Histological liver chances in Swiss mice caused by tannery effluent

Comparative analysis of liver involvement caused by two DENV-2 lineages using an immunocompetent murine model

Dengue (DEN) is the most prevalent arbovirus among humans, and four billion people live at risk of infection. The clinical manifestations of DEN are variable, and the disease may present subclinically or asymptomatically. A quarter of patients develop classical dengue (CD) or severe dengue (SD), which is potentially lethal and involves vascular permeability changes, severe hemorrhage and organ damage. The involvement of the liver is a fairly common feature in DEN, and alterations range from asymptomatic elevation of transaminases to acute liver failure. Since its introduction in Brazil in 1990, two strains of Dengue virus (DENV) serotype 2 (DENV-2) have been detected: Lineage I, which is responsible for an outbreak in 1991, and Lineage II, which caused an epidemic greater than the previous one and had a different epidemiological profile. To date, studies on different strains of the same serotype/genotype and their association with disease severity are scarce. In addition, one of the greatest challenges regarding the study of DEN pathogenesis and the development of drug and vaccine therapies is the absence of an animal model that reproduces the disease as it occurs in humans. The main goals of this study were to assess BALB/c mouse susceptibility experimentally infected by two distinct DENV-2 strains and characterize possible differences in the clinical signs and alterations induced in the liver resulting from those infections. Mice infected by the two DENV-2 lineages gained less weight than uninfected mice; however, their livers were slightly heavier. Increased AST and AST levels were observed in infected mice, and the number of platelets increased in the first 72 h of infection and subsequently decreased. Mice infected with both lineages presented leukocytosis but at different times of infection. The histopathological changes induced by both lineages were similar and comparable to the changes observed in DEN fatal cases. The viral genome was detected in two liver samples. The results demonstrate the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to both DENV-2 lineages and suggest that the changes induced by those strains are similar, although for some parameters, they are manifested at different times of infection.

Behavioral toxicity of tannery effluent in zebrafish (Danio rerio) used as model system

The ecotoxicity of untreated tannery effluent (UTE) in several animal models has been reported; however, its effects on fish behavior, and neurotoxicity, remain unknown. Thus, the hypothesis that the chronic exposure to UTE can induce behavioral changes in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) representatives, even when it is highly diluted in water, was tested. Animals exposed to 0.1% and 0.3% UTE for 30 days showed behavioral changes in visual social preference tests through their co-specific and antipredator defensive responses, which had indicated neurotoxic actions. Zebrafish exposed to UTE appeared to have not co-specific preference when it is paired with Poecilia sphrenops. In addition, only animals in the control group showed aversive behavior in the presence of the herein used predatory stimulus (Oreochromis niloticus). However, Cr, Na and Mg bioaccumulation was higher in zebrafish exposed to 0.1% and 0.3% UTE, although anxiogenic and anxiolytic effects were not observed in the models exposed to UTE in the novel tank diving or aggressiveness-increase-in-the-mirror tests. This outcome allowed associating the exposure to the pollutant and bioaccumulation with the observed behavioral changes. The present study is pioneer in scientifically evidencing the sublethal impact caused by chronic exposure to UTE in experimental environment simulating realistic aquatic pollution conditions. Accordingly, results in the current research should motivate further investigations to broaden the knowledge about the real magnitude of UTE biological impacts on the aquatic biota.

Ingestion of tannery effluent as a risk factor to the health of birds: A toxicological study using Coturnix coturnix japonica as a model system

Tannery industries generate large amounts of tannery effluents (TE), which have been considered highly toxic to various groups of animals. However, the identification and characterization of the impact of this mix of pollutants on birds is still highly incipient. So, our goal was to evaluate the possible biological changes of Coturnix coturnix japonica, exposed for 45 days, to different dilutions of TE (1.4%, 3.1% and 6.5%), using behavioural biomarkers, mutagenics and egg production. When submitted to the behavioural tests, quails that ingested TE presented behaviour compatible with an anxiolytic effect in the open field test; absence of emotional reactivity in the object recognition test; reduced rates of predation of Tenebrio molitor larvae (potential prey); as well as an anti-predatory defensive response deficit when confronted, especially with Felis catus males (potential predator). In addition, we observed increased biomass of the liver, increased feed conversion index and lower feed efficiency index; mutagenic effect of TE (inferred by the increase of nuclear erythrocyte abnormalities); reduced productive performance and egg quality, in addition to different staining patterns of the eggs produced by quails from the control group. Therefore, our study confirms the toxicity of TE in C. coturnix japonica, even in small dilutions. While behavioural changes demonstrate the neurotoxic potential of the pollutant, the other alterations suggest that the mechanisms of action of its chemical constituents are not selective, that is, they act systemically, acting synergistic, antagonistic or additively, causing harmful effects in animals.

Detoxification Assays of Tunisian Tannery Wastewater under Nonsterile Conditions Using the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus niger

The ability of Aspergillus niger strain to reduce organic and mineral pollution as well as the toxicity of two tannery wastewaters, the unhairing effluent (UE) and the final effluent (FE), taken from a local Tunisian tannery and under nonsterile conditions, was studied. Raw effluents show alkaline pH ≥11; thus experiments were carried out at initial pH values and at pH adjusted to 6. Characterization of effluents also revealed high salt levels (EC > 17 mS/cm) and high organic matter content (25 g/L for the UE and 7.2 g/L for the FE) but a low biodegradability since BOD₅ did not exceed 2.5 and 1.25 g/L for the UE and the FE, respectively. The results of the biological treatment showed that A. niger was able not only to grow at high pH and salinity values, but also to reduce organic and mineral pollutant load. After treatment, the COD reduction for the UE reached 90% and 70% at pH=6 and at initial pH (12.13), respectively. For the FE, the decrease of COD values reached 75% at pH=6 and 64% at initial pH (11.64). Monitoring of mineral pollution levels showed a reduction in chromium (Cr) concentrations reaching 70% for the FE. This was reflected by an increase of the biomass of A. niger from 9.25 g/L (control) to 9.84 g/L for the FE. To confirm the efficiency of the biological treatment using A. niger, phytotoxicity (tomato seeds) and microtoxicity (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) tests were carried out. Results of this monitoring showed an important decrease in the toxicity levels for both effluents.