Acute toxicity of cadmium and copper in hepatopancreas cells from the Roman snail ( Helix pomatia)

Abstract

The toxic effects of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) on cellular metabolism and cell morphology were investigated in isolated hepatopancreas cells from the Roman snail ( Helix pomatia). Cell viability was unaffected during 1 h of incubation with 100 μM Cd, but was significantly reduced from 93% in controls to 87% and 85% with 100 μM Cu and 500 μM Cd, respectively. The adverse effect of 500 μM Cd on cell viability was not observed in cells isolated from Cd pretreated snails. Oxygen consumption remained constant in the presence of 100 μM Cu but was inhibited by 38% after 1 h of exposure to 500 μM Cd. Hepatopancreas cells showed enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species when exposed to 100 μM Cu, but not in the presence of Cd. Morphologically, an increase in cell volume of Cd-exposed cells was noted, while cell membrane bleb formation was induced by both metals. The latter may have been induced by metal effects on the actin filamentous network of the cells which showed distinct actin-staining within the blebs at the cell surface. Overall, our data indicate that both Cd and Cu are acutely toxic for hepatopancreas cells form the Roman snail with Cu being more toxic than Cd.