Are antioxidant and transcriptional responses useful for discriminating between chemo- and radiotoxicity of uranium in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii?

The main objectives of this study were to evaluate uranium (U) toxicity in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii at a low dose of exposure and to discriminate between the chemotoxicity and radiotoxicity of U. We conducted two sets of experiments using either 30 μg L−1 of depleted uranium (DU) or 233U, which differ from each other only in their specific activity (DU=1.7×104 Bq g−1, 233U=3.57×108 Bq g−1). The endpoints were oxidative stress responses and mitochondrial functioning in the gills and hepatopancreas, which were measured in terms of enzyme activities and gene expression levels. U accumulation levels were measured in different organs (gills, hepatopancreas, stomach, intestine, green gland, muscles, and carapace), and internal dose rates in the hepatopancreas were compared after DU and 233U exposures. Significant U accumulation occurred in the organs of P. clarkii, and mitochondrial damage and antioxidant responses were detected. Despite the huge difference (21,000×) in the specific activities of DU and 233U, few significant differences in biological responses were detected in P. clarkii exposed to these two pollutants. This finding indicates that the radiotoxicity was low compared to the chemotoxicity under our exposure conditions. Finally, genes expression levels were more sensitive markers of U toxicity than enzyme activities.

► The radiotoxicity of uranium (U) was low compared to its chemotoxicity.
► The radiotoxicity of U seems to amplify the responses of GST activity and atp6 gene.
► U generates oxidative stress and impacts mitochondria after a short exposure to 30 μg L−1.
► Transcriptional responses are more sensitive endpoints than enzymatic activities.