Abstract
Tilapia are widely distributed freshwater fish frequently used for environmental toxicology, comparative biochemistry and physiology studies. Tilapia can persist in a highly polluted habitat and have the potential for the development as a biological monitor of environmental pollution. Metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of small-molecular-weight cytoplasmic proteins induced in many animals including fish, following exposure to metals such as cadmium, copper, zinc, and mercury. An increasing number of reports have indicated that fish MT induction is a sensitive measure of metal contamination in the environment. Fish cytochrome (P450)-dependent monooxygenases are inducible by many environmental pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Extensive studies have suggested that fish monooxygenase can serve as a biochemical marker for exposure to PAH- and PCB-types of pollutants. Tilapia P450 is highly responsive to the inductive effects of PAH and PCBs. Tilapia collected from a polluted section of a river showed higher levels of P450 and dependent monooxygenase activities than tilapia collected from an unpolluted section. Previous studies showed that pretreatment with Cd decreased microsomal monooxygenase activities in fish such as plaice, bass, and trout. However, direct information regarding the effects of heavy metals on tilapia P450 are not available. Reports concerning themore » effect of heavy metal on tilapia MT are scarce. The purpose of the present study was to determine the ability of cadmium to modulate P450 and MT in tilapia liver and gill. In addition, we have extended our study to feral tilapia collected from Er-Jen Stream, a polluted river in Taiwan. 16 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less
Published Version
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