Metallothioneins induction and antioxidative response in aquatic worms Tubifex tubifex (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) exposed to copper

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 64; no. 1; pp. 121 - 128
• Main Authors: Mosleh, Yahia Y., Paris-Palacios, Séverine, Biagianti-Risbourg, Sylvie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Annelida and closely related phyla: sipuncula. Echiura. Nemertinea; Antioxidants - metabolism; Applied ecology; Aquatic worms; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Catalase - metabolism; Catalase activities (CAT); Copper - toxicity; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Glutathione Reductase - metabolism; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Gulathione-S-transferase (GST); Invertebrates; Metallothionein - metabolism; Metallothioneins; Oligochaeta; Oligochaeta - drug effects; Oligochaeta - metabolism; Oxidative stress; Proteins - analysis; Total soluble protein; Tubifex; Tubifex tubifex; Tubificidae; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Oxidative stress; Catalase activities (CAT); Gulathione-S-transferase (GST); Biomarkers; Aquatic worms; Total soluble protein; Metallothioneins; Biological marker; Oligochaeta; Felis catus; Catalase; Copper; Fissipedia; Tubifex tubifex; Tubificidae; Carnivora; Enzyme; Induction; Transferases; Detoxification; Metalloproteins; Annelida; Protein; Heavy metal; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Peroxidases; Oxidoreductases; Invertebrata; Metallothionein
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.10.045

Metallothioneins (MTs), are low molecular weight proteins, mainly implicated in metal ion detoxification. Increase in MT contents is considered as a specific biomarker of metal exposure. Recently it has been demonstrated that MTs participate in several cellular functions such as regulation of growth, and antioxidative defences.
Tubifex tubifex were exposed to different copper concentrations (50, 100, and 200
μg
l
−1) for 7 and 15 days. MT levels in exposed worms increased significantly (
p
<
0.05) after 7 and 15 days of exposure to different concentrations of copper (maximum +208% for 100
μg
l
−1 after 7 days of exposure). Also important perturbation in metal–metallothionein content occurred, along with an increase in total soluble protein content in all treated worms after 7 and 15 days (max. +88.49%). Catalase activities (CAT) in Cu treated-worms were significantly increased, and demonstrated a development of antioxidative defenses. Additionally a reduction of gulathione-S-transferase (GST) was observed in all treated worms after 7 days of exposure to Cu (max. −44.42%). The high induction of MTs observed during
T. tubifex exposure to Cu make them potentially useful biomarkers to monitor metal pollution.