A first record of the antioxidant defense and selected trace elements in Salamandra salamandra larvae on Mt. Avala and Mt. Vršački Breg (Serbia)

We investigated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathioneperoxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR) and the phase II biotransformation enzyme glutathioneS-transferase (GST) in the whole body of fire salamander larvae (Salamandra salamandra) from twolocalities on Mt. Avala (AVS and ABP) and one locality on Mt. Vršački Breg (VSB), Serbia. We alsodetermined the total glutathione (GSH) and sulfhydryl group (SH) contents, as well as the concentrations ofmanganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and uranium(U). The obtained results show that animals from VSB had significantly lower weights and lengths thananimals from AVS and ABP. The activities of all investigated enzymes were significantly higher, while theSH content was significantly lower in animals from VSB compared to those from AVS and ABP. Nocorrelations between trace-element concentrations in water and animal tissue were observed. We concludedthat the obtained results were more likely a consequence of the combination of developmental differencesand the effects of different habitat conditions, environmental and anthropogenic influences than ofconcentrations of trace elements in the water alone

Glutathione as a suitable biomarker in hepatopancreas, gills and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species

We determined the contents of total glutathione (tGSH), reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and values of the glutathione redox index (GSH RI) in hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species: noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) from the Southern Morava River, stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) from the Krajkovačka River, and spinycheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) from the Danube River. The obtained data show strong tissue and species specifity of investigated parameters: tGSH, GSH, GSSG, and GSH RI in the hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of the indicated crayfish species. Our work represents the first study of its kind and showed that the investigated parameters can be considered suitable biomarkers of the cellular glutathione redox status in of freshwater crayfish species.Određivan je sadržaj ukupnog glutationa (tGSH),redukovanog glutationa (GSH),oksidovanog glutationa (GSSG)i glutation redoks indeksa (GSH RI)u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima tri vrste slatkovodnih rakova: rečnog raka (Astacus astacus) iz reke Južna Morava, raka kamenjara (Austropotamobius torrentium) iz Krajkovačke reke i američkog raka (Orconecteslimosus) iz reke Dunav. Dobijeni podaci pokazuju značajnu tkivnu i specijes specifičnost ispitivanih parametara: GSH, GSSG i GSHRI u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima kod rakova. Naš rad predstavlja prvu studiju ove vrste i pokazuje da ispitivani parametri mogu biti pogodni biomarkeri ćelijskog redoks statusa glutationa kod slatkovodnih vrsta rakova.Projekat ministarstva br. 143035

Results of the 2006 Sava survey: Aquatic macroinvertebrates

The paper presents some results of the 2006 Sava survey. The investigation was carried out at four locations along 188 km of the Serbian stretch of the Sava River (206 km of the river belongs to Serbia). Among other things (physical and chemical properties of water and sediment, phytoplankton, and phytobenthos), the study included investigation of aquatic macroinvertebrates. Sixty-two taxa were identified in this typical lowland river. Mollusks and oligochaetes were the most diverse groups of macroinvertebrates. Our results support the hypothesis that the Sava River is an important bio-invasion trajectory, a part of the Southern Invasive Corridor of Europe. Five alien macroinvertebrate taxa were identified, some of which (Corbicula fluminea, Branchyura sowerbyi, and Anodonta woodiana) were found to be important components of the community.Cilj rada je da se prikaže deo rezultata istraživanja na reci Savi tokom 2006. Istraživanje je vršeno na četiri lokaliteta duž 188 km rečnog toka Save kroz Srbiju (od 206 km ukupne dužine toka). Pored istraživanja ostalih parametara (analiza fizičkih i hemijskih karakteristika vode, sedimenta, fitoplanktona i fitobentosa) vršena su i istraživanja akvatičnih makroinvertebrata. Ukupno je zabeleženo 62 taksona. Najraznovrsnije grupe su Oligochaeta i Mollusca. Dobijeni rezultati potvrđuju pretpostavku da je reka Sava važan invazivni put i da predstavlja deo južnoevropskog invazivnog koridora. Ukupno je zabeleženo 5 alohtonih vrsta makroinvertebrata, od kojih neke pred stavljaju važne komponente zajednice (Corbicula fluminea, Branchyura sowerbyi, i Anodonta woodiana).Projekat ministarstva br. 143023B i 143035

Bioaccumulation of metallic trace elements and antioxidant enzyme activities in Apfelbeckia insculpta (L. Koch, 1867) (Diplopoda: Callipodida) from the cave Hadži-Prodanova Pećina (Serbia)

The concentration of 10 metallic trace elements or MTE (Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr) was measured in specimens of the troglophilic millipede Apfelbeckia insculpta (L. Koch, 1867) and sediment of the cave Hadži-Prodanova Pećina in western Serbia. Some MTE, like Fe and Mn, displayed much higher concentrations compared to other elements, both in the sediment and in the body of A. insculpta. On the other hand, estimation of the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) in both males and females of A. insculpta showed values greater than 1 for xenobiotic elements compared to those that are essential. In addition to chemical analyses, we examined the activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX, and GR) and the phase II biotransformation enzyme GST, as well as the content of –SH groups, in the body of A. insculpta. Activities of two (GR and GST) out of the five tested enzymes showed significant differences between the sexes. These results represent the first comprehensive report of antioxidant enzymes in myriapods. The noted differences in the investigated MTE and enzyme activities between the sexes of A. insculpta most likely reflect different metabolic activities and responses to environmental conditions in males and females.International Journal of Speleology (2017), 46(1): 99-10

Metal and metalloid bioaccumulation in three centipedes (Chilopoda)

Three centipede species (Clinopodes flavidus, Cryptops anomalans and Eupolybothrus transsylvanicus) were used as bioindicators of trace metal and metalloid pollution in Belgrade, Serbia. The concentrations of 13 elements (the metals Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Cd, Tl, Pb and U and metalloids As, Se) in whole animals and soil were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Differences in the concentrations of some elements in the analyzed species were observed, both in response to the sites and between species. In most cases, the trace element concentrations were higher in centipedes from a polluted site (an industrial area near a busy street with heavy traffic) but C. anomalans and E. transsylvanicus had higher Mn concentrations at an unpolluted site (a deciduous woodland on Mt. Avala). C. flavidus was a good bioindicator for detecting differences between Zn, Se and Cd. C. flavidus and C. anomalans were more efficient in accumulating Zn than E. transsylvanicus. It appears that C. anomalans poorly accumulated Cd, unlike C. flavidus and E. transsylvanicus, which accumulated Cd according to the high bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values. We conclude that the centipedes C. flavidus, C. anomalans and E. transsylvanicus can be used as suitable bioindicators of trace element exposure. Their ability to accumulate trace elements was different and depends on their physiology and lifestyle as well as the route of exposure.Supplementary material: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5673

Assessment of trace metal alterations in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid and tissue samples of patients with malignant brain tumors

The pathogenesis of malignant brain tumors (MBTs) should be better understood due to the evident association between prolonged exposure to metals and increased risk of MBTs. The present research aimed to find trace metals that could contribute to the pathogenesis of MBTs. Essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Zn, Cu, Se) and relevant toxic metals (Al, Ni, As, Sr, Cd, Ce, Pt, Pb, U) in the serum, cell fraction (CF), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cancerous tissue (CT) samples of MBT patients were analyzed. The results were compared with sex- and age-matched control groups. For the first time, this research showed that elemental profiles of serum, CF, CSF and CT samples in MBT patients were significantly altered compared to the appropriate controls, as well as that higher contents of trace elements (particularly Mn, Se, and Pb) could be involved in the pathogenesis of MBTs. However, the most noticeable change found was the elevated U content, indicating its considerable role as a major cerebral discriminator of the presence/absence of MBTs. The U/Se ratio could be considered as an appropriate blood marker in diagnostic MBT evaluation. The reported results could contribute to better understanding of the poorly understood pathogenesis of MBTs. Furthermore, the reported results could highlight a molecular basis for the pathophysiological changes caused by the hazardous effects of trace metals on brain homeostasis

Association between oxidative stress biomarkers and concentrations of some metal ions in the blood of patients with brain tumors and hydrocephalus

Introduction Any substance that induces production of free radicals can be a potential cause of brain damage. The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between some metal ions and oxidative stress biomarkers in the blood of patients with brain tumor and hydrocephalus. Material and methods Our study included 27 control subjects, 24 patients with brain tumor and 21 patients with hydrocephalus. The activities of superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), as well as concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxides (TBARS) and sulfhydryl groups (SH) were analyzed in the plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) of patients. We also determined the concentrations of Mn, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Hg and Fe. Results The higher activity of SOD and concentration of GSH in both investigated groups could indicate higher oxidative stress. We also observed decreased levels of SH groups in both groups of patients. In both groups of patients we detected decreased concentrations of Ni, Co, Zn and Fe (and Mn in brain tumor patients) and increased concentrations of As, Se and Cd in the blood. Interestingly, we observed a higher concentration of Cd in both plasma and RBCs of hydrocephalus patients compared to the patients with brain tumor. Conclusions There are strong correlations between some metal ion concentrations and certain oxidative stress biomarkers in the blood of patients, which supports our hypothesis, but the observed trend needs to be further investigated

Seasonal changes in oxidative stress biomarkers of the snail Viviparus acerosus from the Velika Morava River, Serbia

The river snail (Viviparus acerosus) from the Velika Morava River, Serbia was chosen in our study in order to determine seasonal changes in oxidative stress biomarkers between July (summer) and September (autumn). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR) and the phase II biotransformation enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), as well as the concentration of total glutathione (GSH), were examined in the whole body of the river snails. The obtained results show significantly higher activities of CAT, GSH-Px, GR and biotransformation phase II enzyme GST in September compared to July, while the GSH concentration was lower. There was no general trend in the seasonal changes in the activity of SOD. The presented data show that animals in their natural environment are exposed to constant fluctuations of environmental conditions that could cause antioxidants to exhibit seasonal variations. This fact should be considered as an important variable in the interpretation of results in biomonitoring studies.Projekat ministarstva br. 173041 i br. 17302

Activity of oxidative stress biomarkers in the white muscle of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L.) from the Adriatic sea

The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of oxidative stress biomarkers (total superoxide dismutase - Tot SOD; and copper and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase - CuZn SOD; manganese-containing superoxide dismutase - Mn SOD; catalase - CAT; glutathione peroxidase - GSH-Px; and glutathione reductase - GR), as well as the biotransformation phase II enzyme glutathione-S-transferase (GST), in the white muscle of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L.) at Platamuni (PL) and Valdanos (VAL) in the Adriatic Sea during the winter and spring seasons. The obtained results show both site and seasonal influences on the investigated parameters, with lower enzyme activities at VAL than at PL and in spring than in winter.Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitivanje aktivnosti biomarkera oksidacionog stresa(ukupne superoksid-dismutaze-Tot SOD, bakar cink sadržavajuće superoksid-dismutaze-CuZn SOD, mangan sadržavajuće superoksid-dismutaze-Mn SOD, katalaze-CAT, glutation-peroksidaze-GSH-Px i glutation-reduktaze-GR) kao i enzimafaze II biotransformacije glutation-S-transferaze (GST) u belom mišiću trlje (Mullus barbatus L.) sa lokaliteta Platamuni i Valdanosu Jadranskom moru (Crna Gora) u zimskoj i prolećnoj sezoni. Dobijeni rezultati pokazuju razlike ispitivanih parametara između različitih lokaliteta kao i ispitivanih sezona sa nižim aktivnostima enzima u VAL nego u PL i u proleće u odnosu nazimu.Projekat ministarstva br. 143035

Glutathione as a suitable biomarker in hepatopancreas, gills and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species

We determined the contents of total glutathione (tGSH), reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and values of the glutathione redox index (GSH RI) in hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species: noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) from the Southern Morava River, stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) from the Krajkovačka River, and spinycheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) from the Danube River. The obtained data show strong tissue and species specifity of investigated parameters: tGSH, GSH, GSSG, and GSH RI in the hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of the indicated crayfish species. Our work represents the first study of its kind and showed that the investigated parameters can be considered suitable biomarkers of the cellular glutathione redox status in of freshwater crayfish species.Određivan je sadržaj ukupnog glutationa (tGSH),redukovanog glutationa (GSH),oksidovanog glutationa (GSSG)i glutation redoks indeksa (GSH RI)u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima tri vrste slatkovodnih rakova: rečnog raka (Astacus astacus) iz reke Južna Morava, raka kamenjara (Austropotamobius torrentium) iz Krajkovačke reke i američkog raka (Orconecteslimosus) iz reke Dunav. Dobijeni podaci pokazuju značajnu tkivnu i specijes specifičnost ispitivanih parametara: GSH, GSSG i GSHRI u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima kod rakova. Naš rad predstavlja prvu studiju ove vrste i pokazuje da ispitivani parametri mogu biti pogodni biomarkeri ćelijskog redoks statusa glutationa kod slatkovodnih vrsta rakova.Projekat ministarstva br. 143035