► Biological approaches were used to establish sediment toxicity. ► Modulation of genes involved in detoxification, metabolism and reproductive function. ► Elutriate had lethal effects on Artemia and ...rotifers even at very low final dilution.
Chemical analysis of sediment is not indicative of the downstream biological effects on aquatic organisms. In this study, the biological effects of sediment were examined using: Teleost fish (Solea solea), Artemia and rotifers. Although chemicals levels were below the limits permissible by Italian law, S. solea juveniles exposed to sediment (0.3%, w/v) for 96h, revealed significant induction in the expression levels of HSP70, ERα, TRα, RXRα, PPARα, PPARβ, CYP4501A1 and CYP3A mRNAs, suggesting the utility of this species as a novel biosensor. The bio-toxicity of the sediment was further validated by exposing Artemia and rotifers to concentrations of elutriate (derived from the sediment) from 10 to 100% (v/v) (with a 50% mortality rate). These results suggest that sediment defined as moderately contaminated, solely on the basis of the chemical profile, may in fact cause harmful effects to aquatic organisms. This study highlights the need for biological approaches in the establishment of sediment toxicity levels.
Highlights • NP and t- OP in the diet induce hepatic stress in S. aurata. • Alkylphenols cause the presence of various forms of VG and ZRP in male plasma. • t -OP exposure significantly decreases ...plasma testosterone level in S. aurata males.
Endocannabinoids are known to be lipidic mediators with several biological functions as the stimulation of food intake and lipid metabolism
via cannabinoid receptor CB1. Many evidences, such as the ...presence of
CB1 mRNA in fat tissue, suggest a peripheral role for endocannabinoids in regulating lipogenesis and body weight in mammals.
As animal models constitute good tools to study endocannabinoid system dynamics, we analyzed the role of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) in modulating lipid metabolism and growth in zebrafish larvae and adults.
The data obtained indicated that AEA administered
via water modulates the transcription of its own receptor
CB1, besides to up-regulate gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein (
SREBP) and of the insulin-like growth factors (
IGF-1 and
IGF-2).
The results here obtained represent the first evidence in fish of the endocannabinoid system involvement in lipid metabolism and growth.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential use of preserved copepod as prey in
Amphiprion clarkii larviculture. After hatching,
A. clarkii larvae were divided in three experimental groups ...for feeding studies as follows: group A (control group) fed rotifers (
Brachionus plicatilis) followed by
Artemia nauplii; group B fed a mixed diet of rotifers-
Artemia salina nauplii and preserved copepods and group C fed preserved copepods solely. In this study we observed a positive effect of feeding preserved copepods in
A. clarkii larviculture as a supplement food to the traditional diet based on rotifers and
Artemia nauplii. In group B larvae, fed a combination of rotifers/
Artemia and copepods, a significant increase of insulin like growth factor I and II, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α−β and thyroid receptor α and β gene expression together with a significant decrease of myostatin gene expression was evidenced by real time PCR compared to the other experimental groups. In this same group we also observed the best results in terms of growth (total length and weight) and survival. These preserved copepods may be considered a suitable food for marine fish larvae larviculture when used as a supplement to the traditional diet based on rotifers and
Artemia nauplii.
In the last few years, vibrational spectroscopies have been widely applied in biology and medicine, as a synergic support to commonly used analytical and diagnostic techniques. This review summarizes ...the relevant researches carried out by using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy on oviparous and mammalian gametes, including human ones.
We report the more recent applications of vibrational microspectroscopy to the study of female gametes, in animal and human models, to improve the knowledge on reproductive mechanisms and in ART practices.
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