Cellular responses to environmental contaminants in amoebic cells of the slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Toxicology & Pharmacology : CBP
Francesco DonderoAldo Viarengo

Abstract

Amoebic Dictyostelium discoideum cells were employed in a bioassay to evaluate stress responses after exposures to the polyaromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and two heavy metals (copper and mercury). Furthermore, we developed a recombinant cell line expressing a labile Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) variant expressed under the control of an actin promoter to monitor stress-related protein degradation. Finally, cell viability was monitored to discriminate lethal exposure concentrations. The results demonstrated that exposure to sub-micromolar concentrations of mercury rendered significant changes in all studied physiological parameters, whereas B[a]P became toxic at low micromolar, and copper at high micromolar concentrations. Exposure to 0.5 microM mercury significantly reduced lysosomal membrane stability (LMS), endocytosis rate, GFP expression, and further resulted in the elevation of cytosolic free Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)). LMS in mercury-treated cells that had been pre-incubated with a specific Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipase A2 blocking agent was however not affected by the exposure, indicating that the toxic action of mercury is linked to the activation of phospholipase A2 via a Ca(2+)-signaling pathway. Exposure to...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 5, 2010·Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·Ana Lilia Barrán-BerdónFrancisca Fernández-Piñas
Feb 28, 2013·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Lara BoattiFrancesco Marsano
May 14, 2014·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·A Rodriguez-RuizI Marigómez
Nov 1, 2008·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Toxicology & Pharmacology : CBP·Mohamed BanniFrancesco Dondero
Nov 20, 2008·The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology·Francesca TrielliFernando Dini
Mar 5, 2013·The Science of the Total Environment·Amaia Rodríguez-RuizAldo Viarengo
Jun 15, 2007·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Toxicology & Pharmacology : CBP·A ViarengoA Koehler
Nov 8, 2020·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Yijing ShiLongfei Shu

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