Anguilla anguilla L. Biochemical and Genotoxic Responses to Benzo[a]pyrene

Eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) were exposed for 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, 48, 72, 144, and 216 h to 0 (control), 0.3, 0.9, and 2.7 μM benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The biotransformation induced by BaP was measured as liver ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity and cytochrome P450 content, and compared with the genotoxic effects, such as erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA), and blood and liver DNA strand breaks. The liver exhibited a highly significant EROD activity increase from 2 up to 216 h exposure to 0.9 and 2.7 μM BaP, whereas 0.3μM BaP exposure induced a significant liver EROD increase from 2 up to 144h. Liver cytochrome P-450 content was significantly increased at 8 h to 2.7 μM BaP exposure. Liver DNA integrity was decreased at 16 h, from 8 up to 144 h and 8 up to 72 h exposure to 0.3, 0.9, and 2.7 μM BaP, respectively. A significant decrease in blood DNA integrity was observed at 48, 72, 144 h, from 8 up to 72, and from 6 up to 72 h exposure to 0.3, 0.9, and 2.7 μM BaP, respectively. The A. anguilla L. genotoxic response to BaP, measured as ENA induction, was significantly increased at 144 h exposure to 0.3 μM BaP. The intermediate BaP concentration tested (0.9 μM) induced a significant three fold ENA increase at 48 and 72 h exposure compared to their controls. The highest BaP concentration (2.7μM) induced a significant increase in ENA frequency at 72, 144 and 216 h exposure.