The role of environmental factors in the induction of oxidative stress in zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of specific environmental factors, such as temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, and phosphate, nitrate, chloride, sodium, potassium, sulphate, magnesium and calcium ions concentration, as well as microcystins, on the seasonal variations in the activity of the antioxidant system of the zebra mussel. We examined changes in lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels, glutathione content and the catalase activity of mussels inhabiting the two ecosystems, which differ due to their trophic structure and the presence of toxic cyanobacteria. The results show a relationship between the activity of the antioxidant system of zebra mussels and the seasonal fluctuations of environmental parameters: the symptoms of oxidative stress were generally the highest during spring and the lowest during summer in both ecosystems. Our study also revealed that regardless of the study area the most important factors determining the activity of the antioxidant defences of mussels were the mineral composition (particularly magnesium and calcium ions concentrations) and physical parameters of the water (oxygen concentration and pH). However, factors resulting from the trophic status of studied ecosystems, such as limitations in food resources or high concentration of microcystins during cyanobacterial blooms, were periodically responsible for increased level of LPO in the tissues of zebra mussel. These findings may indicate a limited tolerance of the zebra mussel to the local environmental conditions.

A comparative study of the oxidative system in Chironomidae larvae with contrasting feeding strategies

“…Our results are approximately an order of magnitude higher (from 0.12 nmol mg −1 in C. riparius to 0.18 nmol mg −1 in P. olivacea). Comparable results were obtained in studies of a contaminated eutrophic reservoir, where the sensitivity of daphnids (Wojtal-Frankiewicz et al 2013) and the response of the antioxidant system of zebra mussels, dependent on the environmental characteristics of the ecosystem, were investigated (Wojtal-Frankiewicz et al 2017). In this study, despite the Table II.…”

Spatial and seasonal use of biomarkers in dreissenids: implications for biomonitoring

“…All of these factors may act directly, through the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) for instance, or indirectly by modulating food supply and energy balance between the different biological functions. Wojtal-Frankiewicz et al (2017) highlighted the impact of seasonality and of several abiotic factors (especially ionic strength, oxygen, and pH) on oxidative stress in D. polymorpha, suggesting limited tolerance to changing environmental conditions.…”

The Eco-Immunological Relevance of the Anti-Oxidant Response in Invasive Molluscs

“…It displays tolerance to temperature fluctuations [ 72 ] and its metabolic plasticity allows the Mediterranean mussel to adapt and to react differently to environmental challenges on the basis of the colonized habitat [ 73 ]. In D. polymorpha , an exceptional tolerance to variable environmental conditions associated with strong anti-oxidant defences has been reported [ 74 ], maybe in consequence of a high genetic diversity [ 75 ]. P. amurensis can colonize subtidal and intertidal habitats and present a high tolerance to wide ranges of water salinity and temperature [ 76 , 77 ], conditions that are connected to changes in oxygen availability and require efficient oxidative stress response.…”