EFFECT OF DIESEL ON THE ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE OF THE DIGESTIVE GLAND OF THE ANTARCTIC GASTROPOD Nacella concinna (STREBEL, 1908)

Antarctica is considered the most pristine region in the world, but the increase in human activity has increased the risk of fossil fuel leakage. In this regard, studies with Nacella concinna have proposed this gastropod as sentinel for environmental monitoring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of diesel exposure on the antioxidant defense in the digestive gland of the gastropod Nacella concinna, and the possibility of using these responses as biomarkers of diesel exposure. The activity of the antioxidant defense enzymes glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, as well as lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, as oxidative damage markers, were determined. Among the enzymes analyzed, exposure to diesel significantly modulated only the levels of glutathione S-transferase. Although the oxidative damage marker lipid peroxidation increased in the animals exposed to diesel, protein carbonylation levels remained unchanged. The results suggest that the responses of the antioxidant defense in the digestive gland of the gastropod N. concinna may not be as good biomarkers of diesel exposure as expected.