various CYP isozymes either by inducing the biosynthesis of an isozyme (enzyme induction) or by directly inhibiting the activity of the CYP (enzyme inhibition). Many studies deal with Cytochromes P450 as biomarkers of xenobiotic exposure in the liver but also in the blood (easy ante-mortem analysis) thanks to plasma exosomes [e.g., (205)(206)(207)(208)(209)(210)(211)(212)(213)(214)]. This enzyme family is really wellstudied and known, and methodologies already exist for this kind of application, thus it is a promising approach.…”