ACTIVITY OF ESTERASES FROM DIFFERENT TISSUES OF FRESHWATER FISH AND RESPONSES OF THEIR ISOENZYMES TO INHIBITORS

Abstract

Activity of nonspecific esterase from different tissues (i.e., liver, gallbladder, heart, intestine, and muscle) of five species of freshwater fish, namely, topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva), goldfish (Carassius auratus), nile tilapia (Tilapia nilotica), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) was tested using α-naphthyl acetate as sub strate. The results indicated that activity of the enzyme was mainly concentrated in the digestive system (i.e., intestine, liver, bile). The overall activity was highest in nile tilapia, followed by mosquitofish, topmouth gudgeon, goldfish, and lowest in rainbow trout. Electrophoresis and the following in vitro treatment of the isoenzymes with triphenol phos phate (TPP, an inhibitor of carboxylesterase) indicated the TPP-sensitive esterase was mainly distributed in liver of the five species. The enzyme was not found in the other five tissues (including gill) except in gallbladder of topmouth gudgeon and goldfish. The corre lation was obviously improved between susceptibility and detoxification capacity if activity of the TPP-sensitive esterase was employed instead of that of the nonspecific esterase to make the comparison. In vitro treatment of nonspecific esterase in liver with malaoxon proved that the active metabolite of malathion inhibited a different isoenzyme from the TPP-sensitive one.

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Shao-nan Li

Address correspondence to Shao-nan Li, Department of Plant Protection, Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China 310029.