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This work explores the metabolism of mercury in liver and spleen tissue of fish from a methylmercury contaminated wetland. Wild-caught bass, catfish, bowfin and gar were collected. Macrophage centers, which are both reactive and primary germinal centers in various fish tissues, were hypothesized to be the cause of demethylation of methylmercury in fish tissue. Macrophage centers are differentially expressed in fish tissue based on phylogenetic lineage, and are found primarily in the livers of preteleostean fish and in the spleen of teleostean fish. Histology of liver and spleen was examined in both control and wild-caught fish for pathology, size and number of macrophage centers, and for localization of mercury. Total mercury was estimated in the muscle tissue of all fish by direct mercury analysis. Selenium and mercury concentrations were examined in the livers of wild-caught fish by liquid introduction inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Total mercury was localized in histologic sections by laser ablation ICP-MS (LA-ICP-MS). Mercury speciation was determined for inorganic and methylmercury in liver and spleen of fish by bas chromatography-cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (GC-CVAFS). Macrophage center tissue distribution was found to be consistent with the literature, with a predominance of centers in preteleostean liver and in spleens of teleostean fish. Little evidence histopathology was found in the livers or spleens of fish examined, but differences in morphology of macrophage centers and liver tissue across species are noted. the sole sign of liver pathology noted was increased hepatic hemosiderosis in fish with high proportions of liver inorganic mercury. Inorganic mercury was found to predominate in the livers of all fish but bass. Organic mercury was found to predominate in the spleens of all fish. Mercury was found to accumulate in macrophage centers, but concentrations of mercury in this compartment were found to vary less in relation to total mercury than hepatocyte mercury. No association was found between selenium content and inorganic mercury proportions. Overall, findings from this study to not support a primary role for macrophage centers in the demethylation of methylmercury in fish tissues.

Two aspects of teleost respiration have been emphasised in this investigation. Firstly the gill filaments themselves were observed in order to determine whether or not they played an active role in the ventilation of the gill lamellae. The musculature of the filaments was studied, using visual and electronic methods, and continual muscular activity was noted. Two possible functions of these muscles of the gill filaments have been proposed. Secondly, the brain centres which initiate and maintain the respiratory rhythm were investigated. The neural mechanism was found to be much more complex than had hitherto been suspected in the literature. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Live juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum) transport methods were examined to determine opportunities for increasing packing density in closed containers for temporal durations up to 24 hours. Juvenile cobia (27 to 46 days-post-hatch (dph)) were tested for salinity tolerance following abrupt transfer from 35 ppt salinity water to salinities ranging from 0 ppt to 55 ppt. Results indicate a wide range of tolerance, with 100% survival at 24 hours post-transfer in salinities between 11 ppt and 45 ppt. Salinity preference was also tested to determine a possible correlation between acclimation salinity and salinity preference using an experimental horizontal salinity gradient with juvenile cobia (87 dph) over a period of 24 hours. Results of the salinity preference trials showed that salinity preference was directly related to acclimation salinity. Using two different salinities within the range tested in the tolerance trials (12 ppt and 32 ppt), a 24 hour simulated shipping trial was conducted comparing final survival between the two salinities at each of four packing densities (5 kg/m3, 10 kg/m3, 15 kg/m3, and 20 kg/m3). Results indicated a significant relationship between salinity and stocking density on survival of juvenile cobia following a 24 hour simulated shipment. At packing densities above 10 kg/m3, survival was significantly higher in the low salinity (12 ppt) treatments as compared to survival rates in the higher salinity (32 ppt) treatments. To help aquaculture professionals make accurate and economical decisions regarding the shipment of live juvenile cobia in closed containers, a bioeconomic model was constructed using survival data at different packing densities (1 kg/m3 to 20 kg/m3) and salinities (12 ppt and 32 ppt) obtained in the experimental trials combined with shipping cost and fingerling price data. The resulting model enables cobia fingerling producers to optimize their shipping methods and protocols, allowing for reductions in labor and material costs.

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Aromatase is the only enzyme that converts androgens into estrogens, which is found in the brain, testes and ovaries. In teleosts, brain aromatase is exclusively expressed in radial glial cells, which are the abundant stem-like non-neuronal progenitors involved in neuroendocrine functions and neurogenesis in the central nervous system. With little information about radial glial cell regulation by neurotransmitters and neurohormones available, the overall goal of this thesis is to investigate the interactions between dopamine neurons and radial glial cells in the adult goldfish (Carassius auratus) forebrain. Immunocytochemistry and confocal imaging revealed a close anatomical relationship between dopamine neurons and radial glial cells along the ventricular surface in the telencephalon. Transcriptional regulation of brain aromatase by dopamine indicated a brain region-specific pattern and suggested the involvement of other regulators in the goldfish forebrain. A novel goldfish primary radial glial cell culture model was established and characterized for brain aromatase regulation studies. Pharmacological studies demonstrated that specific activation of dopamine D1 receptors up-regulates brain aromatase through a cAMP-dependent molecular mechanism, which can be enhanced or attenuated by the product of aromatase action, 17β-estradiol. Proteome profiling and the response following treatment with the specific dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 revealed that proteins involved in cell proliferation and growth are regulated through small molecules- and transcription factors-mediated signaling pathways. Analysis of genes related to radial glial cell and dopamine neuron functions demonstrated that glial activation and dopamine neuron recovery are estrogen-dependent in a neurotoxin MPTP-induced goldfish model of Parkinson’s disease. This thesis illustrates novel molecular mechanisms underlying brain aromatase regulation as well as radial glial cell function regulation and provides a framework for future investigation of existing endocrine disruptors modulating neurosteroid levels in the teleost brain.

Orientador: João Martins Pizauro / Coorientador: Samir Issa Samara / Coorientador: Marco Antonio de Andrade Belo / Banca: Eduardo Maffud Cilli / Banca: Monica Valdyrce dos Anjos Lopes Ferreira / Banca: Fabiana Garcia / Banca: Luiz Flávio José dos Santos / Resumo: A Aeromonas hydrophila é um patógeno oportunista com capacidade de infectar peixes, mamíferos e humanos. É cosmopolita e responsável por infecções hospitalares em humanos e causadora da aeromonose em peixes. O uso de antibióticos na água, como forma terapêutica na aquicultura, apesar de controlar a infecção, favorece o desenvolvimento de resistência microbiana através do efeito residual destes fármacos no peixe e consequentemente no consumidor final humano, tornando-se um agravo para a saúde pública. Pensando nisso, foi produzido uma imunoglobulina Y (IgY), extraída da gema do ovo de galinhas poedeiras, específica para as proteínas de membrana e citoplasmática de A. hydrophila. No início, a IgY foi validada quanto a capacidade de detectar o patógeno no tecido de tilápias-do-nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) infectadas com a bactéria homóloga. Após a validação da IgY anti- A. hydrophila, a mesma foi testada in vitro na imunoterapia, e seus efeitos na atividade fagolisossômica de macrófagos (MΦs) de tilápias-do-nilo, infectados com A. hydrophila viva opsonizada/ neutralizada ou não. Os resultados provaram a eficácia e a aplicação da IgY para o ensaio de imunofluorescência direta (IMF) e imuno-histoquímica (IHC) validando a IgY para o diagnóstico e estudo fisiopatológico da infeção por A. hydrophila em tilápias-do-nilo. Na imunoterapia in vitro a IgY anti-A. hydrophila teve efeito positivo no controle da infecção, postulando ainda, o uso dos MΦs da tilápia-do-nilo como um importante ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Aeromonas hydrophila is an opportunistic pathogen with the capacity to infect fish, mammals and humans. It is cosmopolitan and is responsible for hospital infections among humans and for aeromonosis in fish. Although using antibiotics in water for therapeutic purposes in fish-farming has the effect of controlling infection, it also favors development of microbial resistance through the residual effect of these drugs on fish and consequently on the final human consumers. Thus, their use has become a public health hazard. With the aim of investigating alternative ways of combating A. hydrophila, an immunoglobulin Y (IgY) extracted from the yolk of the eggs of laying hens that was specific for the proteins of the membrane and cytoplasm of A. hydrophila was produced. This IgY was firstly validated regarding its capacity to detect A. hydrophila in the tissues of Nile tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus) that were infected with the homologous bacterium. The anti-A. hydrophila IgY was then tested in vitro for immunotherapy to determine its effects on the phagolysosomal activity of macrophages (MΦs) in Nile tilapias that were infected with live A. hydrophila that was either opsonized/neutralized or not. The results demonstrated that application of IgY was effective. Direct immunofluorescence (IMF) tests and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis validated IgY for diagnosing the presence of A. hydrophila and for conducting physiopathological studies on A. hydrophila in Nile tilapias. In in vi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Capillary ion analysis (CIA) is a form of capillary electrophoresis that uses the differential electrophoretic mobility of ions to perform a separation of an ionic mixture. Application of this technique for detection of lithium concentrations in plasma and tissues of Poecilia was the purpose of this investigation. CIA was performed using a 75 μm ID x 60 cm length fused-silica capillary and a run electrolyte of 67.7 mg hydroxyisobutyric acid (HIBA), 52.8 mg 18-crown-6-ether and 64 μL UV-CAT-1 reagent (4- methylbenzylamine) in a volume of 100 mL water (18 MΩ) with a voltage of 20 kV using ultraviolet absorption detection at 214 nm. Migration times were: potassium, 2.98 min; calcium, 3.48 min; sodium, 3.60 min; barium (internal standard), 4.15 min and lithium, 4.26 min. Lithium and barium migration times were stable and reproducible. Correlation coefficients (r) between peak area ratios of lithium/barium for concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 mM were from 0.976 to 0.996. Coefficients of variation (CV) for lithium concentrations ranged from 4.07 to 15.71% between days and 4.38 to 7.76% within-day. Application of this methodology for determination of lithium concentrations in the plasma, brains and livers of fish dosed with lithium for 23 days are presented. CIA is applicable to analysis of lithium concentrations in biological fluids and tissues of fish.