Interaction of Arsenic on Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Peripheral Tissues of Cold Exposed Fishes (<i>Channa punctatus</i>)

Abstract

Channa punctatus variety of fishes were exposed to low temperature (4~8^oC) for 30 min, 1 h, 2 h and 4 h which is highly energetic and can survive in the critical situations. Very low or no significant alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) activities in skeletal muscle were found, however, in heart, the activities were seemed to be reduced after prolonged exposure in cold. In liver, the activities were enhanced by 71.8, 125.3, 116.9 and 114.1% significantly (P<0.05) compared to control fishes kept in ambient environmental temperature and found to be higher for 1 h of cold. Similar stimulatory effects (7.6, 49.5 and 150.4%) of ALKP activity in gastrointestinal tract of fishes were found whenever the fishes were exposed to cold for 30 min, 1 h and 2 h, respectively, while 29.7% reduced activity was demonstrated after 4 h of the treatment. To clarify whether arsenic impairs in cold-induced metabolic functions in peripheral tissues, groups of fishes were exposed to 100 mM Na₂HAsO₄ as well as in cold. Very low responses of arsenic on enzyme activity in skeletal muscle and heart were observed and appeared to be reduced when compared to control. In liver, ALKP activity was augmented significantly (P<0.05) by arsenic treatment and also by cold, however, the effects were more pronounced in cold when compared to arsenic treated alone while the enhanced activity in gastrointestinal tract in response to cold was almost completely abolished by arsenic treatment. As a result, a new insight was found for the regulation of adaptive response in peripheral tissues to environmental temperature and arsenic might be involved in interaction of cold induced effects.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v21i1-2.16765

Progress. Agric. 21(1 & 2): 159 - 171, 2010