Micronucleus test on Triturus carnifex as a tool for environmental biomonitoring

Abstract

The amphibian micronucleus test has been widely used during the last 30 years to test the genotoxic properties of several chemicals and as a tool for ecogenotoxic monitoring. The vast majority of these studies were performed on peripheral blood of urodelan larvae and anuran tadpoles and to a lesser extent adults were also used. In this study, we developed protocols for measuring micronuclei in adult shed skin cells and larval gill cells of the Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex). Amphibians were collected from ponds in two protected areas in Italy that differed in their radon content. Twenty-three adult newts and 31 larvae were captured from the radon-rich pond, while 20 adults and 27 larvae were taken from the radon-free site. The animals were brought to the laboratory and the micronucleus test was performed on peripheral blood and shed skins taken from the adults and on larval gills. Samples from the radon-rich site showed micronucleus frequencies higher than those from the radon-free site and the difference was statistically significant in gill cells (P < 0.00001). Moreover, the larval gills seem to be more sensitive than the adult tissues. This method represents an easy (and noninvasive in the case of the shed skin) application of the micronucleus assay that can be useful for environmental studies in situ.

The influence of ultrasonic radiation of low intensity in cultured fibroblast cells

“…This, according to Silva et al (2010), it is due to the fact that the biological responses of ultrasound are not only dependent on frequency, or pulse intensity, but also relate to the duration of the intervention. (11,12) Thus, this same group submitted to 10% pulse regimes, dosages of 0.2 and 0.4 W/cm 2 showed no statistically significant differences between them in any of the three evaluation periods, on the other hand, Oliveira et al (2008) fibroblasts to undergo the action of ultrasonic 0.2 W/cm 2 -10% difference detected at all times (24, 48 and 72 hours). (13) Accordingly, in a similar study, the authors investigate the doses of 0.2 and 0.6 W/cm 2 with pulse 10% and 20% in fibroblast cultures also found a significant increase in cell viability in periods of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours.…”

Proteomic analysis of the skin from Chinese fire-bellied newt and comparison to Chinese giant salamander

“…For instance, the protective barriers of amphibian skin are more complex than those of aquatic organisms (Chuong et al, 2002), because the stratum corneum initially occurs in the epidermis of adult amphibians to form a barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection (Alibardi, 2003). Moreover, amphibians have been widely used to test the toxicity of pesticides (Mouchet et al, 2006) and environmental heavy metals such as cadmium due to their permeable skin that can more easily absorb substances dissolved in water (Udroiu et al, 2015). Furthermore, amphibian skin also participates in assistant respiration, for about 30% oxygen exchange and most of carbon dioxide elimination occurs through the skin (Jorgensen, 2000).…”