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An insect model for assessing oxidative stress related to arsenic toxicity
Author(s) -
Zaman Khalequz,
MacGill Randall S.,
Johnson James E.,
Ahmad Sami,
Pardini Ronald S.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
archives of insect biochemistry and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.576
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1520-6327
pISSN - 0739-4462
DOI - 10.1002/arch.940290209
Subject(s) - superoxide dismutase , glutathione reductase , oxidative stress , arsenic , catalase , glutathione , biology , trichoplusia , lipid peroxidation , glutathione peroxidase , antioxidant , arsenic toxicity , biochemistry , peroxidase , toxicology , enzyme , botany , chemistry , larva , noctuidae , organic chemistry
Abstract The potential usefulness of an insect model to evaluate oxidative stress induced by environmental pollutants was examined with trivalent arsenic (As 3+ , NaAsO 2 ) and pentavalent arsenic (As 5+ , Na 2 HAsO 4 ) in adult female house flies, Musca domestica , and fourth‐instar cabbage loopers, Trichoplusia ni. M. domestica was highly susceptible to both forms of arsenic following 48 h exposure in the drinking water with LC 50 s of 0.008 and 0.011% w/v for As 3+ and As 5+ , respectively. T. ni larvae were susceptible to dietary As 3+ with an LC 50 of 0.032% w/w but seem to tolerate As 5+ well with an LC 50 of 0.794% concentration after 48 h exposure. The minimally acute LC 5 dose of both As 3+ and As 5+ varied considerably but averaged 0.005% for both insects. The potential of both valencies of arsenic for inducing oxidative stress in the insects exposed ad libitum to approximately LC 5 levels was assessed. The parameters examined were the alterations of the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione transferase (GST), the peroxidase activity of glutathione transferase (GSTPX), and glutathione reductase (GR), and increases in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. SOD (1.3‐fold), GST (1.6‐fold), and GR (1.5‐fold) were induced by As 3+ in M. domestica but CAT and GSTPX were not affected. As 5+ had no effect on M. domestica . In T. ni , the antioxidant enzyme activities were not affected by As 3+ except for SOD which was suppressed by 29.4% and GST which was induced by 1.4‐fold. As 5+ had no effect except the suppression of SOD by 41.2%. Lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, which represent stronger indices of oxidative stress, were elevated in both insects by up to 2.9‐fold. However, based on the antioxidant enzyme response to the arsenic anions, the mode of action of arsenic induced oxidative stress may differ between the two insects. Until this aspect is further clarified, evidence at this time favors the prospect of As 3+ as a pro‐oxidant, especially for M. domestica . © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.