Effect of 2,4,5-Trichlorobiphenyl (PCB-29) on Oxidative Stress and Activities of Antioxidant Enzymes in Tomato Seedlings

Abstract

Leaves of two-week old seedlings of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) were treated with various concentrations (0, 0.2 and 0.4 g/1) of 2,4,5-trichlorobiphenyl (PCB-29) and subsequent growth of seedlings, symptoms of oxidative stress and activities of antioxidant enzymes were investigated. Compared with the non-treated control, foliar application of PCB-29 decreased both biomass and superoxide () radical production but increased hydrogen peroxide production and lipid peroxidation such as malondialdehyde (MDA) formation with increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX). Further studies on the isozymes of SOD, peroxidase (POD) and APX showed that all three isozymes of SOD such as Mn-SOD, Fe-SOD and Cu/Zn-SOD, two among four isozymes of POD and all three isozymes of APX were selectively increased in response to PCB. Therefore, we suggest that a possible cause for the reduction of seedling growth by PCB exposure is the oxidative stress including over production of hydrogen peroxide and the selective expression of specific isozymes of some antioxidant enzymes.