Uptake and effects of microcystin-LR on detoxication enzymes of early life stages of the zebra fish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

The effects of cyanotoxins on fish have been studied mainly in adults, rather than in early life stages which could be more sensitive or, in view of their immobility, more readily affected. The uptake of microcystin-LR by different early life stages of the zebra fish (Danio rerio) was investigated using 14C-labelled microcystin-LR. The effects on the activity of the detoxication enzymes, microsomal and soluble glutathione S-transferases (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GP-X) were examined. There was a detectable uptake of microcystin from the first day of embryonic development up to 5 day old larvae. On average, an absorption of 0.5 ng microcystin for eggs and eleuthero-embryos was calculated over the entire exposure time. Because of the differences in volume of the eggs and eleuthero-embryos, there was an increase in the microcystin-LR concentration between these stages. In the eggs, approximately 25% of the medium concentration was found, and in eleuthero-embryos an equilibrium between fish and medium was reached. The activity of the detoxication enzymes differed during ontogenesis, but the effects of activation and suppression of these enzymes were similar at all stages. Minor activation of the soluble GST was found and a marked activation of GP-X was evident. The reaction of the microsomal GST was not so obvious. These results showed that there was an uptake of microcystin-LR by early life stages of the zebra fish and that the detoxication system reacted to this toxin, possibly indicating the ability of the organism to metabolize microcystin-LR to a less harmful compound. Chronic toxic effects, such as reduction in growth, in such early life stages when organogenesis is not finished and hence the microcystin-LR affects not one single target organ but the whole organism, might be due to the increased energy demand of these detoxication processes. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 14: 89–95, 1999