Integrated analysis of fish intestine biomarkers: Complementary tools for pollution assessment.

The gastrointestinal tract and its enteric nervous system are the first routes of food and xenobiotics uptake. Considering the importance of this organ, this study evaluated intestinal biomarkers of Sphoeroides testudineus integrating the data to generate tools for pollution assessment. The fish were collected in three sites of São Paulo Coast and their intestines were analyzed for biochemical, histology, and neuronal density and morphometry biomarkers. To evaluate the differences among the data, a PERMANOVA was applied, followed by a FA/PCA. The PERMANOVA indicated differences (P < 0.001) between the regions (RA, A1, and A2). Four factors were extracted from the FA/PCA (62% cumulative), showing that the animals from A2 presented severe alterations, mainly in intestinal morphometry and neuronal density. A1 alterations refer mainly to the increase of neuronal metabolism. Our results also evidence a gradient of environmental quality related to the protection level (AR > A1 > A2).

Evaluation of myenteric neurons in the colon of rats exposed to 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide.

The assessment of the enteric nervous system provides a better understanding of the effects that contaminants can have on the health and well-being of organisms. It has been reported that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a highly persistent herbicide in the environment that is responsible for neurotoxic changes in different myenteric neuronal subpopulations. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of 2,4-D on myenteric neurons in the colon of Rattus norvegicus for the first time. A dose of 2,4-D (5 mg/kg/day) was administered to the experimental group (2,4-D) for 15 days. Then, the proximal colon was collected and submitted to Giemsa and NADPH-d histochemical techniques for the disclosure of total and nitrergic neurons. The 2,4-D group presented a higher density of total neurons (p = 0.05, t-test), which together with the maintenance of nitrergic neuronal density, may be related to the increase in the expression of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by colocalization, responsible for stimulating the intestinal smooth muscle and increasing the chances of the expulsion of the harmful content present in the lumen. Over 15 days, the neurotoxic effects of 2,4-D in the myenteric plexus influenced an increase in the general population of myenteric neurons in the colon.

Adaptative responses of myenteric neurons of Sphoeroides testudineus to environmental pollution.

Contamination in estuarine regions affects the local biota damaging the ecosystems and reaching humans. The gastrointestinal tract is a dynamic environment capable of obtaining nutrients and energy from food while it protects the host against harmful toxins and pathogens from the external environment. These functions are modulated by the enteric nervous system and changes in its structure can result in gastrointestinal disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the environmental contaminants have effects on the myenteric neuronal plasticity of pufferfish Sphoeroides testudineus. Animals were collected in Barra do Una River, located at Jureia-Itatins Mosaic of Protected Areas (reference area - RA) and in the Santos Estuarine System (impacted area - IA). Morpho-quantitative analyses of the general and metabolically active myenteric neuronal populations of the proximal and distal intestine were made. Disarrangement was observed in the general organization of the myenteric plexus, with an expressive reduction of the neuronal groups (nodes) in the animals of IA. The vulnerability of the myenteric plexus was evidenced by a decrease in density and cellular profile of the general neuronal population, followed by an increase of the metabolism of the remaining neurons, which in turn was verified by a growth of the area of the cellular and nuclear profiles of the metabolically active neuronal population. Through these analyses, we concluded that animals inhabiting polluted regions present alterations in the myenteric neuronal plasticity, as a way of maintaining the functions of the gastrointestinal tract.