Antioxidant properties of the mucus secreted by Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta, Nereididae): A defense against environmental pro-oxidants? [An article ... Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C]

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Description:
Polychaeta species like Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae) usually secrete great amounts of mucus that wrap the animal inside. Taking into account that fungi action in the sediment and UV radiation acting on dissolved organic matter in the water produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) like hydrogen peroxide (H"2O"2), it was considered that the mucus secretion could represent an antioxidant defense against environmental ROS. Antioxidant enzymes (catalase-CAT; superoxide dismutase-SOD; glutathione peroxidase-GPx and glutathione-S-transferase-GST) and total antioxidant capacity (TOSC) were determined in worms and mucus secretion. Higher (p0.05) in both kind of samples, and absence of GST activity was observed in mucus samples, suggesting absence of catalyzed phase II reactions. In assays conducted with hepatoma cell lines exposed to H"2O"2, it was verified that: (1) mucus co-exposure significantly (p