Effect of aerial exposure on the antioxidant status in the subantarctic stone crab Paralomis granulosa (Decapoda, Anomura)

ROMERO, M.C., ANSALDO, M., AND LOVRICH, G.A.

COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY. TOXICOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY

Elsevier

Año: 2007 vol. 146 p. 54 - 59

1532-0456

In Tierra del Fuego (Southern South America), the stone or false king crab, Paralomis granulosa represents one of the most important artisan crab-fisheries. After their capture, animals are kept in baskets and exposed to dryness for several hours. In such condition, the water flow through the gills is interrupted. As a consequence a concomitant increase of reactive oxygen species begins, triggering oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to determine the oxidative stress and the antioxidant enzyme activities due to air exposure in different tissues of P. granulosa. Fifty crabs >82 mm of carapace length were captured in the Beagle Channel (54º 50´S, 68º 20´W) during winter 2004. Five groups of 10 crabs each were exposed to dryness at 8ºC for different time periods (i.e. 0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h). Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione S transferase (GsT) protein and lipid oxidation were measured in gills, muscle, hepatopancreas and haemolymph samples. Almost all analyzed tissues showed antioxidant enzymes activity, which varied with the time of air exposure. The maximum enzyme activity was measured after 6 h of air-exposure. Protein oxidation levels varied significantly in gills. Lipid peroxidation levels increased significantly in muscle and hepatopancreas. The critical time of air exposure probably occurs at 6 h. Thereafter animals could not be able to induce the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes or proteins. This should be taken into account in order to minimize the stress generated by the commercial capture process.   Keywords: oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, air exposure, protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, Lithodidae, Paralomis granulosa, king crab, fishing processing, Beagle Channel