Effects of cadmium and 17β-estradiol on Mytilus galloprovincialis redox status. Prooxidant–antioxidant balance (PAB) as a novel approach in biomonitoring of marine environments

• Environmentally realistic concentrations of Cd and 17β-estradiol caused increased ROS, PAB and apoptosis.
• Cd and 17β-estradiol caused decreased mRNA expression levels of CAT, SOD and GST.
• PAB is suggested as a novel monitoring approach.

Cadmium and 17β-estradiol are rapidly accumulated in mussel tissues, making mussels excellent pollution sentinel organisms. The aim of the present study was to compare the oxidative responses of the mussels after 1, 3 and 7 days of exposure to cadmium with those to 17β-estradiol and subsequently, to suggest a multi-parametric approach for biomonitoring studies. Our results showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of either cadmium or 17β-estradiol for 1, 3 and 7 days induced oxidative stress in hemocytes of exposed mussels. The latter was determined by significantly increased ROS levels and apoptosis, by suppression of antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) expression levels and subsequent increased prooxidant levels, as measured by prooxidant–antioxidant balance (PAB) assay. To our knowledge this is the first time that prooxidant–antioxidant balance is evaluated in invertebrates as an index of oxidative stress. The simultaneous use of the parameters of prooxidant–antioxidant balance and antioxidant enzymes expression patterns, in combination with ROS production levels and apoptosis, in mussel hemocytes is suggested as an approach that may help to better evaluate the impact of environmental pollution on marine organisms and thereupon ecosystems.