Characterization of plasma cholinesterase from the White stork (Ciconia ciconia) and its in vitro inhibition by anticholinesterase pesticides

• Propionylthiocholine is the preferred substrate of plasma cholinesterase in White stork.
• The predominant enzymatic activity in plasma of White storks is butyrylcholinesterase.
• The age had no significant effect on the range of butyrylcholinesterase activity in White storks.
• Paraoxon-methyl is more potent in vitro inhibitor of the plasma ChE activity than carbofuran and carbaryl in White storks.

Blood plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity is a sensitive biomarker of exposure to organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CB) insecticides in vertebrates. Several studies indicate that more than one ChE form may be present in blood of birds. In this study the predominant ChE activity (acetylcholinesterase – AChE– or butyrylcholinesterase – BChE–), the range of ChE activity as well as ChE age-dependent changes in non-exposed individuals of White stork (Ciconia ciconia) have been established. The in vitro sensitivity of ChE to OP and CB insecticides such as paraoxon-methyl, carbofuran and carbaryl was also investigated. Plasma ChE was characterised using three substrates (acetylthiocholine iodide, propionylthiocholine iodide, and S-butyrylthiocholine iodide) and three ChE inhibitors (eserine sulphate, BW284C51 and iso-OMPA). The results indicated that propionylthiocholine was the preferred substrate by plasma cholinesterase followed by acetylcholine and butyrylcholine and the predominant enzymatic activity in plasma of White storks was BChE. Normal plasma BChE activity in White stork was 0.32±0.01 μmol/min/ml for adults and 0.28±0.03 μmol/min/ml for juveniles. So, the age had no significant effect on the range of BChE activity. The study on the in vitro inhibitory potential of tested anticholinesterase pesticides on plasma ChE activity revealed that paraoxon-methyl is the most potent inhibitor followed by carbofuran and finally by carbaryl. The percentage of in vitro plasma ChE inhibition was observed to be similar between adults and juveniles.