[go: up one dir, main page]
More Web Proxy on the site http://driver.im/ Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Antioxidant levels from different Antarctic fish caught around South Georgia Island and Shag Rocks

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Antarctic fish have been isolated for over several million years in an environment with a very low and constant temperature and high oxygen concentration. In such conditions the oxidative stress might be an important factor affecting their metabolic adaptive strategies. Activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), vitamin E levels and total antioxidant capacity (TRAP) were measured in liver, gill, heart and muscle homogenates of red-blooded (Nototheniidae) and white-blooded (Channichthyidae) Antarctic fish. SOD activity was also measured in blood samples. Gill SOD activity was threefold higher in channichthyids than in nototheniids while CAT and GPx were significantly higher in the gills of channichthyids. The increased SOD activity of channichthyids probably reflects the large PO2 gradient across their gills. The H2O2 produced seems to be preferentially eliminated by diffusion, according to the low levels of CAT and GPx found in the gills of these species. In contrast, blood SOD was about fivefold higher in the latter group, which possesses erythrocytes and thus a much higher oxygen-carrying capacity. CAT activity was always higher in nototheniids except in muscle. However, vitamin E did not show clear differences between families except for the pattern observed in muscle. The higher content of vitamin E in this tissue shown in channichthyids is related to the higher volume density of mitochondria reported for this group, since vitamin E is responsible for preventing membrane lipid peroxidation. Accordingly, TRAP (representative of hydrosoluble antioxidant capacity) was also higher in muscle of channichthyids. This is probably related to the role of ascorbic (a hydrosoluble compound) acid in regenerating vitamin E.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
£29.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Accepted: 4 September 1999

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ansaldo, M., Luquet, C., Evelson, P. et al. Antioxidant levels from different Antarctic fish caught around South Georgia Island and Shag Rocks. Polar Biol 23, 160–165 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050022

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050022

Keywords

Navigation