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Effects of Mercury on Oxidative Stress and Gene Expression of Potential Biomarkers in Larvae of the Chinese Rare Minnow Gobiocypris Rarus

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Abstract

Mercury levels have increased in aquatic food webs throughout the world and can be found at toxic levels in some biota. However, the molecular mechanisms and effects of mercuric chloride (Hg2+) remain poorly understood. In the present study, antioxidant parameters (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde)—as well as a series of gene expressions, including cortisol receptor (cr), Na+/K+-ATPase (aptase), and prolactin (prl) genes involved in ion-regulatory process, insulin-like growth factor I (igf1) and growth hormone (gh) related to growth rate, as well as heat shock protein70 (hsp70) and metallothionein (mt) used as physiological stress identification—were measured in whole body of Chinese rare minnow larvae (Gobiocypris rarus) after exposure to Hg2+ (0, 0.1, and 0.3 mg/L) for 4 days. Results show that oxidative stress was generated in fish exposed to Hg2+ and that the transcription levels of cr, atpase, gh, hsp70, and mt genes increased in a dose-dependent manner, but expression levels of prl and igf1 genes were showed to be decreased in the treated groups. Based on principal component analysis, the correlation between gh and igf1 genes and cr and prl genes was negative. In conclusion, exposure to Hg2+ could alter multiple physiological and molecular indices in fish; however, before those parameters are used as special biomarkers for monitoring Hg2+ in aquatic environment, more detailed experiments in laboratory must be performed in the future.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by China Three Gorges Project Corporation (Grant No. 07011034), the project CENAKVA CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0024, the project LO1205 with a financial support from the MEYS of the CR under the NPU I program, and Project P503/11/1130 of the grant agency of the Czech Republic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation (Ministry of Agriculture), Key Field Station for Fishery Resource and Environment in Upper-Middle Reaches of Yangtze River (Ministry of Agriculture), Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuhan, 430223, China

    Zhi-Hua Li, Lu Chen, Yan-Hua Wu, Ping Li, Yun-Feng Li & Zhao-Hui Ni

  2. Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic

    Zhi-Hua Li & Ping Li

  3. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Yan-Hua Wu

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  1. Zhi-Hua Li
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  2. Lu Chen
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  3. Yan-Hua Wu
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  4. Ping Li
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  5. Yun-Feng Li
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  6. Zhao-Hui Ni
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Correspondence to Zhi-Hua Li or Zhao-Hui Ni.

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Li, ZH., Chen, L., Wu, YH. et al. Effects of Mercury on Oxidative Stress and Gene Expression of Potential Biomarkers in Larvae of the Chinese Rare Minnow Gobiocypris Rarus . Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 67, 245–251 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-014-0034-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-014-0034-6

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