Ringwood A H, Lowder M, Provance E, O'Dea J, Gaspar T, Latijnhouwers K R W, Chamberland V F, Vermeij M J A
Department of Biological Sciences, UNCC, Charlotte, NC USA.
Department of Biological Sciences, UNCC, Charlotte, NC USA.
Aquat Toxicol. 2025 Apr;281:107265. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107265. Epub 2025 Feb 1.
Coral reefs and tropical habitats are threatened worldwide by global warming and pollution stress. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate potential strategies for using jellyfish for toxicological assessments and as potential toxicological models for corals and other Cnidarians. Laboratory studies were conducted with jellyfish and three species of corals that were exposed to copper; and studies with corals exposed to pyrene and elevated temperatures were conducted. Observational (pulsation rate in jellyfish and bleaching in corals) as well as cellular biomarker responses (glutathione (GSH), lysosomal destabilization, and tissue Cu in jellyfish; GSH in corals) were assessed. Jellyfish pulsation rate, lysosomal destabilization, and tissue Cu levels were significantly correlated. Likewise, GSH levels were significantly correlated with tissue Cu, lysosomal destabilization and pulsation rates. Jellyfish tended to be more sensitive than corals to Cu exposures. Studies were conducted with adults and larvae of brain corals and other species from Curaçao to determine the baseline glutathione levels. Glutathione levels of these Cnidarians were much lower than those of more traditional bioindicators such as mussels or oysters. Glutathione levels of adult jellyfish were lower than adult coral levels. The GSH levels of early life history stages of corals (especially larvae) were lower than adult levels, potentially indicating that these stages could be more sensitive than adults. The GSH levels of the younger coral stages were similar to the GSH levels of jellyfish adults. Species-specific differences in the sensitivity of corals to the different pollutants were observed. This work was facilitated by partnerships with Discovery Place Science (a public science exploration center), CARMABI (Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity), and SECORE International which are actively engaged in the culture of Cnidarians and marine educational programs.
全球变暖与污染压力正威胁着世界各地的珊瑚礁和热带栖息地。这些研究的目的是评估利用水母进行毒理学评估的潜在策略，以及将其作为珊瑚和其他刺胞动物潜在毒理学模型的可能性。对水母和三种暴露于铜的珊瑚进行了实验室研究；并对暴露于芘和高温的珊瑚进行了研究。评估了观测指标（水母的搏动率和珊瑚的白化）以及细胞生物标志物反应（水母中的谷胱甘肽（GSH）、溶酶体不稳定和组织铜含量；珊瑚中的GSH）。水母的搏动率、溶酶体不稳定和组织铜含量显著相关。同样，GSH水平与组织铜含量、溶酶体不稳定和搏动率也显著相关。水母对铜暴露往往比珊瑚更敏感。对来自库拉索岛的脑珊瑚和其他物种的成体和幼体进行了研究，以确定谷胱甘肽的基线水平。这些刺胞动物的谷胱甘肽水平远低于贻贝或牡蛎等更传统的生物指示物。成年水母的谷胱甘肽水平低于成年珊瑚。珊瑚早期生活史阶段（尤其是幼体）的GSH水平低于成体水平，这可能表明这些阶段比成体更敏感。较年轻珊瑚阶段的GSH水平与成年水母的GSH水平相似。观察到珊瑚对不同污染物的敏感性存在物种特异性差异。与探索之地科学中心（一个公共科学探索中心）、加勒比生物多样性研究与管理中心（CARMABI）以及积极参与刺胞动物养殖和海洋教育项目的SECORE国际组织的合作推动了这项工作。
