Exposure to the insecticide endosulfan induces liver morphology alterations and oxidative stress in fruit‐eating bats (Artibeus lituratus) |
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Authors: | Jerusa Maria Oliveira Alessandro Brinati Liany Divina Lima Miranda Danielle Barbosa Morais José Cola Zanuncio Reggiani Vilela Gonçalves Maria do Carmo Gouveia Peluzio Mariella Bontempo Freitas |
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Institution: | 1. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil;2. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estatual de Minas Gerais, Carangola, Minas Gerais, Brazil;3. Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil;4. Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil;5. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil;6. Departamento de Ciências da Nutri??o, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
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Abstract: | Exposure to pesticides may increase the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidation of cell membrane lipids and proteins. Although fruit bats are potentially exposed to pesticides during their entire lifespan, the impacts of this exposure are still poorly investigated. We examined the effects of low, commercially recommended concentrations (0, 1.05 and 2.1 g/l) of an organochlorine insecticide endosulfan (EDS) formulation on oxidative responses in the liver and kidneys of Neotropical fruit bats (Artibeus lituratus), as well as possible liver morphological alterations following a 35‐day oral exposure. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly decreased upon exposure to 1.05 g/l of EDS in the liver and kidneys, catalase was decreased in the liver of 2.1 g/l EDS‐exposed bats, while glutathione S‐transferase was increased in the liver of 2.1 g/l EDS‐exposed bats. Protein carbonyls increased following the exposure to the highest EDS dose tested. Endosulfan‐induced morphological alterations in the liver included cell degeneration and cell death, with apparent cytoplasm lipid accumulation (steatosis) and pyknotic nuclei, karyolysis and deposit of collagen fibres. Our findings suggest that exposure to low concentrations of EDS induced a certain extent of oxidative damage in fruit bats, which may have led to liver morphological alterations. |
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Keywords: | antioxidant enzymes Chiroptera toxicologic pathology environmental contaminant |
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