Author(s)

Cindy Provencher, Andrea Bertolo, Pierre Magnan, Maria-Grazia Martinoli

Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Group in Neuroscience, Department of Medical Biology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada.
Research Centre for Watershed-Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions, Trois-Rivières, Canada.
Research Centre for Watershed-Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions, Trois-Rivières, Canada; Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Group in Neuroscience, Department of Medical Biology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Canada.

The goal of this study was to determine the short-term effects of the quality (UV-A/UV-B ratio) and quantity (irradiance) of natural ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the apoptosis levels in Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) larvae. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is an essential event in many physiological processes as well as in pathological conditions. Western blots were used to measure the expression of several key proteins of the apoptotic cascade, such as p53, Bax, Bcl-2, and PARP-1, whereas specific apoptotic DNA fragmentation was measured by an ELISA assay. We predicted that higher UVR exposure would be related to higher levels of apoptosis. Our results showed that specific apoptotic DNA fragmentation was reduced by visible light + UV-A as well as by visible light + UV-A and UV-B treatments although it was not significantly affected by light quantity. However, the expression of p53, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and PARP-1 were not significantly affected in larvae by the quantity or the quality of the light after two days of exposure. Altogether our results suggest that UVR may modulate the apoptotic process in Yellow perch larvae proposing an interesting role for this stressor on the early development of living organism under natural exposure condition.

Ultraviolet Radiation, Yellow Perch, Fish Larvae, Apoptosis

Provencher, C. , Bertolo, A. , Magnan, P. and Martinoli, M. (2014) Modulation of Specific Apoptotic DNA Fragmentation after Short Term Exposure to Natural UVR in Fish Larvae. Open Journal of Apoptosis, 3, 39-51. doi: 10.4236/ojapo.2014.33005.