Melanomacrophage Centers as a Histological Indicator of the Influence of Land Use on the Health of Prochilodus lineatus (Vallenciennes, 1837): Comparison between Two Neotropical Rivers

Authors

  • Maressa Ludgero PPG de Neurologia e Neurociência, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2809-9607
  • José Guilherme Xavier PPG em Patologia Ambiental e Experimental, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8476-1306
  • Thiago Mündel Ribeiro dos Santos PPG em Patologia Ambiental e Experimental, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0470-1394
  • Luís Gustavo Nogueira de Carvalho PPG em Aquicultura e Pesca, Instituto de Pesca, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9775-818X
  • Larissa Leandra Moro Silva PPG em Patologia Ambiental e Experimental, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6167-5835
  • Welber Senteio Smith PPG em Aquicultura e Pesca, Instituto de Pesca, Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia Estrutural e Funcional de Ecossistemas, Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Sorocaba, SP, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9803-7394

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2025.01.04

Keywords:

Biomarker; Prochilodontidae; histopathology; fish; rural influence; urbanization.

Abstract

This study evaluated the hepatic structural integrity of Prochilodus lineatus, a fish species susceptible to contaminants, collected in two rivers with distinct environmental conditions in the Sorocaba River basin, SP, Brazil. The analysis focused on melanomacrophage centers (MMCs), hepatic structures essential for the immune system and the response to xenobiotics. The specimens were captured in September 2023 in the Sorocaba River, characterized by high urbanization, and on the Ipanema River, which is better preserved, with protected riparian forest and located in a conservation unit. Subsequently, the livers of the fish were subjected to histological procedures, followed by morphometric analysis of the MMCs using Fiji/Image J software. The comparison between the specimens from the two rivers revealed a significant increase in the dimensions of the MMCs in fish from the Sorocaba River compared to those from the Ipanema River. These findings corroborate previous studies that identified increased MMCs as a biomarker of immune stress and pollutant exposure. Although widely used as biomarkers in ecotoxicology, the presence and response of MMCs can vary between species, requiring careful application. This study emphasizes the relevance of biomonitoring in rivers and highlights P. lineatus as a sensitive and efficient bioindicator of pollution, particularly in impacted environments such as the Sorocaba River.

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Published

07-08-2025

How to Cite

Ludgero, M., Xavier , J. G., dos Santos , T. M. R., Nogueira de Carvalho, L. G., Moro Silva , L. L., & Senteio Smith , W. (2025). Melanomacrophage Centers as a Histological Indicator of the Influence of Land Use on the Health of Prochilodus lineatus (Vallenciennes, 1837): Comparison between Two Neotropical Rivers. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Contamination, 20(1), 35–44. https://doi.org/10.5132/eec.2025.01.04

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Original Articles

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