Effect of Fungicide Toxicity on Apoptosis, Dna Damage, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Van Fish

Abstract

The extensive use of tebuconazole, an azole group fungicide, causes undesirable toxicity in non-targeted organisms, including fish in aquatic environments. We investigated metabolic responses by observing apoptosis (caspase- 3), DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)), malondialdehyde (MDA), and antioxidants (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px) activity in Van fish kidney and muscle tissue after 24., 48., 72., and 96. h of tebuconazole exposure at a concentration of 2.5 mg/L. The obtained results indicated that caspase-3, 8-OHdG, and MDA levels significantly increased compared to the control (p < 0.05). The kidney and muscle tissues indicated a significant decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)) compared to the control (p< 0.05). Therefore, these data may reflect one of the molecular pathways that play a role in tebuconazole toxicity. Copyright 2023 by the authors. Licensee Zoological Society of Pakistan.