Multi-marker study of the responses of the Unio tumidus from the areas of small and micro hydropower plants at the Dniester River Basin, Ukraine

Metallothioneins contribution to the response of bivalve mollusk to xenobiotics

“…org/10.17632/82pyxwgm8h. 1 Adult bivalve mollusks Unio tumidus Philipson, 1788 (Unionidae) (~ 6 years old, ~ 8.5 cm length, and 60-70 g weight) were collected in a river site assumed to be reference [4]. Specimens were transported to the laboratory and preacclimated to the laboratory conditions for up to seven days after the capture in the aerated, softened tap water (17 ± 1°C, pH 7.3 ± 0.2, CaCO 3 level 86.8 ± 1.0 mg/l, dissolved oxygen level 8.67 ± 0.51 mg/l, ammonia (NH 3 /NH 4 + ) and nitrite levels below 0.1 mg/l).…”

“…It combines with progress in the agricultural industry and collapse of water purification systems [1], resulting in the subjecting of the environment to continuous pressure of chemical 'cocktail' of xenobiotics each of them can cause the biological effect in the low nanomolar concentration and interact the effects of other compounds [2]. The climate changes can add unpredictable consequences to the biological effect of waterborne chemical substances, in particular associated with the local extreme events that are likely to occur in summer in most rivers [3,4]. Therefore, the model experiments with subjecting of the organism to single suspected adverse effect in the optimal conditions can give distorted evidence of its ability to withstand this effect [2][3][4][5].…”

“…The climate changes can add unpredictable consequences to the biological effect of waterborne chemical substances, in particular associated with the local extreme events that are likely to occur in summer in most rivers [3,4]. Therefore, the model experiments with subjecting of the organism to single suspected adverse effect in the optimal conditions can give distorted evidence of its ability to withstand this effect [2][3][4][5].…”

“…Specific abili ty of MTs to bind transitional metals is well known. However, these stress-related proteins are doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/ubj92.05.087 known to be involved into the responses of the organism to plural exposures that are not associated with the toxicity of typical MTs ligands, namely zinc, cadmium, copper [4,5]. The manifestation of MTs responsivity in these exposures can be the disturbance of metal-binding properties (low metalation or hypermetalation) [4].…”

“…However, these stress-related proteins are doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/ubj92.05.087 known to be involved into the responses of the organism to plural exposures that are not associated with the toxicity of typical MTs ligands, namely zinc, cadmium, copper [4,5]. The manifestation of MTs responsivity in these exposures can be the disturbance of metal-binding properties (low metalation or hypermetalation) [4]. For the exposures we selected an organophosphonate glyphosate as one of the most used herbicide worldwide [6], non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine diclofenac that is the priority substance in urban waters in Ukraine [7] and cheap antihypertensive nifedipine that is frequently utilized in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.…”