Aggregation of hepatic melanomacrophage centers in S. herzbergii (Pisces, Ariidae) as indicators of environmental change and well-being

H.C Viana,R.N.F Carvalho Neta,W.B Jesus,M.B Jorge,S.K.L Silva,D.M.S Santos

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-12327

Abstract

ABSTRACT The melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) in the liver of fish are indicators of environmental conditions, as they are involved in xenobiotic biotransformation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the number of MMC in the liver of juveniles and adults of Sciades herzbergii from areas with different levels of contamination. The fish were caught at three points (reference - A1, potentially impacted - A2 and contaminated - A3), in São José bay (Maranhão, Brazil), in four samples. The livers were subjected to the standard histological procedure and 5μm sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. In livers of A2 adult individuals (260.50±161.50 MMCs / mm²) they presented a greater number of MMCs when compared to A3 adults (60.00 ± 30.10 MMCs / mm²). Juveniles showed considerable values in A1 (100.00 ± 0.00 MMCs/mm²) and A2 (95.33 ± 33.00 MMCs / mm²) compared to juveniles in A3 (49.00±0.00 MMCs/mm²). These high values are unexpected for young people. The average number of MMC correlated with the rainy season in the region. The use of hepatic MMCs as a biomarker of exposure to pollutants, in particular substances from fisheries systems, such as ammonia and nitrite, proved to be adequate to differentiate areas with different levels of impacts.

Highlights

Melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) consist of macrophages, such as phagocytic cells and fragments, mainly erythrocytes and pigments, such as melanin, hemosiderin and lipofuscin, located in the reticuloendothelial liver tissue, kidney and pancreas (Agius and Roberts, 2003)
Fish liver is considered a good indicator of environmental stress conditions, as it is responsible for several vital functions in the physiology of these animals, both in anabolism and catabolism, and in xenobiotic metabolism (Passantino et al, 2014)
The maturation stage of the fish caught in this study showed the following data: in A1 there was a rate of 41 juveniles, A2 there was a frequency of 45 juveniles in stage I and 35 in stage II and A3 presented 35 adults in stage III and 32 in stage IV

Summary

Introduction

Melanomacrophage centers (MMCs) consist of macrophages, such as phagocytic cells and fragments, mainly erythrocytes and pigments, such as melanin, hemosiderin and lipofuscin, located in the reticuloendothelial liver tissue, kidney and pancreas (Agius and Roberts, 2003). Fish liver is considered a good indicator of environmental stress conditions, as it is responsible for several vital functions in the physiology of these animals, both in anabolism and catabolism, and in xenobiotic metabolism (Passantino et al, 2014). In this context, liver histopathology can be used as an appropriate methodology for the detection of fish exposure to various pollutants (heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls - PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - PAHs) from environmental anthropic activities (Faccioli et al, 2014). Due to the low cost in markets and fairs, its fishing is intense and occurs all year round at the mouths of the São Luis River, being one of the main fish traded in the capital of Maranhão

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