Enzymatic and histopathologic biomarkers as indicators of aquatic pollution in fishes

Abstract

In the present study we investigated the alteration in the activity of two metabolic enzymes [Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)] and the histological changes on liver and gills of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus collected from 6 sites along the river Nile, from its spring at Aswan to its estuary at Rosetta and Damietta branches. The results showed that the physical and chemical parameters of the water collected from Damietta and Rosetta branches were higher than those of the water collected from other sites. Remarkable alterations in the activity of the selected enzymes in the liver and muscles of the African catfish were detected. These alterations go in parallel with the elevation in the levels of chemical parameters detected in the water of Damietta and Rosetta branches as a result of pollution stress in these areas. The activity of G6PDH was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased from Aswan to Rosetta and Damietta recording the highest value at Rosetta followed by Damietta water. The activity of LDH showed a significant elevation (p < 0.05) in activity in the liver and muscles of fishes collected from Rosetta and Damietta branches comparing to other sites. These alterations in enzymatic activities were followed, in the present study, by the occurrence of histological lesions and clear damage in liver and gill tissues of the African catfish collected from the same sites. Thus we may conclude that, the altered activities of G6PDH and LDH could be useful biomarkers of water pollution. At the same time, histopathology provides a reliable, easily quantifiable index of low-level toxic stress to a broad range of environmental pollutants.

Share and Cite:

Osman, A. , Reheem, A. , AbuelFadl, K. and Rab, A. (2010) Enzymatic and histopathologic biomarkers as indicators of aquatic pollution in fishes. Natural Science, 2, 1302-1311. doi: 10.4236/ns.2010.211158.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Canli, M. and Kalay, A. (1998) Level of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Ni) in tissue of Cyprinus carpio, Barbus capito and Chondrostoma regium from the Seyhan River, Turkey. Turkish journal of zoology, 22, 149-157.
[2] Vutkuru, S. (2005) Acute effects of Hexavalent chromium on survival, oxygen consumption, Hematological parameters and some biochemical profiles of the Indian Major Carp, Labeo rohita. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2, 456-462.
[3] Anwar, W.A. (2003) Environmental health in Egypt. International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 206, 339-350.
[4] Osman, A.G.M., Al-Awadhi, R.M., Harabawy, A.S. and Mahmoud, U.M. (2010) Evaluation of the Use of Protein Electrophoresis of the African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) for Biomonitoring Aquatic Pollution. Environmental Research Journal, 4, 235-243.
[5] Abdel-Satar, A. (1998) Distribution of some chemical elements in River Nileenvironments at Great Cairo Region. Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Egypt.
[6] Abdel-Satar, A. and Elewa, A. (2001) Water quality and environmental assessments of the River Nile at Rossetta Branch. The Second International Conference and Exhibition for Life and Environment, Aswan, 2001, 136-164.
[7] Elewa, A. and Gohar, M. (1999) Environmental factors affecting the precipitation and dissolution of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd in River Nile at Damietta Branch. Bulleten of Faculty of Science. Zagazig University, 21, 114-136.
[8] Zyadah, M. and Chouikhi, A. (1999) Heavy metal accumulation in Mullus barbatus, Merluccius merluccius and Boops boops fish from the Aegean Sea, Turkey. International journal of food sciences and nutrition, 50, 429-34.
[9] Rashed, M. (2001) Monitoring of environmental heavy metals in fish from Nasser Lake. Environment International, 27, 27-33.
[10] Rashed, M. (2001) Cadmium and lead levels in fish (Tilapia nilotica) tissues as biological indicator for lake water pollution. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 68, 75-89.
[11] Adham, K. (2002) Sublethal effects of aquatic pollution in Lake Maryut on the African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 18, 87-94.
[12] Abdo, M. (2004) Environmental studies on the River Nile at Damietta Branch region, Egypt. Journal of Egyptian Society of Environmental Development Studies, 5, 85-104.
[13] Wahaab, R.A. and Badawy, M.I. (2004) Water quality assessment of the River Nile system: An overview. Biomedical and environmental sciences: BES, 17, 87- 100.
[14] El-Shaikh, K., Nadam, A. and Zousief, Z. (2005) Assessment of cadmium and lead in water, sediment and different organs of Procambarus clarkii (GIRARD, 1852) in the river Nile. Medical Journal of Islamic World Academy of Sciences 4, 15, 161-167.
[15] Abdel-Halim, K.Y., Salama, A.K., El-Khateeb, E.N. and Bakry, N.M. (2006) Organophosphorus pollutants (OPP) in aquatic environment at Damietta Governorate, Egypt: implications for monitoring and biomarker responses. Chemosphere, 63, 1491-1498.
[16] Badr, M., Elewa, A., Shehata, M., Mohamed, L. and Abdelaziz, G. (2006) Studies on the effect of Elrahawy drain on the river Nile water pollution by trace metals and major cation at Elkanater ElKyria area under the effect of seasonal variation. Assiut University Bulleten of Environmental Research, 9, 35-54.
[17] Rifaat, H. (2007) Bacterial Quality of River Nile Water at Cairo Region in Egypt. Helsinki, 59, 1-8.
[18] Goksoyr, A., Husoy, A., Larsen, H., Klungsoyr, J., Wilhelmsen, S., Maage, A., Brevik, E., Andersson, T., Celander, M., Pesonen, M., et al. (1991) Environmental contaminants and biochemical responses in flatfish from the Hvaler Archipelago in Norway," Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 21, 486- 496.
[19] Kime, D., Ebrahimi, M., Nysten, K., Roelants, I., Rurangwa, E., Moore, H. and Ollevier, F. (1996) Use of computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) for monitoring the effects of pollution on sperm quality of fish; Application to the effects of heavy metals. Aquatic Toxicology, 36, 223-237.
[20] Jiminez, B. and Stegeman, J. (1990) Detoxification enzymes as indicator of environmental stress on fishes. American Fish Society Symposium, 8, 69-79.
[21] Barnhoorn, I. (1996) Effects of manganese on the haematology of the Oreochromis mossambicus and the bioaccumulation of metals in Labeo umbratus. Rand Afrikaans University, South Africa, 1996.
[22] Powers, D. (1989) Fish as model systems. Science, 246, 352-358.
[23] Gayet, J., Haouz, A., Gelosomeyer, A. and Burstein, C. (1993) Detection of heavy-metal salts with biosensors built with an oxygen-electrode coupled to various immobilized oxidases and dehydrogenases. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 8, 177-183.
[24] Zollner, H. (1993) Handbook of enzyme inhibitors. New York FG - 0: VCH, Weinheim, Basel, New York.
[25] Osman, A.G.M., Mekkawy, I.A.A., Verreth, J. and Kirschbaum, F. (2007) Effects of lead nitrate on the activity of metabolic enzymes during early developmental stages of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, 33, 1-13.
[26] Mekkawy, I.A.A., Mahmoud, U.M., Osman, A.G. and Sayed, A.E.-D.H. (2009) Effects of ultraviolet A on the activity of two metabolic enzymes, DNA damage and lipid peroxidation during early developmental stages of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). Fish physiology and biochemistry, 36, 605-626.
[27] Casillas, E., Myers, M. and Ames, W. (1983) Relationship of serum chemistry values to liver and kidney histopathology in english sole (Parophrys vetulus) after acute exposure to carbon-Tetrachloride. Aquatic Toxicology, 3, 61-78.
[28] Heath, A. (1996) Water pollution and fish physiology. Lewis Publs., Boca Raton.
[29] Nogae, I. and Johnston, M. (1990) Isolation and characterization of the Zwf1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, encoding glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase. Gene, 96, 161-169.
[30] Pandolfi, P., Sonati, F., Rivi, R., Mason, P., Grosveld, F. and Luzzatto, L. (1995) Targeted disruption of the housekeeping gene encoding glucose-6-phosphate- dehydrogenase (G6pd)-G6pd is dispensable for pentose synthesis but essential for defense against oxidative stress. Embo Journal, 14, 5209-5215.
[31] Salvemini, F., Franze, A., Iervolino, A., Filosa, S., Salzano, S. and Ursini, M. (1999) Enhanced glutathione levels and oxidoresistance mediated by increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase expression. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 274, 2750-2757.
[32] Ramesh, M., Sivakumari, K. and Kanagaraj, M. (1993) Toxicity of dye effluent in lactate dehydrogenase activity in Labeo rohita. Journal of environmental Prot. 13, 124-127.
[33] Das, P., Ayyappan, S., Das, B. and Jena, J. (2004) Nitrite toxicity in Indian major carps: sublethal effect on selected enzymes in fingerlings of Catla catla, Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology C-Toxicology & Pharmacology, 138, 3- 10.
[34] Das, P., Ayyappan, S., Jena, J. and Das, B. (2004) Acute toxicity of ammonia and its sub-lethal effects on selected haematological and enzymatic parameters of mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton). Aquaculture Research, 35, 134-143.
[35] Shaklee, J., Champion, M. and Whitt, G. (1974) Develop- mental genetics of teleosts-biochemical analysis of lake Chubsucker ontogeny. Developmental Biology, 38, 356-382.
[36] Meyers, M., Johnson, L., Hom, T., Collien, T., Stein, J., Varanasi, U. and Washington, U. (1998) Toxipathic Hepatic lesion in subadult English Sole (Pleurinectes vetulus) from Puget sound, Relationship with other Biomarkers of contaminant Exposure. Marine Enviromental Research, 45, 47-67.
[37] Sing, R. and Sharm, B. (1998) Cr bofuran-induced biochemical changes in Clarias batrachus. Journal of Pest Science, 53, 285-290.
[38] Long, S., Ryder, K. and Holdway, D. (2003) The use of respiratory enzymes as biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbon exposure in Mytilus edulis planulatus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 55, 261-270.
[39] Klontz, G. (1985) Diagnostic methods in fish diseases: Present status and needs. In: Ellis, A.E. Ed., Fish and Shellfish Pathology, European Association of Fish Pathology. Academic Press, London, England, 3-9.
[40] Ferguson, H. (1989) Systemic pathology of fish: and atlas of comparative tissue responses in diseases of teleosts. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.
[41] Moeller, H. (1985) A critical review on the role of pollution as a cause of fish diseases. In: Ellis, A.E. Ed., Fish and Shellfish Pathology, European Association of Fish Pathology. Academic Press, London, England, 169-182.
[42] APHA, (2005) Standard methods for the examination of water & wastewater. Amer Public Health Assn.
[43] Hardewig, I., Portner, H. and van Dijk, P. (2004) How does the cold stenothermal gadoid Lota lota survive high water temperatures during summer? Journal of Comparative Physiology B-Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology, 174, 149-156.
[44] Kachmar, J. and Moss, D. (1976) Fundamentals of clinical chemistry. 2nd Edition, Philadelphia FG - 0: WB Saunders.
[45] Osman, A.G.M., Wuertz, S., Mekkawy, I.A.A., Verreth, J. and Kirschbaum, F. (2008) Early development of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) focusing on the ontogeny of selected organs. Journal of Applied Ichthiology, 24, 187-195.
[46] SPSS, (1998) SPSS-Inc for Windows release. Chicago, 10.
[47] Singhal, R., Anderson, M. and Meister, A. (1987) Glutathione, a 1st Line of defense against cadmium toxicity. Faseb Journal, 1, 220-223.
[48] Bucher, F., Hofer, R., Krumschnabel, G. and Doblander, C. (1993) Disturbances in the prooxidant-antioxidant balances in the liver of bullhead (Cottus gobio) exposed to treated paper mill effluents. Chemosphere, 27, 1329- 1338.
[49] Korsgaard, B. (2005) Metabolic changes associated with 17 alph-thinylestradiol exposure in the pregnant teleost Zoarces viviparus. Electric journal of ichthyology, 1, 10-20.
[50] Brightman, S. (1997) A localised oral health study based on the School Dental Inspection system, and its implications for the proposed national oral health database. Journal of the Irish Dental Association, 43, 2-6.
[51] Pelletier, D., Dutil, J., Blier, P. and Guderley, H. (1994) Relation between growth rate and metabolic organization of white muscle, liver and digestive-tract in Cod, Gadus morhua. Journal of Comparative Physiology B-Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology, 164, 508.
[52] Gagnon, M.M. and Holdway, D.A. (1999) Metabolic enzyme activities in fish gills as biomarkers of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 44, 92-99.
[53] Chourpagar, A. and Kulkarni, G.K. (2009) Toxic Effect of Copper Sulphate on Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity in a Freshwater Crab, Barytelphusa cunicularis (Westwood). World Journal of Zoology, 4, 180-183.
[54] Wilkinson, J. (1976) The principles and practice of diagnostic enzymology. Fundamentals of clinical chemistry, 30, 379-385.
[55] Elezabi, M.M., El serafy, S., Hechnann, R., Sharaf Eldeen, K.H. and Seddek, M.N. (2001) Effects of some toxicants on the freshwater fish , Oreochromis niloticus. Journal of Egyptian. German. Society Zoology, 36, 47-343.
[56] Peebua, P., Kruatrachue, M., Pokethitiyook, P. and Singhakaew, S. (2008) Histopathological alterations of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in acute and subchronic alachlor exposure. Journal of environmental biology / Academy of Environmental Biology, India, 29, 325-331.
[57] Soufy, H., Soliman, M., El-Manakhly, E. and Gaafa, A. (2007) Some biochemical and pathological investigations on monosex Tilapia following chronic exposure to carbofuran pesticides. Global Veterinaria, 1, 45-52.
[58] Gingerich, W. (1982) Hepatic Toxicology of Fishes. In: Weber, L.J. Ed., Aquatic Toxicology, Raven Press, New York, 55-105.
[59] Ptashynski, M.D., Pedlar, R.M., Evans, R.E., Baron, C.L. and Klaverkamp, J.F. (2002) Toxicology of dietary nickel in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 58, 229- 247.
[60] Fanta, E., Rios, F.V.S.A., Rom?£o, S., Vianna, A.C.C. and Freiberger, S. (2003) Histopathology of the fish Corydoras paleatus contaminated with sublethal levels of organophosphorus in water and food. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 54, 119-130.
[61] Olojo, E., Olurin, K., Mbaka, G. and Oluwemimo, A. (2005) Histopathology of the gill and liver tissues of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus exposed to lead. African Journal of Biotechnology, 4, 117-122.
[62] Mohamed, M., Osman, M., Potter, T. and Levin, R. (1998) Lead and cadmium in Nile River water and finished drinking water in greater Cairo, Egypt. Environment International, 24, 767-772.
[63] Camargo, M. and Martinez, C. (2006) Biochemical and physiological biomarkers in Prochilodus lineatus submitted to in situ tests in an urban stream in southern Brazil. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 21, 61-69.
[64] Camargo, M.M. and Martinez, C. (2007) Histopathology of gills, kidney and liver of a Neotropical fish caged in an urban stream. Neotropical Ichthyology, 5, 327-336.
[65] Oliveira, R.C.A., Pelletier, E., Pfeiffer, W.C. and Rouleau, C. (2000) Comparative uptake, bioaccumula- tion, and gill damages of inorganic mercury in tropical and nordic freshwater fish. Environmental Research, 83, 286-292.
[66] Cerqueira, C.C.C. and Fernandes, M.N. (2002) Gill tissue recovery after copper exposure and blood parameter responses in the tropical fish Prochilodus scrofa. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 52, 83- 91.
[67] Martinez, C.B.R., Nagae, M.Y., Zaia, C.T.B.V. and Zaia, D.A.M. (2004) Acute morphological and physiological effects of lead in the neotropical fish Prochilodus lineatus. Brazilian journal of biology = Revista brasleira de biologia, 64, 797-807.
[68] Triebskorn, R., Telcean, I., Casper, H., Farkas, A., Sandu, C., Stan, G., Col??rescu, O., Dori, T. and K??hler, H.-R. (2008) Monitoring pollution in River Mure??, Romania, part II: metal accumulation and histopathology in fish. Environmental monitoring and assessment, 141, 177- 188.
[69] Fernandes, M.N. and Mazon, A.F. (2003) Environmental pollution and fish gill morphology. In: Val, A.L. and Kapoor, B.G. Eds., Fish adaptaion, Science publisher, Enfield, 203-231.

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.