Acute exposure to fullerene

Abstract

Fullerene (C₆₀) has attained an important role in nanoscience as it acquires unique physicochemical properties and is used widely as radical scavenger and powerful antioxidant. The present study was aimed to investigate the role of fullerene in the antioxidant system of liver tissue in the cichlid fish, Pseudetroplus maculatus. Fullerene at 0.1 mg/ L concentration, dissolved in DMSO as vehicle, was exposed to fish for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h maintaining control groups. At the end of every treatment, fish was sacrificed and liver tissue was collected. It was observed that fullerene treatment did not caused changes in the weight of the liver when compared to the control groups. The activity of superoxide dismutase increased significantly (P<0.05) at 72 and 96 h, however, the activities of catalase, and glutathione reductase significantly (P<0.05) decreased after 48 h of fullerene exposure. The level of hydrogen peroxide increased significantly only at the end of 96 h and the lipid peroxidation was increased significantly (P<0.05) after 48 h in time-dependent manner. From the present findings it was clearly demonstrated that acute exposure to fullerene alters the antioxidant defense system in the liver of fish. On contrary as an antioxidant, fullerene is known to generate free radicals, and, therefore induces oxidative stress in fish hepatocytes.