Internal Pigmentation in Ectotherms: Innate immunity and UV defense

• Grant number: 14/00946-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Classius de Oliveira
• Grantee: Lilian Franco Belussi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fish and amphibians have in addition to colourful skin also pigmented cells on internal organs and membranes. Although there are some evidences that this visceral pigmentation may be related to accumulation of residual melanin and may has a role in the innate immune system, the functions of visceral pigmentation in fish and anurans are largely unknown. antioxidant functions, and protect tissues against DNA damage. Now we will test the potential functions of visceral pigmentation in protecting internal organs of anurans and fish against UV damage in. Specifically, we will measure DNA damage and cell death in two lineages of pigmented cells; melanocytes and melanomacrophages. Furthermore, possible functions related to innate immunity will be evaluated by measuring phagocytosis and production of melanin after exposure to bacteria. Another set of experiments will use albine and pigmented tadpoles as in vivo experimental models and fish of the Gobiidae family and Zebrafish with differences in skin pigmentation. Also, experimental model consisting of biopsy of liver and mesentery. We will conduct experiments with (i) albine and pigmented tadpoles and fish in order to test the acute effects of UVR and LPS exposure; (ii) with fish to test the effects of solar radiation in animals with different levels of transparency; and (iii) experiments for test phagacitosis in melanomacrophages and melanocytes. Data analysis includes morphological and stereological analyses, quantification of melanin, comet assay, micronucleus analysis and nuclear abnormalities, analysis of apoptotic cells, telomere length and phagocytosis.

Scientific publications

(23)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LEITE, GABRIELA BARONI; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; PROVETE, DIOGO B.; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Comparative testis morphology of Neotropical anurans. ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER, v. 257, p. 29-38, 2015. (14/16900-3, 14/00946-4, 13/02067-5, 13/07284-4)

ZIERI, RODRIGO; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; DE SOUZA SANTOS, LIA RAQUEL; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Sex hormones change visceral pigmentation in Eupemphix nattereri (Anura): effects in testicular melanocytes and hepatic melanomacrophages. ANIMAL BIOLOGY, v. 65, n. 1, p. 21-32, 2015. (09/13925-7, 05/02919-5, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, L.; DE OLIVEIRA, C.; SKOELD, H. N.. Regulation of eye and jaw colouration in three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus. Journal of Fish Biology, v. 92, n. 6, p. 1788-1804, JUN 2018. (14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; PROVETE, DIOGO BORGES; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Environmental correlates of internal coloration in frogs vary throughout space and lineages. ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, v. 7, n. 22, p. 9222-9233, NOV 2017. (16/13949-7, 05/02919-5, 14/00946-4, 15/12006-9)

FANALI, LARA ZACARI; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; BONINI-DOMINGOS, CLAUDIA REGINA; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Effects of benzo[a]pyrene on the blood and liver of Physalaemus cuvieri and Leptodactylus fuscus (Anura: Leptodactylidae). Environmental Pollution, v. 237, p. 93-102, JUN 2018. (14/07466-8, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; JONES-COSTA, MONICA; SALLA, RAQUEL FERNANDA; SANTOS SOUZA, BRUNO FERNANDO; PINTO-VIDAL, FELIPE AUGUSTO; OLIVEIRA, CRISTIANE RONCHI; MATHIAS SILVA-ZACARIN, ELAINE CRISTINA; ABDALLA, FABIO CAMARGO; SILVEIRA DUARTE, IOLANDA CRISTINA; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Hepatotoxicity of the anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) in bullfrog tadpoles. Chemosphere, v. 266, MAR 2021. (08/57712-4, 14/00946-4)

FANALI, LARA ZACARI; FREITAS, JULIANE SILBERSCHMIDT; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; TABOGA, SEBASTIAO ROBERTO; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Liver description in three neotropical anuran species: from anatomy to ultrastructure. ACTA ZOOLOGICA, FEB 2021. (17/13377-6, 14/00946-4, 14/07466-8)

GREGORIO, L. S.; FREITAS, J. S.; FRANCO-BELUSSI, L.; DE OLIVEIRA, C.. LPS-induced alterations in reproductive organs and liver pigmentation in the toad Rhinella diptycha (Bufonidae). CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, v. 96, n. 12, p. 1336-1345, DEC 2018. (14/00946-4, 11/21519-9, 13/02067-5, 13/16948-3)

MANUEL PEREZ-IGLESIAS, JUAN; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; SEBASTIAN NATALE, GUILLERMO; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Biomarkers at different levels of organisation after atrazine formulation (SIPTRAN 500SC (R)) exposure in Rhinella schineideri (Anura: Bufonidae) Neotropical tadpoles. Environmental Pollution, v. 244, p. 733-746, JAN 2019. (13/02067-5, 14/00946-4)

DE GREGORIO, LARA S.; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; GOMES, FERNANDO R.; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Flutamide effects on morphology of reproductive organs and liver of Neotropical Anura, Rhinella schneideri. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY, v. 176, p. 181-189, JUL 2016. (14/00946-4, 13/02067-5, 11/01840-7)

JONES-COSTA, MONICA; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; PINTO VIDAL, FELIPE AUGUSTO; GONGORA, NATHALIA PENTEADO; CASTANHO, LUCIANO MENDES; CARVALHO, CLEONI DOS SANTOS; MATHIAS SILVA-ZACARIN, ELAINE CRISTINA; ABDALLA, FABIO CAMARGO; SILVEIRA DUARTE, IOLANDA CRISTINA; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS; et al. Cardiac biomarkers as sensitive tools to evaluate the impact of xenobiotics on amphibians: the effects of anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY, v. 151, p. 178-184, APR 30 2018. (08/57712-4, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; FANALI, LARA ZACARI; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. UV-B affects the immune system and promotes nuclear abnormalities in pigmented and non-pigmented bullfrog tadpoles. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY, v. 180, p. 109-117, MAR 2018. (17/07971-2, 14/00946-4, 15/12006-9)

FANALI, LARA ZACARI; DE LACERDA VALVERDE, BRUNO SERRA; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; PROVETE, DIOGO B.; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Response of digestive organs of Hypsiboas albopunctatus (Anura: Hylidae) to benzo[alpha]pyrene. Amphibia-Reptilia, v. 38, n. 2, p. 175-185, 2017. (13/18469-5, 13/02067-5, 13/05907-4, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; PROVETE, DIOGO B.; BORGES, RINNEU E.; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS; SANTOS, LIA RAQUEL S.. Idiosyncratic liver pigment alterations of five frog species in response to contrasting land use patterns in the Brazilian Cerrado. PeerJ, v. 8, AUG 26 2020. (14/00946-4, 13/02067-5, 18/01078-7)

DE GREGORIO, LARA SALGUEIRO; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; GOLDBERG, JAVIER; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Nonylphenol and cyproterone acetate effects in the liver and gonads of Lithobates catesbeianus (Anura) tadpoles and juveniles. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 28, n. 44, p. 62593-62604, NOV 2021. (18/01078-7, 15/12006-9, 14/00946-4)

DE GREGORIO, LARA SALGUEIRO; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; GOLDBERG, JAVIER; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Nonylphenol and cyproterone acetate effects in the liver and gonads of Lithobates catesbeianus (Anura) tadpoles and juveniles. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, JUL 2021. (18/01078-7, 15/12006-9, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, L.; DE OLIVEIRA, C.. The spleen of Physalaemus nattereri (Amphibia: Anura): morphology, melanomacrophage pigment compounds and responses to -melanocyte stimulating hormone. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, v. 83, n. 3, p. 298-305, SEP 2016. (14/00946-4, 13/02067-5, 11/01840-7, 15/12006-9)

MANUEL PEREZ-IGLESIAS, JUAN; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; MORENO, LILIANA; TRIPOLE, SUSANA; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS; SEBASTIAN NATALE, GUILLERMO. Effects of glyphosate on hepatic tissue evaluating melanomacrophages and erythrocytes responses in neotropical anuran Leptodactylus latinasus. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 23, n. 10, p. 9852-9861, MAY 2016. (13/02067-5, 14/00946-4)

FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; SKOLD, HELEN NILSSON; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Internal pigment cells respond to external UV radiation in frogs. Journal of Experimental Biology, v. 219, n. 9, p. 1378-1383, MAY 1 2016. (14/00946-4, 15/12006-9)

VALVERDE, BRUNO S. L.; FANALI, LARA ZACARI; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Comparative morphology of the digestive tract of two Neotropical tree frogs (Genus Boana). ZOOLOGISCHER ANZEIGER, v. 281, p. 44-52, JUL 2019. (14/00946-4, 13/05907-4, 13/18469-5)

SCAIA, MARIA FLORENCIA; DE GREGORIO, LARA SALGUEIRO; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; SUCCI-DOMINGUES, MAYSA; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Gonadal, body color, and genotoxic alterations in Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles exposed to nonylphenol. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, v. 26, n. 22, p. 22209-22219, AUG 2019. (14/00946-4, 15/12006-9)

GREGORIO, L. S.; FRANCO-BELUSSI, L.; DE OLIVEIRA, C.. Genotoxic effects of 4-nonylphenol and Cyproterone Acetate on Rana catesbeiana (anura) tadpoles and juveniles. Environmental Pollution, v. 251, p. 879-884, AUG 2019. (14/00946-4, 13/02067-5, 18/01078-7)

DE GREGORIO, LARA S.; FRANCO-BELUSSI, LILIAN; DE OLIVEIRA, CLASSIUS. Leukocyte profile of tadpoles and juveniles of Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802 (Anura) and the effects of nonylphenol and cyproterone acetate. South American Journal of Herpetology, v. 20, n. 1, p. 75-82, AUG 2021. (14/00946-4, 18/01078-7)