Zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and C60 fullerene nanoparticles, alone and in mixture, differently affect biomarker responses and proteome in the clam Ruditapes philippinarum

Abstract

Continuous release of nanoparticles (NPs) into marine coastal environments results in an increased risk of exposure to complex NP mixtures for marine organisms. However, to date, the information on the effects at molecular and biochemical levels induced by the exposure to NPs, singly and as a mixture, is still scant. The present work aimed at exploring the independent and combined effects and the mechanism(s) of action induced by 7-days exposure to 1 μg/L nZnO, 1 μg/L nTiO2 and 1 μg/L FC60 fullerene in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum, using a battery of immunological and oxidative stress biomarkers in haemolymph, gills and digestive gland. In addition, proteomics analyses were performed in gills and the digestive gland, where NP bioaccumulation was also assessed. Increased bioaccumulation of single NPs and the mixture was linked with increased oxidative stress and higher damage to proteins, lipids and DNA in all tissues analysed. The proteomics approach highlighted protein modulation in terms of abundance and damage (higher redox-thiol and carbonylated groups content). In particular, the modulated proteins (16 in gills and 18 in digestive gland) were mostly related to cytoskeleton and energetic metabolism. The digestive gland was the tissue more affected. For all biomarkers measured, increased detrimental effects were observed in the mixture compared to single NP exposures.