Antioxidant and lipid peroxidation responses in Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to mixtures of benzo(a)pyrene and copper

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant system potential and lipid peroxidative effects, in the gill and digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to individual and binary mixtures of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and Cu for 7days. Data demonstrated that in mussels exposed to BaP antioxidant enzymes (catalase – CAT, total glutathione peroxidase – tGPx, glutathione S-transferase – GST and glutathione reductase – GR) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) increased in the gill. On the contrary, in the digestive gland inhibitory antioxidant effects (superoxide dismutase-SOD, GR, metallothioneins-MT) and no changes in LPO levels were detected. Cu was also a potent oxidant agent since MT and LPO levels increased in mussel gill, despite no LPO effect in the digestive gland. For both single contaminants the organ specificity and distinct physiologic/metabolism roles were evident in terms of antioxidant capacity. Gill SOD inhibition, MT and GST unchanged was a result of “simple independent action” of exposure to BaP and Cu. “Interactions” in the binary mixtures, led to absence of changes in LPO effects. In the digestive gland, BaP and Cu interactions were also responsible for the GST and LPO enhancement (antagonistic effects). The current findings demonstrate the differences in antioxidant responses where the organ dependency highlights each contaminant particular mode of action. Generally, in the gill “non-interactive” effects occurred with the lowest Cu concentration while “interactions” exist for the mixture with the highest Cu concentrations. In the digestive gland, “interactions” and “no interaction” effects occurred in all the binary mixtures. Complex contaminant mixtures interact differently based on target tissue which may lead to an imbalance in the mussels health status.