Acid phosphatase and cathepsin activity in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) eggs: the effects of Ag, Cd, and Cu exposure

AbstractLacoue-Labarthe, T., Le Bihan, E., Borg, D., Koueta, N., and Bustamante, P. 2010. Acid phosphatase and cathepsin activity in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) eggs: the effects of Ag, Cd, and Cu exposure. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1517–1523. Changes in the activity levels of acid phosphatase (AcP) and cathepsin during cuttlefish embryo development are described, as are the effects of exposure to heavy metals. Enzyme activity kinetics appear to be linked to the developmental stage. The activities of both enzymes increased during the final days of development, suggesting de novo production by the maturing embryo in the digestive gland. The effects of selected heavy metals, Ag (0.06, 1.2, 60, 1200 ng l−1), Cd (31, 61, 305, 610 ng l−1), and Cu (0.23, 2.3, 23, 230 µg l−1), were assessed based on AcP and cathepsin activities at the end of embryonic development and on hatchling weight. Enzyme activities were not impacted by Ag but were significantly inhibited by Cd, at all four concentrations for AcP and at 610 ng l−1 for cathepsin. Cu (at 2.3 µg l−1) stimulated AcP activity. No cause–effect relationship was found between the effects of metals on the enzyme activities and hatchling weight, suggesting that heavy metals could affect other physiological functions during embryogenesis.