Genotoxic effect of cadmium and zinc in the peripheral erythrocytes of Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio B.)
Published Online: Nov 04, 2022
Page range: 619 - 628
Received: Apr 11, 2022
Accepted: Oct 12, 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2022-0057
Keywords
© 2022 E. Drąg-Kozak et al. published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Introduction
Cadmium and zinc are often found in aquatic environment and may accumulate in living organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic effect of Cd, Zn, and their binary mixture on the peripheral blood erythrocytes of Prussian carp (
Material and Methods
The fish were exposed to 4.0 mg/L Cd, 4.0 mg/L Zn or a mixture of 4.0 mg/L Cd and 4.0 mg/L Zn for a period of 14, 21 or 28 days. Genotoxic effects were investigated in peripheral blood cells using the comet assay and the erythrocyte micronucleus assay.
Results
The results demonstrated that the frequencies of micronuclei (MN) and both nuclear and cellular abnormalities in erythrocytes were significantly higher in all exposure groups as compared to the control group. The fish exposed to the mixture of Cd and Zn presented the highest frequency of MN. Furthermore, there was a decrease in the frequency of MN and an increase in the occurrence of DNA integrity defects (DNA damage) with longer time of exposure to the metals studied.
Conclusion
Erythrocyte micronucleus and comet assays confirmed the genotoxicity of Cd and Zn. The results of the tests applied (which showed considerable variability) suggest the involvement of various toxicity mechanisms. Therefore, an integrative and comprehensive approach, using a set of assays for toxicity profile determination, should be adopted during ecotoxicological studies and environmental risk assessment pertaining to these elements.