Salicylic acid pre-treatment modulates Pb2+-induced DNA damage vis-à-vis oxidative stress in Allium cepa roots
2021
Kaura, Guraprīta | Ṛhengulā, Padmā Śarmā | Rathee, Sonia | Singh, Harminder Pal | Batish, Daizy Rani | Kohli, Ravinder Kumar
The current study investigated the putative role of salicylic acid (SA) in modulating Pb²⁺-induced DNA and oxidative damage in Allium cepa roots. Pb²⁺ exposure enhanced free radical generation and reduced DNA integrity and antioxidant machinery after 24 h; however, SA pre-treatment (for 24 h) ameliorated Pb²⁺ toxicity. Pb²⁺ exposure led to an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation and enhanced superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical levels. SA improved the efficiency of enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbate and guaiacol peroxidases [APX, GPX], superoxide dismutases [SOD], and catalases [CAT]) at 50-μM Pb²⁺ concentration. However, SA pre-treatment could not improve the efficiency of CAT and APX at 500 μM of Pb²⁺ treatment. Elevated levels of ascorbate and glutathione were observed in A. cepa roots pre-treated with SA and exposed to 50 μM Pb²⁺ treatment, except for oxidized glutathione. Nuclear membrane integrity test demonstrated the ameliorating effect of SA by reducing the number of dark blue–stained nuclei as compared to Pb²⁺ alone treatments. SA was successful in reducing DNA damage in cell exposed to higher concentration of Pb²⁺ (500 μM) as observed through comet assay. The study concludes that SA played a major role in enhancing defense mechanism and protecting against DNA damage by acclimatizing the plant to Pb²⁺-induced toxicity.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library
