Lipofuscin-Like Pigment in Gonads of Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius as a Potential Biomarker of Marine Pollution: A Field Study

Abstract

Accumulation of lipofuscin-like pigments (LLPs) has been shown to be an appropriate index of both age and stress in some aquatic invertebrates. In the present study, LLP was quantified by measuring its autofluorescence intensity (ex 450 nm/em 512 nm) in nutritive phagocytes (NPs) of sea urchins Strongylocentrotus intermedius inhabiting polluted and relatively clean areas of Japan Sea. To avoid variations in LLP content related to sea urchin reproductive condition, only developing gonads with acini occupied mostly by NPs were used for LLP quantification as well as semiquantitative histopathological analysis. LLP concentrations ranged from 0.0 to 4.57 ± 0.53% area fraction in female gonads and from 0.0 to 4.61 ± 0.35% in male gonads. The presence of specimens with extremely high LLP concentrations (>1.5%) in all examined samples, including specimens from the reference station, as well as the absence of strong correlations between LLP concentrations and several parameters related to pollution (heavy-metal concentrations in sea urchin gonads and concentrations of heavy metals, DDT, hexachlorocyclohexane, and total petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments), allow us to conclude that LLP content in sea urchin NPs can not be used as a biomarker in marine pollution monitoring.

Oxidative damage and cellular defense mechanisms in sea urchin models of aging

“…Lipofuscin staining was not evenly distributed and not punctate as one would expect if it was confined to lysosomes, but rather appeared as patches of autofluorescence scattered throughout the tissues in areas devoid of nuclear staining. There was a high level of inter-individual variation in the levels of lipofuscin, consistent with previous studies in which lipofuscin, measured in the gonads of the sea urchin ( Strongylocentrotus intermedius ), was also found to be highly variable between individuals such that no strong correlation was observed between lipofuscin levels and exposure to pollution (DDT, oil hydrocarbons and heavy metals) [38]. …”

Effects of lead pollution on Ammonia parkinsoniana (foraminifera): ultrastructural and microanalytical approaches

“… 47 These organelles have been also recorded in a fresh water flagellated protist ( Euglena gracilis ), a mussel ( Mytilus galloprovincialis ), and a sea urchin. 48 , 49 Another significant cytological alteration is represented by the increased numbers of autophagosomes. The formation of autophagosomes has been related either to a specific mechanism induced by starvation or nutritional stress or to programmed cell death.…”

The impact of ocean acidification on the gonads of three key Antarctic benthic macroinvertebrates

“…6h), disorganization of the germinal tissue with loss of the radial architecture (Fig. 6i), several spread anomalies (including basal membrane disruption) with the presence of lipofuscin-like pigments (LLP, Vaschenko et al 2012) throughout the tissue (Fig. 6j), and sperm flagella detached from the head (Fig.…”

“…6j). LLP normally occurs in the gonads during recovery stage only (Vaschenko et al 2012;Delorme and Sewell, 2016), but is known to occur otherwise in case of oxidative stress (Schäfer et al 2011).…”