Abstract
Methyl mercury chloride “MMC” (CH3ClHg) is an ubiquitous environmental toxicant that causes a variety of adverse effects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of sub-chronic toxicity of MMC on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) through the evaluation of growth performance and hematological, biochemical, and oxidative stress biomarkers. From 150 healthy fish, five equally sized treatment groups were created: a control (CT) group fed with a basal diet and four MMC treatment groups exposed to 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mg of MMC per kg of basal diet for 60 days. MMC exposure significantly reduced the growth performance and survival of O. niloticus and decreased red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration. Treated fish exhibited normocytic normochromic anemia in addition to leucopenia, lymphopenia, granulocytopenia, and monocytopenia. Moreover, MMC exposure significantly affected liver function, including a reduction in the total protein levels while increasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also markedly increased the production of stress biomarkers such as glucose and cortisol levels. Furthermore, MMC significantly elevated the levels of hepatic enzymes, induced tissue damage, and caused inflammation, as indicated by the upregulation of mRNA expression of hepatic metallothionein. Finally, MMC exposure induced oxidative stress by altering the antioxidant status of the liver and downregulating the mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-reductase. In conclusion, MMC toxicity induced hematological and biochemical alterations, leading to an enhanced state of oxidative stress in O. niloticus.
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The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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RR and EA conceived and designed the research. RR, EA, and RA conducted the experiments. AA did the gene expression and histopathological investigations. EA, BK, and RA analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript, and all data were generated in-house, and that no paper mill was used.
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Alam, R.T.M., Abu Zeid, E.H., Khalifa, B.A. et al. Dietary exposure to methyl mercury chloride induces alterations in hematology, biochemical parameters, and mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes and metallothionein in Nile tilapia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 31391–31402 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13014-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13014-5