Abstract

INVOLVEMENT OF REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN THE TOXICITY OF ACRYLAMIDE IN MUSCLE TISSUE OF THE FISH, OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS (LINNAEUS, 1758)

C. M. Gopika, N. Sumi and K. C. Chitra*

Abstract

Acrylamide is released into the environment mainly during its production and use or in the manufacture of polyacrylamide. The present study investigated the involvement of reactive oxygen species in the toxicity of acrylamide in muscle tissue of the fish, Oreochromis niloticus. Sublethal concentration i.e., 8.96 μg/L of acrylamide was exposed to fish for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h maintaining control group. The activities of antioxidant enzymes as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase showed significant (P<0.05) reduction than the corresponding control group. However, the levels of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide generation showed significant (P<0.05) increase in all treatment groups. The activity of acetylcholinesterase showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in the muscle tissue after acrylamide treatment when compared to the control group. Histological damages like muscular atrophy, vacuolization, thick bundle formation and leukocyte infiltration were observed in muscle tissues after acrylamide exposure. The present observation suggests that the generation of reactive oxygen species in the muscle tissue could be the reason behind the toxicity of acrylamide in the fish, Oreochromis niloticus.

Keywords: Acrylamide, ROS, Oxidative stress, Histopathology, Muscle, Oreochromis niloticus.