Biochemical and molecular responses of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) to short-term exposure to three commonly prescribed drugs

Pharmaceuticals represent a group of emerging contaminants. The short-term effect (3 and 7 days) of warfarin (1 and 10 mg L^-1), dexamethasone (0.392 and 3.92 mg L^-1) and imidazole (0.013 and 0.13 mg L^-1) exposure was evaluated on mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). Total antioxidant status, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities, and the expression of genes involved in the xenobiotic response (ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (abcb1) and several nuclear receptor family J (nr1j) isoforms), were evaluated. All nr1j isoforms are suggested to be the xenobiotic receptor orthologs of the NR1I family. All drugs increased GPx activity and altered the expression of particular nr1j isoforms. Dexamethasone exposure also decreased abcb1 expression. These findings raised some concerns regarding the release of these pharmaceuticals into the aquatic environment. Thus, further studies might be needed to perform an accurate environmental risk assessment of these 3 poorly studied drugs.

Metabolite Profiling of Triterpene Glycosides of the Far Eastern Sea Cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix and Their Distribution in Various Body Components Using LC-ESI QTOF-MS

The Far Eastern sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix is an inhabitant of shallow waters of the south part of the Sea of Japan. This animal is an interesting and rich source of triterpene glycosides with unique chemical structures and various biological activities. The objective of this study was to investigate composition and distribution in various body components of triterpene glycosides of the sea cucumber E. fraudatrix. We applied LC-ESI MS (liquid chromatography–electrospray mass spectrometry) of whole body extract and extracts of various body components for metabolic profiling and structure elucidation of triterpene glycosides from the E. fraudatrix. Totally, 54 compounds, including 26 sulfated, 18 non-sulfated and 10 disulfated glycosides were detected and described. Triterpene glycosides from the body walls, gonads, aquapharyngeal bulbs, guts and respiratory trees were extracted separately and the distributions of the detected compounds in various body components were analyzed. Series of new glycosides with unusual structural features were described in E. fraudatrix, which allow clarifying the biosynthesis of these compounds. Comparison of the triterpene glycosides contents from the five different body components revealed that the profiles of triterpene glycosides were qualitatively similar, and only some quantitative variabilities for minor compounds were observed.