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Effects of Copper on Hemocyte Apoptosis, ROS Production, and Gene Expression in White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

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Abstract

Copper, a common chemical contaminant in aquatic environment, is known to be toxic to aquatic life at high concentrations. In the present study, we evaluated the apoptotic cell ratio and ROS production in hemocytes of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei exposed to 1 or 5 mg L−1 Cu for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. The expression changes of antioxidant biomarker genes, i.e., copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD) and catalase (CAT), apoptosis-related genes, i.e., caspase-3 and inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), and a specific biomarker gene of heavy metal pollution, i.e., metallothionein (MT), were also determined in hemocytes. Significant increases in ROS production were observed in both treatment groups at each time points. The apoptotic cell ratios were significantly increased at 6–48 h among shrimp exposed to 1 mg L−1 Cu and at each time points in 5 mg L−1 Cu group. These results indicated that Cu would induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in the hemocyte of L. vannamei. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that the relative expression levels of Cu-Zn SOD, CAT, caspase-3, IAP, and MT were upregulated in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, suggesting the involvement of these genes in stress response against Cu exposure.

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  1. Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Aquaculture Environment of Zhanjiang, College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524025, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Guo, Kexu Li, Wei Wang, Chenggui Wang & Yuchun Shen

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  1. Hui Guo
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  3. Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Yuchun Shen.

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This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31600321), Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (2015A030310438), Program for Scientific Research Start-Up Funds of Guangdong Ocean University, Special Program for Outstanding Young Teachers of Guangdong Ocean University (HDYQ2015003), and Guangdong Ocean University Student’s Platform for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training.

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Guo, H., Li, K., Wang, W. et al. Effects of Copper on Hemocyte Apoptosis, ROS Production, and Gene Expression in White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei . Biol Trace Elem Res 179, 318–326 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-0974-6

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