Distribution of i.v. administered epidermal growth factor in the rat

The distribution of i.v. injected ¹²⁵I-labeled epidermal growth factor (EGF) was examined in the rat. The uptake of radioactivity was examined for the following tissues: liver, kidney, skin, stomach, small intestine, colon, brain, submandibular gland, lung, spleen, and testis. ¹²⁵I-EGF was cleared from the circulation within minutes. At 2.5 min after the injection only 7% of the label was left in the blood. Most of the label was found in the liver (52%), the kidneys (14%), the small intestine (11%) and the skin (7%). The other organs examined contained 1% or less of the radioactivity. The uptake of ¹²⁵I-EGF per g tissue was markedly higher for the liver and kidneys than for the rest of the organs. By autoradiography ¹²⁵I-EGF was found in the peripheral parts of the classical liver lobule, in the proximal tubules of the kidneys, in the surface epithelium of the stomach, and in the surface epithelium of the villi in the small intestine. In conclusion the present study showed that small doses of homologous EGF was cleared from the circulation of rats within minutes, mainly by the liver, the kidneys, and the small intestine.     

Copper kinetics and hepatic metallothionein levels in the frog Rana ridibunda, after exposure to CuCl2

Adult female frogs Rana ridibunda were exposed to 50 and 100 ppm of Cu (as CuCl₂) dissolved in water for 5, 15 and 30 days. We measured the Cu content in the liver, kidneys, ventral skin, and large intestine. Hepatic metallothionein (MT) was also measured and we identified by elution the type of proteins bound to copper. Gross morphological characteristics of the frogs were not affected by Cu accumulation. Cu uptake took place first across the skin, then accumulated first in the large intestine, and then in the liver which was continuously accumulating Cu at all exposure concentrations and times. The highest concentration of the metal was recorded in the kidneys at 30 days and 100 ppm exposure. It appears that the kidneys act as the secondary route of Cu detoxification, probably after a Cu overload of liver. The concentration of hepatic MT increased with the increase of Cu concentration in liver at the 5^th and 15^th day of exposure but we observed a decrease by the end of the experiment. Cu was observed in the MT-fraction, and in the high-molecular weight protein fraction.     

Retention of radionuclides by some aquatic fresh water plants

The uptake of radionuclides ⁶⁰Co, ³²P and ¹³⁴Cs by some aquatic plants (Lemna gibba, Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton crispus) present in the Ismailia Canal at different pH values and for different contamination periods was studied. The experimental results showed that the uptake generally decreases as the water pH increased. The tested macrophytes proved to be reliable biological indicators.     

Assessment of the exposure pathway in the uptake and distribution of americium and cesium in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) at different stages of its life cycle

Laboratory radiotracer experiments were performed to study the uptake, assimilation and retention of americium (²⁴¹Am) and cesium (¹³⁴Cs) by the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. Uptake and loss kinetics of the radionuclides were measured following exposure through sediments, seawater and food at different stages of the animal's life cycle. Sediment was found to be a minor uptake pathway for both radionuclides in juveniles. Following a short seawater exposure, cuttlefish accumulated ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁴Cs, but only to a limited extent (whole-body CF < 2). Among the cuttlefish organs, branchial hearts and their appendages displayed the highest degree of uptake for ²⁴¹Am (CF = 42 and 16, respectively), but these tissues contained low percentage of total ²⁴¹Am due to their relatively small contribution to whole organism weight. The major fraction of incorporated radionuclides was associated with muscular tissues (viz. 65% and 82% of total ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁴Cs, respectively). Whole-body loss of ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁴Cs was relatively rapid (T_b½ = 14 and 6 days, respectively). After dietary exposure, around 60% and 30% of ingested ²⁴¹Am was assimilated into the tissues of juvenile and adult cuttlefish, respectively. However, assimilated ²⁴¹Am was more strongly retained in adults than in juveniles (T_b½ = 28 vs. 5 days, respectively), suggesting that different mechanisms govern ²⁴¹Am elimination at both ages. Ingested ¹³⁴Cs was assimilated to a similar extent in juveniles (29%) and adults (23%), but the depuration rate was four times faster in adults. Our results strongly suggest that these two radionuclides follow different excretion pathways and that the mechanisms can vary with age for a given radionuclide.     

铅在中华鲟幼鱼不同组织中的积累与排放

采用水溶液静态置换法,研究了中华鲟幼鱼在不同浓度Pb²⁺溶液(0、0.2、0.8和1.6mg·L^-1)中各组织铅的积累与排放.结果显示：中华鲟幼鱼各组织表现出随暴露浓度升高Pb积累增加的剂量-效应关系; Pb积累的基本模式为：骨(背骨板和软骨)和肌肉中积累量最高; 胃、肠和皮肤次之; 肝、鳃与脊索相对较低.暴露试验结束后进行了为期6周的Pb排放试验,结果表明：低浓度组(0.2 mg·L^-1)各组织中Pb含量与对照组无显著差异(P＜0.05);中浓度组(0.8 mg·L^-1)除鳃胃、软骨和肌肉以外,其余组织的Pb含量均显著高于对照组(P＜0.05);高浓度组(1.6 mg·L^-1)除肝、肠和皮肤以外,其余组织均显著高于对照组(P＜0.05).比较积累与排放发现,低、中浓度组中鳃、皮肤和肝的Pb含量高于积累时.推测中华鲟幼鱼经鳃、皮肤和消化道摄入Pb,主要经鳃和皮肤进行排放.     

Health and chemical burdens of fish species from polluted and hyper-eutrophic freshwater ecosystems in South Africa

Three aquatic ecosystems in South Africa, the Hartbeespoort, Klipvoor and Bospoort Dams, are classified as hyper-eutrophic, because of high nutrient loads and chemical pollution. Water and two fish species, Clarias gariepinus and Cyprinus carpio, were collected from these dams to assess the impact of eutrophication and chemical pollutants on their health status. Water and muscle samples were analysed for organic and inorganic chemicals. Condition factor was determined and a necropsy performed to note any macroscopic abnormalities. A histology-based fish health assessment was done on the liver, kidney, gills and gonads. A number of fish from the three dams exhibited livers with fatty change and focal discoloration, skin lesions and parasites within the visceral cavity. The prevalence and severity of histopathology in the liver resulted in higher liver index values than the index values for kidneys and gills. Aluminium, silicon and chromium were detected in the water and muscle tissue. The DDT metabolite p,p’-DDE was present in both species, as well as in fish from the reference site, Marico-Bosveld Dam. Only C. gariepinus from Hartbeespoort Dam had p,p’-DDD levels higher than 5 µg g^?1 per edible portion. Water from hyper-eutrophic dams adversely affects the health of freshwater fish.     

Accumulation of radionuclids in amphibians (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelophylax ridibundus</Emphasis> Pall.) in the Middle Urals

The accumulation levels of anthropogenic ⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides in the marsh frog have been studied in the areas of the Beloyarskii water-storage reservoir (an industrial storm-water discharge channel of the nuclear power station) and the Verkhnii Tagil water-storage reservoir (the Tagil River down-stream of the dam). No significant distinction in the radionuclide accumulation (⁹⁰Sr and ¹³⁷Cs) depending on the amphibian sex and age is detected. Comparable levels of the accumulation of radionuclides in the marsh frog, when compared to the other representatives of the water ecosystem, are estimated. An assumption of the presence of some unidentified source of radioactive contamination of marsh frogs has been made; cesium-137 may be transferred from it to the Tagil River by the frogs.     

Effect of battery-manufacturing effluent on endogenous antioxidant in freshwater fish

Abstract

This study monitors and assesses the effect of battery-manufacturing effluent containing metals Pb, Zn and Cd on endogenous antioxidants. Malonaldehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione sulfyhydryl (GSH) and catalase (CAT) which are known biomarkers of effluent were exposed to 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 90% amendments for 74h on the gills, liver and kidneys of C. punctata. There was more metal Zn accumulation in the gills and GSH contents increased significantly in the gills (P<0.01), liver accumulation of Pb was found to be more (P<0.05), whereas lowest accumulation of Pb was found in kidneys and the highest accumulation of Cd (P<0.05). Over all amendments of the effluents, MDA contents were increased in the gills, liver and kidneys (P<0.01). GSH levels were decreased among the liver and kidneys compared to the gills (P<0.01) at 90% amendment. Effluent exposure caused a significant decrease in the activities of CAT in the gills, liver and kidneys (P<0.01, 0.05 and 0.05) of fish. Increased MDA activity was indicative of the formation of free radicals in the fish with exposure to amendments of battery manufacturing effluent, while increased levels of GSH pointed to the occurrence of a scavenging mechanism of free radicals.     

Proposed habitats of early tetrapods: gills, kidneys, and the water-land transition

Recent finds of early tetrapods have established that the most primitive form, Acanthostega, retained internal gills and other fish-like features; this has led to the conclusion that it was a primarily aquatic animal. Other Late Devonian tetrapods, such as lchthyostega and Tulerpeton, provide no evidence of internal gills, but have also been interpreted as inhabiting an aquatic environment. The probable aquatic habits of a diversity of Devonian tetrapods has led to the suggestion that the entire early tetrapod radiation may have been an aquatic one, with terrestriality having evolved in later forms. However, consideration of the physiology of living amphibious vertebrates suggests that this scenario is unlikely. The use of the gills for the excretion of carbon dioxide and ammonia appears to be a fundamental feature of all primarily aquatic vertebrates. No living fish loses its internal gills, even if it excretes a significant portion of its nitrogenous waste as urea via the kidney in the water. Gills are simply too valuable to be lost by an aquatic animal, even in those air-breathing fishes that no longer use the gills for oxygen uptake. We suggest that the apparent loss of the gills in tetrapods more derived than Acanthostega signals their descent from a more terrestrial phase in tetrapod evolution, following the primary assumption by the kidney of the excretion of nitrogenous wastes. Without this new role of the kidney, loss of the gills would have been impossible. With this new kidney role, loss of the gills may have been advantageous in reducing desiccation on land.     

微囊藻毒素对鱼类的毒性效应

湖泊富营养化导致的蓝藻水华已成为国内外普遍关注的环境问题,它所带来的主要危害之一是产生的藻毒素对鱼类的影响。在已发现的藻毒素中,微囊藻毒素(microcystins,MCs)的分布广、毒性大、危害严重,而备受关注。阐述了MCs对鱼类的影响。微囊藻毒素能干扰胚胎的发育,降低孵化率,增加畸形率,影响存活率,胚胎孵化受微囊藻毒素影响还具有剂量依赖效应;野外室内实验均表明鱼类暴露于微囊藻毒素后不仅可在肝脏中富集还可在肌肉、肠道等组织器官中快速积累;对鱼类进行组织病理检测发现MCs可导致肝脏、肾脏、心脏、脑、鳃等组织受损;MCs在鱼体中的解毒过程可能开始于由谷胱甘肽S-转移酶催化的还原型谷胱甘肽的结合反应;MCs还可影响鱼类的生长、行为和血清生化指标,此外,还具有一定的免疫毒性。MCs的转运机制和分子作用机制以及在食物链中传递过程中对人类造成的潜在影响可能成为今后研究重点。     

Accumulation of the precious metals platinum, palladium and rhodium from automobile catalytic converters in Paratenuisentis ambiguus as compared with its fish host, Anguilla anguilla

The platinum group metals (PGM) Pt, Pd and Rh are emitted into the environment mainly by catalytic exhaust gas converters of cars. As PGM accumulate in sediments of aquatic ecosystems, the study was focused on the uptake of the noble metals by European eels, Anguilla anguilla infected with the acanthocephalan Paratenuisentis ambiguus. Eels were exposed to ground catalytic converter material for six weeks. After exposure Pt and Pd were detected in the liver and kidney of the eels and in the parasites. Palladium was also found in fish muscle and intestine. No Rh uptake by the eel tissues and the parasites occurred. Paratenuisentis ambiguus contained the highest levels of both metals with 40 times higher Pt concentrations and four times higher Pd concentrations than the liver of its host. Due to its accumulation capacity for PGM, P. ambiguus can be applied as a sensitive accumulation indicator in field studies to assess the degree of environmental PGM contamination in aquatic ecosystems.     

Functional differentiation in the anterior gills of the aquatic air-breathing fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichogaster leeri</Emphasis>

The fish gill is a multifunctional organ responsible for gas exchange and ionic regulation. It is hypothesized that both morphological and functional differentiation can be found in the gills of the aquatic air-breathing fish, Trichogaster leeri. To test this, we used the air-breathing fish, Trichogaster leeri, to investigate various morphological/functional parameters. First, we evaluated the importance of performing the aquatic surface respiration behavior in T. leeri. A reduced survival rate was observed when fish were kept in the restrained cages in hypoxic conditions. On the gross anatomy of gills, we found evidence of both morphological and functional modification in the first and the second gills and are responsible for ionic regulation. There were large-bore arterioarterial shunts in the fourth gill arch. It is specialized for the transport of oxygenated blood and is less responsive to environmental stress. In addition, the anterior and the posterior gills differed in the Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity upon ionic stresses. That is, only the Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity of the anterior two gills was up-regulated significantly in the deionized water. Lastly, we found that the number of mitochondria-rich cells in the first and the second gills increased following ionic stress and no difference was found in the third and the fourth gills following such an exposure. These results supported the hypothesis that there are morphological and functional differences between anterior and posterior gill arches within the air-breathing Trichogaster leeri. In contrast, no significant difference was found among gills in gross anatomy, filament density and Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity in the non-air-breather, Barbodes schwanenfeldi.     

Tables of dose conversion coefficients for estimating internal and external radiation exposures to terrestrial and aquatic biota

Dose conversion coefficients (DCCs) for assessment of internal and external radiation exposures to terrestrial and aquatic biota are compiled for 75 radionuclides, for 14 terrestrial and 22 aquatic reference organisms. DCC values for internal exposure are calculated based on a homogeneous distribution of the radionuclides in both types of organisms. DCC values for external exposure of aquatic organisms are calculated for complete immersion in water. For external exposure of terrestrial organisms the soil is considered as a planar and homogenously contaminated volume source with a surface roughness of 3 mm and a thickness of 10 cm, respectively. For in-soil-organisms, DCC values for external exposure are given assuming that these organisms live in the middle of a uniformly contaminated 50 cm-thick soil layer. The tables can be used for assessment of exposures of animals and plants living in various habitats. The list of considered organisms covers the Reference Animals and Plants as adopted by the ICRP.     

Impact of cadmium on aquatic bird Cairina moschata

The impact on palmiped Cairina moschata of two levels of dietary cadmium (Cd) contamination (C1: 1 mg kg⁻¹ and C10: 10 mg kg⁻¹) was investigated on liver gene expression by real-time PCR. Genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism, in antioxidant defences, detoxification and in DNA damage repair were studied. Metallothionein (MT) protein levels and Cd bioaccumulation were also investigated in liver, kidneys and muscle. Male ducks were subjected to three periods of exposure: 10, 20 and 40 days. Cd was mainly bioaccumulated in kidneys first and in liver. The concentrations in liver and kidneys appeared to reach a stable level at 20 days of contamination even if the concentrations in muscle still increased. Cd triggered the enhancement of mitochondrial metabolism, the establishment of antioxidant defences (superoxide dismutase Mn and Cu/Zn; catalase) and of DNA repair from 20 days of contamination. Discrepancies were observed in liver between MT protein levels and MT gene up-regulation. MT gene expression appeared to be a late hour biomarker.     

Main features of the oxidative metabolism in gills and liver of Odontesthes nigricans Richardson (Pisces, Atherinopsidae)

The aim of this work was to study comparatively the oxidative metabolism in gills and liver of a silverside, Odontesthes nigricans, in their natural environment, the Beagle Channel. Oxidative damage to lipids was evaluated by assessing TBARS and lipid radical content, in gills and liver. Gills showed a significantly higher degree of damage than liver. The content of α-tocopherol, β-carotene and catalase activity showed significantly higher values in the liver than in the gills. The ascorbyl radical (A^•) content showed no significant differences between gills and liver. The ascorbate (AH⁻) content was 12 ± 2 and 159 ± 28 nmol/mg FW in gills and liver, respectively. Oxidative metabolism at the hydrophilic level was assessed as the ratio A^•/AH⁻. The ratio A^•/AH⁻ was significantly different between organs, (6 ± 2)10^− 5 and (5 ± 2)10^− 6, for the gills and the liver, respectively. Both, lipid radical content/α-tocopherol content and lipid radical content/β-carotene content ratios were significantly higher in gills as compared to the values recorded for the liver, suggesting an increased situation of oxidative stress condition in the lipid phase of the gills. Taken as a whole, the O. nigricans liver exhibited a better control of oxidative damage than the gills, allowing minimization of intracellular damage when exposed to environmental stressing conditions.     

Accumulation of pollutants in fish

The amount of radioactivity which derived from 14C-labeled pollutants was determined in liver, kidney, intestine, blood, muscle and gills of carp, exposed for 6, 24 and 72 hr to high external concentrations of urea, methanol, atrazine and PCP. The results allowed one to calculate roughly the uptake rate for these compounds. It was low for urea (0.055 micrograms/g per hr), higher for methanol (0.12) and atrazine (0.16) and highest for PCP (1.5). The bioaccumulation factors (BFs) were determined for the different substances and organs. They correlated with the hydrophilic-lipophilic nature of the chemicals. The more lipophilic the substances the more accumulation occurred in the liver. PCP accumulated the most. BF was 300-400 in most tissues except muscle where it was quite low. The BF was 3-4 for atrazine in liver, kidney and intestine, but just 1 in blood, muscle and gills. There is some evidence that the BF for methanol equals 1 in liver, kidney, gills and intestine. It is less than 1 in blood and muscle. Urea was equally distributed in all organs and in the external medium.     

Pharmacokinetics,Tissue Distribution and Metabolism of Intravenously Administered Digalactosyldiacylglycerol and Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol in the Rat

Abstract

A bilayer forming galactolipid, digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGalDG) has been identified as a tool with suitable physicochemichal properties for pharmaceutical formulation work. One possible application is as a carrier for liposome entrapped drugs for intravenous administration. The fate of intravenously administered galactolipids is not known. In this study liposomal dispersions of galactolipids, containing [³H]fatty acid labelled DGalDG or monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGalDG) were injected intravenously in the rat and the disappearance from blood and uptake by tissues were examined. The T1/2 of [³H]DGalDG in plasma was 3 to 5 minutes. Of the tissues examined (liver, spleen, kidneys, lung, heart, stomach, upper and lower small intestine and colon), the liver contained the highest radioactivity per g tissue after both 15 min. and 4 h. Autoradiographic examinations after 15 min, 1 h and 4 h showed that the uptake of radiolabeled DGalDG and MGalDG occurred mainly to the hepatocytes. Less than 6 % of the injected [³H]DGalDG remained in liver and plasma as [³H]DGalDG after 4 h. [³H]MGalDG exhibited a similar pattern of metabolism although the initial disappearance rate was faster than for [³H]DGalDG. The study thus shows that the hepatocytes take up and hydrolyse galactolipids after intravenous administration.     

Gastrointestinal transport of Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and Mg<Superscript>2+</Superscript> during the digestion of a single meal in the freshwater rainbow trout

A diet containing an inert marker (ballotini beads, quantified by X-radiography) was used to quantify the transport of two essential minerals, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ from the diet during the digestion and absorption of a single meal of commercial trout food (3% ration). Initially, net uptake of Ca²⁺ was observed in the stomach followed by subsequent Ca²⁺ fluxes along the intestine which were variable, but for the most part secretory. This indicated a net secretion of Ca²⁺ along the intestinal tract resulting in a net assimilation of dietary Ca²⁺ of 28%. Similar handling of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ was observed along the gastrointestinal tract (GI), although net assimilation differed substantially between the cations, with Mg²⁺ assimilation being close to 60%, mostly a result of greater uptake by the stomach. The stomach displayed the highest net uptake rates for both cations (1.5 and 1.3 mmol kg⁻¹ fish body mass for Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, respectively), occurring within 2 h following ingestion of the meal. Substantial secretions of both Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were observed in the anterior intestine, which were attributed to bile and other intestinal secretions, while fluxes in the mid and posterior intestine were small and variable. The overall patterns of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ handling in the GI tract were similar to those observed for Na⁺ and K⁺ (but not Cl⁻) in a previous study. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of dietary electrolytes in ionoregulatory homeostasis.     

Plasma bikunin: Half-life and tissue uptake

Bikunin is a chondroitin sulfate-containing plasma protein synthesized in the liver. In vitro, it has been shown to inhibit proteases and to have additional activities, but its biological function is still unclear. Here we have studied the dynamics of plasma bikunin in rats and mice. A half-life of 7 ± 2 min was obtained from the time course of the decrease of the plasma level of bikunin following hepatectomy. Clearance experiments with intravenously injected radiolabeled bikunin with or without the chondroitin sulfate chain showed that the polysaccharide had little influence on the elimination rate of the protein. The uptake of bikunin by different tissues was studied using bikunin labeled with the residualizing agent ¹²⁵I-tyramine cellobiose; 60 min after intravenous injection, 49% of the radioactivity was recovered in the kidneys and 6–11% in the liver, bones, skin, intestine and skeletal muscle. The uptake in the liver was analyzed by intravenous injection of radiolabeled bikunin followed by collagenase perfusion and dispersion of the liver cells. These experiments indicated that bikunin is first trapped extracellularly within the liver before being internalized by the cells. (Mol Cell Biochem 271: 61–67, 2005)     

99mTc标记丝状噬菌体肽库及其在正常小鼠体内的分布

利用噬菌体展示技术已选出了多条与靶结合的肽. 然而,即使是体内直接筛选得到的,肽与肿瘤或靶器官的体内结合并不理想. 为了更好地理解噬菌体在体内的循环, 通过MAG3 ^99mTc标记噬菌体肽库,研究了肽库在体内分布. 体内分布实验结果显示,^99mTc-噬菌体主要分布在肝和脾中,而心脏、肌肉、脑和胰腺这些器官或组织中的分布非常低. ^99mTc-噬菌体在胃、肠和骨中的累积,随着时间延长在不断升高,其他器官中的吸收则在不断降低. 从5 min到30 min,^99mTc-噬菌体在血中清除迅速. 当噬菌体在体内循环足够长的时间后,一些噬菌体颗粒可以穿透血管进入并内化在器官或组织中. 总之,为了筛选具有高特异性和亲和性的肽,应该根据靶器官和筛选部位的不同,在筛选前确定合适的噬菌体在体内的循环时间.