Page 35 - Volume 4, Issue 2, July 2011

© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Emmanouil et al. 64
mg/L caused a significant increase in Fpg-
sensitive sites (Table 3).
Apoptotic DNA damage in relation to
dose group and tissue type
For gill and digestive gland, exposure to
the medium dose of 1.0 mg/L caused a sig-
nificant increase in halo cells of similar mor-
phology to the cells observed in the stau-
rosporine-injected mussels. These cells
are characteristic of apoptotic DNA dam-
age (see also Figure 5D). For haemolymph,
exposure to the medium dose of 1.0 mg/L
did not cause a significant increase in halo
cells. Staurosporine injection caused a sig-
nificant increase in apoptotic cells (P<0.001)
Figure 5. PI stained nuclei (A): control, gill (B): high dose, gill (C): Fpg-treated, medium dose, gill (D): apoptotic cell, me-
dium dose, gill.
A B
C D
Table 3. Percentage of apoptotic cells and of Fpg-sensitive sites in mussels exposed to 1.0
mg/L thiram (*: P<0.05 in relation to control, ** P<0.01, ***P<0.001).
Treatment Apoptotic cells (%)
Haemolymph Gill Digestive gland
Control 0 0.25 ± 0.5 0.5 ± 0.6
1.0 mg/L 0 2 ± 0.41* 1.5 ± 0.6*
% Fpg sensitive sites
Haemolymph Gill Digestive gland
Control 0.37 ± 0.05 3.96 ± 1.91 12.46 ± 3.57
1.0 mg/L 3.80m ± 0.76** 28.04 ± 6.93*** 27.79 ± 6.09**