Stress response of juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to the butoxyethanol ester of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

Evidence of apoptotic effects of 2,4-D and butachlor on walking catfish, Clarias batrachus, by transmission electron microscopy and DNA degradation studies

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is characterized morphologically by chromatin condensation, cell shrinkage, fragmentation of the nucleus and cytoplasm, and consequently formation of apoptotic bodies. It has also been best characterized by the cleavage of DNA into nucleosomal size fragments of 180-200 bp or multiples of the same. Contrary to this, under extreme conditions, the cells were found to show adaptive response to apoptosis and unable to regulate their own death; necrosis is therefore predominantly observed. In the present study, we showed induction of apoptosis in Clarias batrachus due to sublethal concentration of 2,4-D and butachlor at multiple exposure time. The first phase of the study involved light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for ultrastructural abnormalities of the germinal tissues. While, in the second phase of the study, DNA degradation of blood and hepatic tissue was resolved on agarose gel electrophoresis. In histopathological studies, large numbers of stage II oocytes were noted for nuclear blebbing irrespective of the test chemical. Some of the butachlor-exposed oocytes showed vacuolation and electron dense cytoplasm along with thickened nuclear envelope, having close association with the lysosomes on the cytoplasmic side. Some oocytes undergo nuclear blebbing having inner dense core and translucent cytoplasm. Leydig cells were slightly hypertrophied and few appeared pycnotic, a process involving necrotic changes in which the cell nuclei were characterized by rounding up and condensation resulting in hyperchromatic staining or pycnosis. In testicular tissue, spermatogonial nuclei had irregular large clumps of heterochromatin adjoining the nuclear membrane indicating initial stage of apoptotic cell death. Electrophoretic separation resulted in a ladder pattern of blood DNA and smear like pattern of hepatic DNA. These results indicate that the above herbicides are able to induce apoptosis both at molecular as well as cytological level. A reference dose or safety factor approach to calculate risk of human exposure to both chemicals is still awaited.

Lesions induced by 2,4-D and chlorpyrifos in tench (Tinca tinca L.): implication in toxicity studies

This study was undertaken to demonstrate the toxicity of two pesticides, chlorpyrifos (O,O-diethyl 0-3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridyl phosphorothioate) and 2,4-D (Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) to tench (Tinca tinca Linnaeus). Pathological samples of damaged tench kidney showing lesions were taken for statistical analysis in order to quantify different parameters. Analysis revealed differences in the action and/or action time of the two pesticides. These differences were more acute in the case of 2,4-D thereby indicating a greater toxicity. These differences, expressed by mathematical formulae of numerical variables, would enable, a priori, the identification of the responsible pesticide and the time of acting in new natural cases of poisonings with these substances.

Salt water-acclimated pink salmon fry (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) develop stress-related visceral lesions after 10-day exposure to sublethal concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of North Slope crude oil

Pink salmon fry. Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, after a 10-day exposure to one of two sublethal concentrations (25-54 microg x L(-1) or 178-348 microg x L(-1)) of the water-soluble fractions from Alaska North Slope crude oil, possessed morphologic and stress induced lesions in their hepatic, head kidney and gill tissues. Analysis of livers from oil-exposed fry revealed a variety of hepatocellular changes, including steatosis, nuclear pleomorphism. megalocytosis and necrosis. Epithelial proliferation of the bile ducts also occurred. An increase in the head kidney's interrenal cell nuclear diameter, a biomarker for stress responses, was correlated with hydrocarbon exposure. Gill abnormalities such as eqithelial lifting. fusion, mucous cell hyperplasia and vascular constriction were found in all test groups, but were more severe in fry given the high water soluble fraction of crude oil. The study demonstrated that sublethal exposure to the water-soluble fraction of crude oil results in multiple microscopic lesions (in several viscera) that are consistent with a pronounced response to environmental stress.