scholarly journals Environmentally relevant levels of four psychoactive compounds vary in their effects on freshwater fish condition: a brain concentration evidence approach

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavla Hubená ◽  
Pavel Horký ◽  
Roman Grabic ◽  
Kateřina Grabicová ◽  
Ondřej Slavík ◽  
...  

Background The aquatic environment has been contaminated with various anthropogenic pollutants, including psychoactive compounds that may alter the physiology and behavior of free-living organisms. The present study focused on the condition and related mortality of the juvenile chub (Squalius cephalus). The aim of the study was to test whether the adverse effects of the antidepressants sertraline and citalopram, the analgesic tramadol and the illicit drug methamphetamine, on fish condition exist under environmentally relevant concentrations and whether these effects persist after a depuration period. Innovative analyses of the fish brain concentrations of these compounds were performed with the aim to show relationship between compound brain tissue concentration and fish condition. Methods The laboratory experiment consisted of 42 days of exposure and a subsequent 14-day depuration period with regular monitoring of the condition and mortality of exposed and control fish. Identical methodology, including individual brain concentration analyses for the tested compounds, was applied for all substances. Additional study on feeding under sertraline exposure was also conducted. The feeding was measured from the 28th day of the exposure, three times in a week, by observation of food intake during 15 minutes in social environment. Results The effects of particular psychoactive compounds on chub condition varied. While sertraline induced a lower condition and increased mortality, the effects of methamphetamine were inverse, and tramadol and citalopram had no significant effect at all. Individual brain concentrations of the tested compounds showed that the effects of sertraline and methamphetamine on fish condition were increased with brain concentration increases. Additionally, the food intake was reduced in case of sertraline. In contrast, there was no relationship between tramadol and citalopram brain tissue concentration and fish condition, suggesting that the concentration-dependent effect is strongly compound-specific. Methamphetamine was the only compound with a persistent effect after the depuration period. Our results demonstrate the suitability of the brain concentration evidence approach and suggest that changes in fish condition and other related parameters can be expected in freshwater ecosystems polluted with specific psychoactive compounds.

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1498
Author(s):  
Julia Benzel ◽  
Gzona Bajraktari-Sylejmani ◽  
Philipp Uhl ◽  
Abigail Davis ◽  
Sreenath Nair ◽  
...  

Actinomycin D is a potent cytotoxic drug against pediatric (and other) tumors that is thought to barely cross the blood–brain barrier. To evaluate its potential applicability for the treatment of patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, we established a cerebral microdialysis model in freely moving mice and investigated its CNS disposition by quantifying actinomycin D in cerebral microdialysate, brain tissue homogenate, and plasma. For this purpose, we developed and validated an ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay suitable for ultra-sensitive quantification of actinomycin D in the pertinent biological matrices in micro-samples of only 20 µL, with a lower limit of quantification of 0.05 ng/mL. In parallel, we confirmed actinomycin D as a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in in vitro experiments. Two hours after intravenous administration of 0.5 mg/kg, actinomycin D reached total brain tissue concentrations of 4.1 ± 0.7 ng/g corresponding to a brain-to-plasma ratio of 0.18 ± 0.03, while it was not detectable in intracerebral microdialysate. This tissue concentration exceeds the concentrations of actinomycin D that have been shown to be effective in in vitro experiments. Elimination of the drug from brain tissue was substantially slower than from plasma, as shown in a brain-to-plasma ratio of approximately 0.53 after 22 h. Because actinomycin D reached potentially effective concentrations in brain tissue in our experiments, the drug should be further investigated as a therapeutic agent in potentially susceptible CNS malignancies, such as ependymoma.


Catalysts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tajkia Syeed Tofa ◽  
Fei Ye ◽  
Karthik Laxman Kunjali ◽  
Joydeep Dutta

Microplastics are persistent anthropogenic pollutants which have become a global concern owing to their widespread existence and unfamiliar threats to the environment and living organisms. This study demonstrates the degradation of fragmented microplastics particularly low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film in water, through visible light-induced plasmonic photocatalysts comprising of platinum nanoparticles deposited on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (ZnO-Pt). The ZnO-Pt nanocomposite photocatalysts were observed to have better degradation kinetics for a model organic dye (methylene blue) compared to bare ZnO nanorods, attributed to the plasmonic effects leading to better interfacial exciton separation and improved hydroxyl radical activity along with a 78% increase in visible light absorption. These demonstrations of the plasmonically enhanced photocatalyst enabled it to effectively degrade microplastic fragments as confirmed following the changes in carbonyl and vinyl indices in infrared absorption. In addition, visual proof of physical surface damage of the LDPE film establishes the efficacy of using plasmonically enhanced nanocomposite photocatalytic materials to tackle the microplastic menace using just sunlight for a clean and green approach towards mitigation of microplastics in the ecosystem.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akid Haris ◽  
Noreen Nordin ◽  
Nur Azizah Mustapa ◽  
Suraya Abd. Sani ◽  
Mohd Yunus Shukor ◽  
...  

Diodon hystrix, commonly known as spot-fin porcupine fish is a salt-water fish belonging to the Diodontidae family. It is widely distributed in Sabah wet market due to its commercial value. This study exploits the effectiveness of Cholinesterase (ChE) obtained from the brain tissue of D. hystrix in detecting carbamates inhibitory activities. Carbamate pesticides known to inhibit ChE and toxic towards living organisms can contaminate the water bodies. By using diethylaminoethanol (DEAE) Sepharose ion exchange chromatography, a total of 40% recovery yield of ChE was obtained with a 165.77 purification fold. Furthermore, the ChE showed a high affinity towards acetylthiocholine iodide (ATC) with an optimum activity at pH 7.45 and temperature ranging from 20 to 40℃. Among five different types of carbamates, methomyl was found to have the highest percentage of inhibition analyzed using ChE inhibitory assay, followed by carbofuran, bendiocarb, carbaryl and propoxur with >85% inhibition rate. The results concluded that ChEs extracted from the brain tissue of D. hystrix are applicable to be used as a bioindicator in detecting the presence of carbamates.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojun Tao ◽  
Siyu Mao ◽  
Qiufang Zhang ◽  
Hongyuan Yu ◽  
Yu Li ◽  
...  

AbstractMost Alzheimer’s disease drugs do not work efficiently because of the blood–brain barrier. Therefore, we designed a new nanopreparation (PS-DZP-CHP): cholesterol-modified pullulan (CHP) nanoparticle with polysorbate 80(PS) surface coverage, as donepezil (DZP) carrier to realize brain tissue delivery. By size analysis and isothermal titration calorimetry, we chose the optimal dosing ratio of the drug with nanomaterials (1:5) and designed a series of experiments to verify the efficacy of the nanoparticles. The results of in vitro release experiments showed that the nanoparticles can achieve continuous drug release within 72 h. The results of fluorescence observation in mice showed a good brain targeting of PS-DZP-CHP nanoparticles. Furthermore, the nanoparticle can enhance the drug in the brain tissue concentration in mice. DZP-CHP nanoparticles were used to pretreat nerve cells with Aβ protein damage. The concentration of lactate dehydrogenase was determined by MTT, rhodamine 123 and AO-EB staining, which proved that DZP-CHP nanoparticles had a protective effect on the neurotoxicity induced by Aβ25–35 and were superior to free donepezil. Microthermal perpetual motion meter test showed that PS-DZP-CHP nanoparticles have an affinity with apolipoprotein E, which may be vital for this nanoparticle targeting to brain tissue.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 3407-3428

Microplastic pollutants are increasingly posing a significant threat of aquatic contamination and causing various adverse effects on the aquatic environment as well as human health. Microplastics are hazardous chemicals to marine and freshwater ecosystems; therefore, it is becoming a severe concern for ecology. Microplastics can also expose via drinking water and can be vulnerable to all living organisms. Microplastics work as carriers for various toxic components such as additives and other hazardous substances from industrial and urbanized areas. These microplastic contaminated effluents are ultimately transferred into water systems and directly ingested by organisms associated with a particular ecosystem. The microplastics components also pose an indirect threat to aquatic ecosystems by adsorbing surrounding other water pollutants. Due to the luxuriant discharge of billion tons of plastic waste from domestic to industrial level every year, degraded microplastics get accumulated in various aquatic systems, contaminate, and introduce into the food chain. This review mainly focuses on occurrence, factors influencing the release of microplastics into aquatic ecosystems, possible impact of these toxic micro-sized particles on human health and aquatic life. This study also briefly discusses removing microplastics from effluent and water systems using different advanced final-stage treatment technologies.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Gizem Catalkaya ◽  
Elwira Sieniawska ◽  
Magdalena Maciejewska-Turska ◽  
Guoyin Kai ◽  
Esra Capanoglu

Metabolomics, one of the most recent additions to the systems biology toolkit, has been used to study the metabolism and physiology of living organisms. In the field of food research, metabolomics has lately gained popularity as a technique for determining the quality, processing, and safety of raw materials and final food products, as well as for identifying biomarkers linked to food intake and disease. This review aimed to provide an overview of the current understanding of the analytical techniques used for metabolomics and their application to berries with a special emphasis on the in vivo studies. Specifically, identification of biomarkers of biological activity and in vivo metabolites of berries using metabolomics approach is covered.


1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Tam ◽  
Xiaomin Zhang

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) were divided into a control group at neutral pH, a food-restricted control (Ph–food control) group at neutral pH, and an acid-stressed (pH 4.15) group, and were maintained under these conditions from August 14 to November 1. The food for the pH–food control group was restricted to simulate the reduced food intake of the acid-stressed fish. Throughout September, oocyte development in the acid-stressed fish was accelerated and the oocytes weighed 36–54% more than those of the pH control fish. By late September these oocytes had reached ovulatory size. Then a shift from predominantly high estrogen to high 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one levels occurred in the circulation. Ovulation followed and by October 19 all acid-stressed trout had ovulated. The same sequence of events occurred significantly later in the pH control fish and ovulation was not complete on November 1. Although their oocytes were larger than those of pH control fish in September, hormonal changes and ovulation in pH–food control fish occurred at the same time as in pH control fish. The results suggest that while the reduced food intake during acid stress might have contributed to accelerated oocyte growth, the full effect of chronic acid exposure was responsible for advancing oocyte development, maturation, and ovulation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (S4) ◽  
pp. 71-72
Author(s):  
M.S. Diniz ◽  
A.P. Alves de Matos ◽  
J. Lourenço ◽  
L. Castro ◽  
I. Peres ◽  
...  

Engineered nanomaterials such as nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly being used for commercial purposes in products within medicine, electronics, sporting goods, tires, textiles and cosmetics. They comprise diverse types of materials from metals, polymers, ceramic to biomaterials and have been defined as particles with at least one dimension in the order up to 100 nm1. The higher toxicological potential of NPs is mostly due to their small size, wide surface, increase of their chemical reactivity and biological activity and the capacity to generate free radicals. NPs also can have the ability to penetrate trough the biological barriers and to move easily through the biological systems. Therefore, is mandatory to assess the toxicity of these nanomaterials, since their industrial production and uses will also result in releases to the environment with unclear consequences.The aim of the present work is to evaluate the toxicity of titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs on gill gluthatione-S-transferase activity (GST), lipid peroxidation and on structure of the gills of two freshwater fish species (Carassius auratus and Danio rerio). Suspensions of TiO2 NPs, with an average size of 21 nm, were prepared using distillate water and then ultrasonicated (10 min, 35 KHz). The suspensions were added to 10L of tap water in exposure tanks, to obtain nominal concentrations (0.01; 0.1; 1, 10; 100 TiO2 mg/L). The test fish, C. auratus (N=144) and D. rerio (N=80), were randomly distributed by 6 exposure tanks and an additional tank with clean tap water was used as control. Fish were sampled after 7, 14, and 21 days. Six fish from both species were left for depuration in clean tap water during 14 days and then sacrificed. The GST activity was determined by following the procedure described by Habig et al. and lipid peroxidation was measured based on the Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Species method. The tissues were processed essentially according to Martoja and Martoja for light microscopy (LM). For transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the samples were fixed sequentially in glutaraldehyde, osmium tetroxide and uranyl acetate, dehydrated in ethanol and embedded in Epon-Araldite according to standard procedures. The histological and ultrastructural observations were performed using a Leica-ATC 2000 microscope and a JEOL 100-SX electron microscope respectively.The results show a significant increase of GST in gills tissues for C.auratus exposed to 10 and 100 mg/L TiO2 NPs and a decrease following the depuration period. With respect to D. rerio a significant increase was observed in fish exposed to 1, 10 and 100 mg/L TiO2 NPs. Lipid peroxidation are in agreement with GST results but showing a significant increase for fish (C.auratus and D. rerio) exposed to concentrations of 0.1 TiO2 mg/L NPs and higher. Usually, the oxidative stress caused by exposure to TiO2 NPs is attributed to hydroxyl radicals (OH) generated by photochemical (UV/vis) processes but it may be also related to specific properties of TiO2 NPs such as size, surface area and solubility that can influence the degree of toxicity. The results from LM observations (Fig. 1) showed that exposure to TiO2 NPs affected gill tissues, with changes being detected in both fish species exposed to 0.1 TiO2 mg/L NPs and higher which is in accordance with biochemical results. Changes include different degrees of hyperplasia (from low to complete fusion of lamellae). The TEM analysis revealed that TiO2 NPs were internalized by gills epithelial cells accumulating in vacuoles inside these cells (Fig. 2). After the depuration period it was observed that the capability for gills to recover was not complete. The results show a strong response to oxidative stress caused by exposure to TiO2 NPs, possibly because they are in direct contact with the exposure medium and function as a first barrier against external aggression. However, the gills changes observed following exposure and a partial recover after depuration suggest that TiO2 NPs may cause deleterious effects in fish gills compromising fish homeostasis.The authors acknowledge the funding by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through grant PTDC/CTM/099446/2008 and through project no. PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2011 granted to Requimte.


2012 ◽  
Vol 302 (8) ◽  
pp. R917-R928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher D. Morrison ◽  
Scott D. Reed ◽  
Tara M. Henagan

Free-living organisms must procure adequate nutrition by negotiating an environment in which both the quality and quantity of food vary markedly. Recent decades have seen marked progress in our understanding of neural regulation of feeding behavior. However, this progress has occurred largely in the context of energy intake, despite the fact that food intake is influenced by more than just the energy content of the diet. A large number of behavioral studies indicate that both the quantity and quality of dietary protein can markedly influence food intake. High-protein diets tend to reduce intake, low-protein diets tend to increase intake, and rodent models seem to self-select between diets in order to meet protein requirements and avoid diets that are imbalanced in amino acids. Recent work suggests that the amino acid leucine regulates food intake by altering mTOR and AMPK signaling in the hypothalamus, while activation of GCN2 within the anterior piriform cortex contributes to the detection and avoidance of amino acid-imbalanced diets. This review focuses on the role that these and other signaling systems may play in mediating the homeostatic regulation of protein balance, and in doing so, highlights our lack of knowledge regarding the physiological and neurobiological mechanisms that might underpin such a regulatory phenomenon.


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