Effects of a complex mixture of chemical contaminants on hepatic glutathione, L-cysteine and {gamma}-glutamylcysteine synthetase in English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus)

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1897/1552-8618(1995)14[461:EOACMO]2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:31811

Nishimoto, M; Le Eberhart, B T; Sanborn, H R; Krone, C; Varanasi, U; Stein, J E ^[1]

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1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA (United States)

The effects of chemical contaminants on concentrations of hepatic glutathione (GSH), cysteine (L-Cys), and the activity of {gamma}-glutamylcysteine synthetase ({gamma}-GCS) were assessed in English sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) in the laboratory and in fish from the Duwamish Waterway, a contaminated urban site in Puget Sound, Washington. In the laboratory studies, fish from a nonurban (reference) site were exposed to an organic-solvent extract of sediment from the Duwamish Waterway. Hepatic GSH concentrations significantly increased at 3 d after exposure to the extract at 1,000 g sediment extracted/kg fish. At this time point, hepatic GSH showed a dose-dependent increase at dosages ranging from 300 to 1,600 g sediment extracted/kg fish, whereas fish exposed to a reference sediment extract showed no increase. Moreover, the increases in GSH in fish exposed to the contaminated sediment extract were not accompanied by changes in either L-Cys concentrations or {gamma}-GCS activity. Similarly, fish sampled directly from the Duwamish Waterway showed increased GSH concentrations but showed no significant differences in L-Cys levels or {gamma}-GCS activity compared to fish from a reference site. These results substantiate the hepatic GSH in fish is responsive to chemical contaminant exposure and further support its use as a biomarker in environmental monitoring studies. The findings also indicate that L-Cys availability and induction of {gamma}-GCS were not major factors in the increase of hepatic GSH in contaminant-exposed English sole.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 31811
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 14; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CYSTEINE
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
FISHES
GLUTATHIONE
LIGASES
LIVER
PUGET SOUND
SENSITIVITY
WATER POLLUTION
XENOBIOTICS