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Effects of MC-LR on histological structure and cell apoptosis in the kidney of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

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Abstract

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a well-known hepatotoxin; however, increasing evidence suggests that it might induce kidney injury. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is one of the most important farmed species and may be affected by MC-LR releasing into waterbody during cyanobacterial bloom. Here, this present study aimed to explore the nephrotoxicity of grass carp by MC-LR. The grass carp received a single intraperitoneal injection of different doses of MC-LR (0, 25, 75, and 100 μg/kg body weight (BW)), and the kidneys were isolated at 24 and 96 h post-injection (hpi). Histopathological examination revealed kidney lesions, with severe hemorrhage, necrosis of the interstitium, and dilation of Bowman’s capsule in the 75 and 100 μg MC-LR/kg BW groups. Under transmission electron microscopy, a larger number of swelling and vacuolated degeneration of mitochondria were observed; moreover, apoptotic features, such as condensed chromatin and shrinkage of cells, were observed in the 75 and 100 μg MC-LR/kg BW groups at 96 hpi. MC-LR significantly upregulated the number of apoptotic cells in the 75 and 100 μg/kg BW groups at 96 hpi as indicated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay (P < 0. 05). The results of quantitative assays showed that the mRNA expression of Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 in grass carp kidney were significantly increased at 96 hpi in the 75 and 100 μg MC-LR/kg BW groups compared with that in the control group, but Bcl-2 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in all the treatment groups at 24 and 96 hpi. Taken together, these results indicated that MC-LR damaged the kidney structure and resulted in renal apoptosis which may occur via the mitochondrial pathway.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (project nos. 31760764 and 31460146).

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Author notes

  1. Li He and Lin Liu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Li He, Lin Liu, Changgao Lin, Jiming Ruan, Ximei Liang, Ying Zhou & Lili Wei

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  1. Li He
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  2. Lin Liu
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  3. Changgao Lin
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  4. Jiming Ruan
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  5. Ximei Liang
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  7. Lili Wei
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Correspondence to Lili Wei.

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Fish care and experimental protocols were performed in accordance with the guidelines for the Care and Use of Research Animals by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of China.

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He, L., Liu, L., Lin, C. et al. Effects of MC-LR on histological structure and cell apoptosis in the kidney of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish Physiol Biochem 46, 2005–2014 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00833-5

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