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Omedes S, Crespo-Picazo JL, Robinson NJ, García-Párraga D, Sole M. Identifying biomarkers of pollutant exposure in ocean sentinels: Characterisation and optimisation of B-esterases in plasma from loggerhead turtles undergoing rehabilitation. Chemosphere 2024; 348:140770. [PMID: 37992900 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Sea turtles are frequently proposed as indicator species for assessing ocean health. To faciliate the use of these species as bioindicators requires the development of tools for rapidly and effectively assessing individual health. Here, we collected 104 blood samples from 69 loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, undergoing rehabilitation to determine the connection between health status, the activity of B-esterases, and other biochemical parameters. To determine the optimal assay protocol for B-esterases, we measured the activity and kinetics of cholinesterases-(ChEs) and carboxylesterases (CEs) using 3 and 5 commercial substrates, respectively, at different assay conditions. IC50 values for the activity of B-esterases were calculated within a concentration range for model pesticide inhibitors. Turtles' health status was determined via routine veterinary procedures. During rehabilitation (which was associated with improving health status), we observed a decrease in the activity of most enzymes (especially in acetylcholinesterase) alongside an increase in CE when using p-nitrophenyl acetate as a substrate. As such, it is possible that the activity rates of plasmatic B-esterases could serve as an indicator of health status. There is also high potential that B-esterases could be specifically sensitive to marine pollutants although to further validate this would require future studies to specifically correlate B-esterarse activities to pollutant concentrations in blood or excreta.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Omedes
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J L Crespo-Picazo
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marques del Turia 19, 46005, Valencia, Spain
| | - N J Robinson
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marques del Turia 19, 46005, Valencia, Spain
| | - D García-Párraga
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marques del Turia 19, 46005, Valencia, Spain
| | - M Sole
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Pg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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Omedes S, Crespo-Picazo JL, García-Párraga D, Sole M. B-esterase measurements and other blood related biomarkers in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) as indicators of health status. Sci Total Environ 2023; 879:163040. [PMID: 36965720 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) has been selected as sentinel species by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) descriptor 10 in relation to marine litter. In this, and other protected species, there is a need to develop conservative pollution biomarkers equally informative of chemical exposures to those traditionally carried out in metabolic organs, such as the liver. With this aim, plasma from turtles undergoing rehabilitation at the Fundació Oceanogràfic rescue centre (Arca del Mar) were selected and tested for B-esterase measurements. Hydrolysis rates of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and carboxylesterases (CEs) using four commercial substrates were undertaken on 191 plasma samples. Results indicated that acetylthiocholine was the most adequate substrate of cholinesterases and butyrate esters for CE measures. The correlation of these parameters with well-established blood biochemistry measurements was analysed. B-esterase measures in wild specimens were discussed in relation to age group, pathology on admission to the rescue centre and season; moreover, contrasts with long-term resident turtles were also made. Although this study provides baseline data on B-esterase measures in a large sample size for this species, more complementary information is still needed in terms of population genetics, chemical exposures, and in relation to other biochemical parameters before they can be confidently applied in wild specimens within the regulatory MSFD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Omedes
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - J L Crespo-Picazo
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 València, Spain
| | - D García-Párraga
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 València, Spain
| | - M Sole
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
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Catarci Carteny C, Amato ED, Pfeiffer F, Christia C, Estoppey N, Poma G, Covaci A, Blust R. Accumulation and release of organic pollutants by conventional and biodegradable microplastics in the marine environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27887-1. [PMID: 37266788 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27887-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The issue of microplastic (MP) litter in the aquatic environment and its capability of accumulating and/or releasing pollutants has been brought to light in recent years. Biodegradable plastics have been proposed as one of the different solutions to decrease environmental input of discarded plastics; however, their ability to accumulate and release pollutants once in the marine environment has not been assessed yet. In this study, we compare the accumulation and the release of a wide range of compounds by biodegradable (polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS)) and conventional (polyethylene (PE)) MPs following exposure to natural seawater for 64 days. We quantified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), phthalates, and alternative plasticizers in MPs, before and after exposure. Results indicated that PBS- and PHA-MPs accumulated the largest amount of PAHs and PFRs, respectively. Leaching of PFRs and plasticizers was observed for all polymers and was approximately twofold greater for PE- when compared to PBS- and PHA-MPs. Overall, our study suggests that biodegradable MPs may release less additives and accumulate a larger amount of contaminants from seawater compared to conventional ones: these findings may have implications on the risk assessment of biodegradable polymers for marine biota; and on potential widespread adoption of these types of plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Catarci Carteny
- Systemic, Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Elvio Diego Amato
- Systemic, Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Pfeiffer
- School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Batochime, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christina Christia
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Estoppey
- School of Criminal Justice, University of Lausanne, Batochime, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Poma
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ronny Blust
- Systemic, Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research (SPHERE), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
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Nos D, Navarro J, Solé M. The influence of ecological factors in the modulation of pollution biomarkers of two small pelagic marine fish. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 188:114717. [PMID: 36860015 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Biomarkers are useful tools for the detection of marine pollution, which is poorly monitored in the pelagic environment. In this study, we investigated the role of key biological and environmental factors on three hepatic xenobiotic biomarkers: carboxylesterases (CEs), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT). Additionally, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and benzyloxy-4-[trifluoromethyl]-coumarin-O-debenzyloxylase (BFCOD) activities were determined for comparative purposes. The pelagic species targeted were the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and the European sardine (Sardina pilchardus). The results revealed sex-dependent CE activities in sardine. CEs and GST activities were significantly affected by reproduction and, in anchovy, CE activities were also influenced by temperature. In vitro incubations revealed that the pesticide dichlorvos caused up to 90 % inhibition of basal CEs activity. This work highlights that the reproductive status, temperature and sex, modulate biomarker responses, and that anchovy would be more suitable pelagic bioindicator due to its higher in vitro sensitivity to dichlorvos and sex-independent biomarker responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Nos
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Joan Navarro
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Solé
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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Chaousis S, Leusch FD, Limpus CJ, Nouwens A, Weijs LJ, Weltmeyer A, Covaci A, van de Merwe JP. Non-targeted proteomics reveals altered immune response in geographically distinct populations of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Environ Res 2023; 216:114352. [PMID: 36210607 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
All seven species of sea turtle are facing increasing pressures from human activities that are impacting their health. Changes in circulating blood proteins of an individual, or all members of a population, can provide an early indicator of adverse health outcomes. Non-targeted measurement of all detectable proteins in a blood sample can indicate physiological changes. In the context of wildlife toxicology, this technique can provide a powerful tool for discovering biomarkers of chemical exposure and effect. This study presents a non-targeted examination of the protein abundance in sea turtle plasma obtained from three geographically distinct foraging populations of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) on the Queensland coast. Relative changes in protein expression between sites were compared, and potential markers of contaminant exposure were investigated. Blood plasma protein profiles were distinct between populations, with 85 out of the 116 identified proteins differentially expressed (p < 0.001). The most strongly dysregulated proteins were predominantly acute phase proteins, suggestive of differing immune status between the populations. The highest upregulation of known markers of immunotoxicity, such as pentraxin fusion and complement factor h, was observed in the Moreton Bay turtles. Forty-five different organohalogens were also measured in green turtle plasma samples as exposure to some organohalogens (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls) has previously been identified as a cause for immune dysregulation in marine animals. The few detected organohalogens were at very low (pg/mL) concentrations in turtles from all sites, and are unlikely to be the cause of the proteome differences observed. However, the changes in protein expression may be indicative of exposure to other chemicals or environmental stressors. The results of this study provide important information about differences in protein expression between different populations of turtles, and guide future toxicological and health studies on east-Australian green sea turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Chaousis
- Griffith School of Environment and Science and the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, 4222, Australia
| | - Frederic Dl Leusch
- Griffith School of Environment and Science and the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, 4222, Australia
| | - Colin J Limpus
- Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Queensland, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Liesbeth J Weijs
- Griffith School of Environment and Science and the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, 4222, Australia
| | | | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Jason P van de Merwe
- Griffith School of Environment and Science and the Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD, 4222, Australia.
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Solé M, Figueres E, Mañanós E, Rojo-Solís C, García-Párraga D. Characterisation of plasmatic B-esterases in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and their potential as biomarkers of xenobiotic chemical exposures. Environ Pollut 2022; 313:120149. [PMID: 36115493 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A total of 164 blood samples from 16 clinically healthy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), were obtained from an aquarium in Spain between 2019 and 2020, as part of their preventive medicine protocol. In addition to conventional haematological and biochemical analyses, plasmatic B-esterase activities were characterised to determine the potential application of such analyses in wild counterparts. The hydrolysis rates for the substrates of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and carboxylesterase (CE) activity in plasma were measured, the last using two commercial substrates, p-nitrophenyl acetate (pNPA) and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (pNPB). Activity rates (mean ± SEM in nmol/min/mL plasma) were (in descending order): AChE (125.6 ± 3.8), pNPB-CE (65.0 ± 2.2), pNPA-CE (49.7 ± 1.1) and BuChE (12.8 ± 1.3). These values for dolphins are reported in here for the first time in this species. Additionally, the in vitro sensitivity of two B-esterases (AChE and pNPB-CE) to chemicals of environmental concern was determined, and the protective role of plasmatic albumin assessed. Out of the B-esterases measured in plasma of dolphin, AChE activity was more responsive in vitro to pesticides, while CEs had a low response to plastic additives, likely due to the protective presence of albumin. However, the clear in vitro interaction of these environmental chemicals with purified AChE from electric eels and recombinant human hCEs (hCE1 and hCE2) and albumin, predicts their impact in other tissues that require in vivo validation. A relationship between esterase-like activities and health parameters in terrestrial mammals has already been established. Thus, B-esterase measures could be easily included in marine mammal health assessment protocols for dolphins as well, once the relationship between these measures and the animal's fitness has been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Solé
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de La Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - E Figueres
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de La Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Mañanós
- Institute of Aquaculture Torre La Sal (IATS),-CSIC, 12595, Cabanes, Castellón, Spain
| | - C Rojo-Solís
- Veterinary Services, Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera (Científic) 1B, 46013, València, Spain
| | - D García-Párraga
- Veterinary Services, Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera (Científic) 1B, 46013, València, Spain
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