Metallothionein mRNA induction is correlated with the decrease of DNA strand breaks in cadmium exposed zebra mussels

• Cadmium (Cd) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) induced DNA damages in zebra mussels.
• Cd is a strong inducer of metallothionein (MT) and HSP70 genes.
• Metallothionein might be implicated in cadmium detoxification.
• BaP is a strong inducer of P-gp and AHR genes.
• Cd and BaP induced in moderate changes in antioxidant enzymes mRNA.

We have previously shown that cadmium (Cd) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) induced early DNA damages in zebra mussels, and that the level of DNA strand breaks (SB) returned to a basal level after 3 days of exposure to Cd. The aim of the present study was to go further in the mechanisms of Cd and BaP detoxification. For that purpose, expression of genes encoding for metallothionein (MT), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), P-gp, catalase, glutathione S-transferase and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) proteins have been measured using RT-qPCR. Data reported here show that Cd is a strong inducer of MT and HSP70 genes, and that BaP is a strong inducer of P-gp and AHR genes. Exposure to Cd and BaP resulted in moderate changes in antioxidant enzymes mRNA. Since the increase of MT mRNA occurred when the DNA SB level returned to its basal level, we can suggest that MT is implicated in cadmium detoxification.