Oxidative Stress Markers in Parasitized and Non-Parasitized Amietophrynus regularis (Reuss, 1833) Exposed to Multi- Stress Conditions in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria
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Background: Amphibians are subjected to a variety of natural and artificial
stresses that can compromise physiological balance. This study explored
the variations in oxidative stress markers in Cosmocercan parasitized and
non-parasitized Amietophrynus regularis in diverse conditions. The toad
specimens were collected from natural habitats and dumpsites of three (3)
major areas of Lagos. 15 g wet weight of the liver, intestine, and parasites
were separately prepared and analyzed for oxidative stress parameters
including; SOD, CAT, GSH, and MDA activities according to well-established
protocols. Result: Based on stations, there were significant differences in the
SOD levels in the liver and intestine of infected and uninfected toads
obtained at the dumpsite and the natural habitat at p < 0.001. Also, the
concentration of SOD in the parasites (238.86 ± 7.72 min/mg prot.)
recovered from the toads at the dumpsite was very much significantly
higher than the concentration in those recovered from the toads in the
natural habitat (p < 0.001). The study has shown that the level of SOD released by the antioxidant defense system in response to the oxidative
stress in the organism makes it a reliable tool for ecotoxicological
assessment. All the oxidative stress markers except for MDA showed
significant differences at p < 0.05 between the host tissues and the
parasites irrespective of sampling locations indicating both organisms were
stressed either due to the host-parasite relationship or from other
environmental contaminants. Conclusions: The toad’s antioxidant defense
system was typically sensitive and adaptable to environmental conditions,
suggesting that it could be used in future research on effective
ecotoxicological evaluation tools.
Keywords
QH Natural history, QH301 Biology