CONTAMINANT INDUCED LYSOSOMAL MEMBRANE DAMAGE IN MARINE MUSSEL DIGESTIVE CELLS - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Damage to lysosomes in isolated molluscan digestive cells was measured in vitro, following prior experimental in vivo exposure of mussels to the model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon fluoranthene for 7 days. Damage was assessed using the retention of the cationic diazine probe neutral red in the lysosomal compartment as a determinant of effect. The results showed that probe retention time was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) in the lysosomes of cells isolated from exposed mussels as compared to those from mussels exposed to the solvent vehicle alone. These findings indicate that the functional integrity of the lysosomal membrane is impaired following hydrocarbon exposure and further illustrates that lysosomes are the target of toxic action of pollutants. Corroborative evidence for fluoranthene-induced cell injury was apparent from increased accumulation of lipid and lysosomal hydrolase activity in tissue sections of digestive gland from the same experimental material.