State of the antioxidant enzyme complex in tissues of the Black Sea mollusc Mytilus galloprovincialis under natural oxidative stress

The state of the antioxidant (AO) system (AOS) and the content of products of lipid peroxidation (LPO) in hepatopancreas, gill, and foot of the Black Sea mollusc Mytilus galloprovincialis Lam. were studied in norm and under conditions of natural oxidative stress (spawning). It has been established that under conditions of spawning, the AO-protection of hepatopancreas cells is predominantly oriented to inactivation of high concentrations of peroxide compounds with participation of glutathione peroxidase and catalase. In the foot tissue, on the contrary, the main role in AO-processes is played by enzymatic inhibition of superoxide anion radical with aid of superoxide dismutase. The highest level of oxidative stress in the spawning state is revealed in the mollusc gill, which is indicated by the maximal increase of the content of TBA (thiobarbituric acid)-active products.