Cholinesterase activity as biomarker of neurotoxicity: utility in the assessment of aquatic environment contamination

Abstract

Butyrylcholinesterase is involved three different enzymatic activities in its structure like its sister enzyme, acetylcholinesterase: esterase, aryl acylamidase and peptidase (or protease). Whereas the clear role of acetylcholinesterase in cholinergic neurotransmission is well defined, the real physiological function of butyrylcholinesterase is still unknown. Both enzymes have similar molecular forms with different tissue distribution. Esteratic activity of butyrylcholinesterase becomes more important in scavenging of organophosphate and carbamate inhibitors before they reach to acetylcholinesterase; in regulating cholinergic transmission in the absence of acetylcholinesterase and in inactivation of some drugs such as cocaine aspirin, amitriptyline or in activation of others such as bambuterol, heroin. It is suggested that aryl acylamidase activity plays a role in crosstalking between seratonergic and cholinergic neurotransmission systems. In addition, peptidase activity of butyrylcholinesterase has a function in the development and progression of Alzheimer disease due to cause the production of β-amyloid protein and to help its diffusion to β-amyloid plaques.

Histopathological and cholinesterase changes in the gills of Clarias gariepinus as a result of cadmium exposure

“…Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance followed by post-hoc analysis by Tukey's test was used in evaluating statistical significance (p<0.05) between groups. abundant form of cholinesterase in gills has been reported earlier (Jebali et al, 2013;Mahboob et al, 2014). In the present study, the enzyme activity decreased by almost half at 1 ppm and became stable at 5 ppm and 10 ppm and drastically reduced at 20 ppm (Fig.…”

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“…Finally, aquatic environment contamination may increase CholE in present study. (Jebali et al, 2013).…”

Physicochemical Characteristics of Fertilizer Industry Effluent and its Toxicological Impact on the Activity of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in Freshwater Teleosts Heteropneustes fossilis and Labeo rohita

“…The order of decrease in AChE activity was brain > gills > muscles for all sublethal concentration of the untreated effluent studied, however, no significant change was observed in the treated effluent exposed fishes (Fig 2 and 3). AChE is a transmembrane protein present in cell membranes of vertebrates and invertebrates (Jebali et al, 2013) which hydrolyzes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid in synapses as well as neuromuscular junctions. However, only scanty information is available related to the impact of Table 3.…”