Mercury-Pollution Induction of Intracellular Lipid Accumulation and Lysosomal Compartment Amplification in the Benthic Foraminifer Ammonia parkinsoniana
Heavy metals such as mercury (Hg) pose a significant health hazard through bioaccumulation and biomagnification. By penetrating cell membranes, heavy metal ions may lead to pathological conditions. Here we examined the responses of Ammonia parkinsoniana, a benthic foraminiferan, to different concentrations of Hg in the artificial sea water. Confocal images of untreated and treated specimens using fluorescent probes (Nile Red and Acridine Orange) provided an opportunity for visualizing the intracellular lipid accumulation and acidic compartment regulation. With increased Hg over time, we observed an increased number of lipid droplets, which may have acted as a detoxifying organelle where Hg is sequestered and biologically inactivated. Further, Hg seems to promote the proliferation of lysosomes both in terms of number and dimension that, at the highest level of Hg, resulted in cell death. We report, for the first time, the presence of Hg within the foraminiferal cell: at the basal part of pores, in the organic linings of the foramen/septa, and as cytoplasmic accumulations.
Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, United States of America;Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America;Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America;Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America;Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America;Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy;Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy
Recommended Citation:
Fabrizio Frontalini,Davide Curzi,Erica Cesarini,et al. Mercury-Pollution Induction of Intracellular Lipid Accumulation and Lysosomal Compartment Amplification in the Benthic Foraminifer Ammonia parkinsoniana[J]. PLOS ONE,2016-01-01,11(9)