Shaalan Walaa M
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, 13518, Egypt.
Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology and Centre for Protein Diagnosis, Bioinformatics Group, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, 44801, Germany.
BMC Vet Res. 2024 Dec 28;20(1):585. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04367-3.
Heavy metal pollution threatens the biodiversity and ecological equilibrium of the Nile River. This study investigates the impact of heavy metal pollution on aquatic animals such as Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the Damietta branch of the River Nile and El-Rayah El-Tawfeeky canal in Benha City in Egypt.
Fish and water samples were collected from the Damietta branch and El-Rayah El-Tawfeeky during the fall of 2022. The concentrations of heavy metals in fish muscle tissues were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Histopathological examinations were performed on gill, liver, spleen, and muscle tissues, following standard histological procedures, to assess tissue damage and morphological alterations. Additionally, gene expression analysis was conducted using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to evaluate the expression levels of muscle growth (MyoD, IGF-1) and immune response (TNFa, IL6) genes.
Histopathological examinations revealed noteworthy alterations in tilapia gill, liver, spleen, and muscle, suggesting potential health risks. Gene expression analysis using Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) indicated significant changes in genes related to muscle growth (MyoD, IGF-1) and immune response (TNFa, IL6) in fish from the Damietta branch relative to fish of El-Rayah El-Tawfeeky.
The findings raise concerns about bioaccumulation of heavy, some of which surpass international safety limits, posing potential health risks to consumers. The study underscores the significance of continuous monitoring, utilizing chemical, histopathological, and molecular tools as bioindicators for environmental protection measures against aquatic pollution.
重金属污染威胁着尼罗河的生物多样性和生态平衡。本研究调查了重金属污染对埃及尼罗河达米埃塔支流以及本哈市陶菲克运河中尼罗罗非鱼（Oreochromis niloticus）等水生动物的影响。
2022年秋季从达米埃塔支流和陶菲克运河采集鱼类和水样。使用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法（ICP-OES）分析鱼肌肉组织中的重金属浓度。按照标准组织学程序对鳃、肝脏、脾脏和肌肉组织进行组织病理学检查，以评估组织损伤和形态学改变。此外，使用实时聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）进行基因表达分析，以评估肌肉生长（MyoD、IGF-1）和免疫反应（TNFa、IL6）基因的表达水平。
组织病理学检查显示罗非鱼的鳃、肝脏、脾脏和肌肉有明显改变，表明存在潜在健康风险。使用实时聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）进行的基因表达分析表明，相对于陶菲克运河的鱼类，达米埃塔支流鱼类中与肌肉生长（MyoD、IGF-1）和免疫反应（TNFa、IL6）相关的基因有显著变化。
研究结果引发了对重金属生物累积的担忧，其中一些重金属超过了国际安全限值，对消费者构成潜在健康风险。该研究强调了持续监测的重要性，利用化学、组织病理学和分子工具作为生物指标，采取环境保护措施应对水污染。
