nireEHU 
Subject
Cellular and molecular biomarkers
General details of the subject
- Mode
- Face-to-face degree course
- Language
- English
Description and contextualization of the subject
Directed at students aiming to specialize in environmental toxicology, with a focus on cell and molecular biology. Global/updated view of environmental problems and the use of cell/molecular responses as early warning signals (biomarkers) of ecosystem health in pollution assessment.Teaching staff
| Name | Institution | Category | Doctor | Teaching profile | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLANCO RAYON, ESTHER | University of the Basque Country | Profesorado Laboral Interino Universidad | Doctor | Bilingual | Cellular Biology | esther.blanco@ehu.eus |
| CAJARAVILLE BERECIARTUA, MIREN PILARE | University of the Basque Country | Profesorado Catedratico De Universidad | Doctor | Bilingual | Cellular Biology | mirenp.cajaraville@ehu.eus |
| ORBEA DEL REY, AMAIA | University of the Basque Country | Profesorado Agregado | Doctor | Bilingual | Cellular Biology | amaia.orbea@ehu.eus |
Competencies
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Que el estudiante conozca y comprenda los mecanismos de incorporación de catión en las células, así como las estrategias celulares para desintoxicar y/o aislar las concentraciones tóxicas de metales fisiológicos y metales xenobióticos, dependiendo de las características y especiación de los metales. | 15.0 % |
| Que el estudiante conozca y comprenda las respuestas celulares y moleculares a la polución a través de xenobióticos orgánicos, incluyendo su biotransformación, su implicación en la generación oxirradical, así como los mecanismos y estrategias de la adaptación celular y molecular. | 20.0 % |
| Que el estudiante conozca y comprenda las vías celulares y moleculares que dan lugar a ADN genotóxico y no genotóxico provocado por tóxicos. | 20.0 % |
| Que el estudiante reconozca la importancia de los efectos contaminantes sobre la señalización celular y la homeostasis del sistema endocrino, con énfasis en los efectos ecológicamente relevantes en la reproducción. | 15.0 % |
| Que el estudiante comprenda las implicaciones de los cambios a nivel celular y molecular en el estado general de salud de los individuos y las poblaciones naturales, con el objetivo de lograr una explotación racional y sostenible de los recursos naturales. | 15.0 % |
| Entender las razones del uso de respuestas celulares y moleculares a agentes contaminantes en el control ambiental y la evaluación de riesgos ambientales, incluyendo las limitaciones y desafíos del enfoque. Papel de la toxicogenómica y proteómica emergentes en el descubrimiento de nuevos biomarcadores. | 15.0 % |
Study types
| Type | Face-to-face hours | Non face-to-face hours | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture-based | 20 | 30 | 50 |
| Seminar | 5 | 7.5 | 12.5 |
| Applied laboratory-based groups | 13 | 19.5 | 32.5 |
| Applied computer-based groups | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Training activities
| Name | Hours | Percentage of classroom teaching |
|---|---|---|
| Computer practicals | 30.0 | 45 % |
| Computer work practice, laboratory, site visits, field trips, external visits | 5.0 | 40 % |
| Lectures | 50.0 | 40 % |
| Presentations and Papers | 1.5 | 33 % |
| Seminars | 13.5 | 33 % |
Assessment systems
| Name | Minimum weighting | Maximum weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance is compulsory. All absences must be justified documentally. Active participation in the activities of the course is required; particular attention will be paid to the participation in open discussions in lectures, seminars and practicals. | 0.0 % | 100.0 % |
| Practical tasks | 0.0 % | 20.0 % |
| Presentations | 50.0 % | 100.0 % |
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of the Unit, you should:1. Understand the mechanisms of action incorporation into cells, as well as the cellular strategies to detoxify and/or sequester physiological metals at toxic concentrations and xenobiotic metals, depending on the characteristics and speciation of metals.
2. Understand the cellular and molecular responses to pollution by organic xenobiotics, including their biotransformation, involvement in oxyradical generation, and mechanisms and strategies of cellular and molecular adaptation.
3. Understand the cellular and molecular pathways that lead to toxicant-caused genotoxic and non-genotoxic DNA and chromosomal damage, including repair mechanisms, and further development of preneoplastic and neoplastic diseases.
4. Understand the importance of pollutant effects on cell signalling and homeostasis of the endocrine system, with emphasis in ecologically-relevant effects on reproduction.
5. Understand the implications of the changes at cellular and molecular level, in the general health condition of the individuals and the natural populations, with the aim of achieving a reasonable and sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
6. Understand the rationale for the use of cellular and molecular responses to pollutants in environmental monitoring and in environmental risk assessment, including the limitations and challenges of the approach. Role of emerging toxico-genomics and proteomics in new biomarker discovery.
Ordinary call: orientations and renunciation
According to regulations in force (BOPV of 20th June, 2022). Opting out of the call must be communicated to the Academic Commission of the Master and to the coordinators of the subject before the first assessment activity.Extraordinary call: orientations and renunciation
According to regulations in force (BOPV of 20th June, 2022). Opting out of the call must be communicated to the Academic Commission of the Master and to the coordinators of the subject before the first assessment activity.Temary
LECTURES:1.- Introduction to cellular and molecular biomarkers of pollution: examples and applications in monitoring programmes.
2.- Techniques to measure cell and molecular biomarkers.
3.- Biomarkers and bioassays for endocrine disrupting environmental pollutants.
4.- Toxicity of metallic pollutants in relation with cellular accumulation and storage processes.
5.- In vitro alternative methods in biomarker development: potential of mussel cells primary cultures for toxicity testing of environmental pollutants.
6.- Generation of oxyradicals and oxidative stress in marine organisms.
7.- Mechanisms of pollutant-induced peroxisome proliferation and rationale for use as biomarker in environmental pollution assessment.
8.- Biotransformation of organic xenobiotics.
9.- Lysosomal perturbations as indicators for toxically induced cell damage. 10.- Biomarkers for assessment of toxicant-caused DNA damage.
11.- Challenges for use of biomarkers in environmental monitoring and risk assessment.
LAB PRACTICALS:
1.- Biomarkers of exposure to metals.
2.- Lysosomal biomarkers.
4.- Genotoxicity assessment.
4.- Microscopical observation on cytochemical biomarkers.
SEMINARS:
1.- Application of biomarkers to case studies
Bibliography
Basic bibliography
BOOKS AND GUIDELINESBraunbeck T, Hinton DE, Streit D (Eds.) (1998) Fish ecotoxicology. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel.
Cajaraville, M.P. (ed.) (1995) Cell Biology in Environmental Toxicology. University of the Basque Country Press Service, Bilbo.
ICES (2004) Biological monitoring: General guidelines for quality assurance. In: Rees H (Ed.). ICES Techniques in Marine Environmental Sciences, No. 32. pp 44.
ICES (2005) Report of the Working Group on Biological Effects of Contaminants (WGBEC), 18-22 April 2005, Reykjavik, Iceland. ICES CM 2005/E: 08. pp 94.
Lawrence AJ, Hemingway KL (2003) Effects of pollution on fish. Blacwell Science Ltd., Oxford.
Stanley L (2014) Molecular and Cellular Toxicology: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
UNEP/RAMOGE (1999) Manual on the biomarkers recommended for the MED POL biomonitoring programme. UNEP, Athens. pp. 39.
SELECTED ARTICLES OF THE CBET GROUP
Apraiz I, Cajaraville MP, Cristobal S (2009) Peroxisomal proteomics: biomonitoring in mussels after the Prestige's oil spill. Mar Pollut Bull. 58: 1815-1826
Bilbao E, Raingeard D, Díaz de Cerio O, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Ruiz P, Izagirre U, Orbea A, Marigómez I, Cajaraville MP, Cancio I (2010) Effects of exposure to Prestige-like heavy fuel oil and to perfluorooctane sulfonate on conventional biomarkers and target gene transcription in the thicklip grey mullet Chelon labrosus. Aquat Toxicol. 98: 282-296.
Cajaraville MP, Bebianno MJ, Blasco J, Porte C, Sarasquete C, Viarengo A (2000) The use of biomarkers to assess the impact of pollution in coastal environments of the Iberian Peninsula: a practical approach. Sci. Tot. Environ. 247: 295-311.
Cajaraville MP, Cancio I, Ibabe A, Orbea A (2003) Peroxisome proliferation as a biomarker in environmental pollution assessment. Micros. Res. Tech. 61: 191-202.
Cajaraville MP, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M (2006) Specificity of the peroxisome proliferation response in mussels exposed to environmental pollutants. Aquat Toxicol. 78 Suppl 1: S117-123. Erratum in: Aquat Toxicol. 2007;81: 232.
de los Ríos A, Pérez L, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Serrano T, Barbero MC, Echavarri-Erasun B, Juanes JA, Orbea A, Cajaraville MP (2013) Assessing the effects of treated and untreated urban discharges to estuarine and coastal waters applying selected biomarkers on caged mussels. Mar Pollut Bull. 77: 251-265.
Garmendia L, Soto M, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Orbea A, Cajaraville MP, Marigómez I (2011) Application of a battery of biomarkers in mussel digestive gland to assess long-term effects of the Prestige oil spill in Galicia and Bay of Biscay: correlation and multivariate analysis. J Environ Monit. 13: 933-942.
Goksøyr A, Arukwe A, Larsson J, Cajaraville MP, Hauser L, Nilsen BM, Lowe D, Matthiessen P (2003) Chapter 3: Molecular/cellular processes and the impact on reproduction. In: Lawrence AJ, Hemingway KL (Eds.), Effects of pollution on fish. Blacwell Science Ltd., Oxford, pp. 179-220.
Katsumiti A, Arostegui I, Oron M, Gilliland D, Valsami-Jones E, Cajaraville MP (2016) Cytotoxicity of Au, ZnO and SiO2 NPs using in vitro assays with mussel hemocytes and gill cells: relevance of size, shape and additives. Nanotoxicology 10:185-193.
Katsumiti A, Gilliland D, Arostegui I, Cajaraville MP (2015) Mechanisms of toxicity of Ag nanoparticles in comparison to bulk and ionic Ag on mussel hemocytes and gill cells. PLoS ONE 10:e0129039.
Jimeno-Romero A, Oron M, Cajaraville MP, Marigómez I, Soto M (2016) Nanoparticle size and combined toxicity of TiO2 and DSLS (surfactant) contribute to lysosomal responses in digestive cells of mussels exposed to TiO2 nanoparticles. Nanotoxicology, 10: 1168-1176.
Jimeno-Romero A, Bilbao E, Izagirre U, Cajaraville MP, Marigómez I, Soto M (2017) Digestive cell lysosomes as main targets for Ag accumulation and toxicity in marine mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, exposed to maltose-stabilised Ag nanoparticles of different sizes. Nanotoxicology, 11: 168-183.
Lacave JM, Fanjul Á, Bilbao E, Gutierrez N, Barrio I, Arostegui I, Cajaraville MP, Orbea A (2017) Acute toxicity, bioaccumulation and effects of dietary transfer of silver from brine shrimp exposed to PVP/PEI-coated silver nanoparticles to zebrafish. Comp Biochem Physiol, Part C. DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2017.03.008
Lekube X, Izagirre U, Soto M, Marigómez I (2014) Lysosomal and tissue-level biomarkers in mussels cross-transplanted among four estuaries with different pollution levels. Sci Total Environ. 472: 36-48
Marigómez I, Garmendia L, Soto M, Orbea A, Izagirre U, Cajaraville MP (2013) Marine ecosystem health status assessment through integrative biomarker indices: a comparative study after the Prestige oil spill "Mussel Watch". Ecotoxicology 22: 486-505.
Marigómez I, Soto M, Cajaraville MP, Angulo E, Giamberini L (2002) Cellular and subcellular distribution of metals in molluscs. Micros. Res. Technol. 56: 358-392.
In-depth bibliography
SELECTED ARTICLES OF THE CBET GROUP (cont)Marigómez I, Soto M, Orbea A, Cancio I, Cajaraville MP (2004) Chapter 14: Biomonitoring of environmental pollution along the Basque coast, using molecular, cellular and tissue-level biomarkers: an integrative approach. In: Oceanography and Marine Environment of the Basque Country, Borja A, Collins M (Eds.). Elsevier Oceanography series nº 70, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 335-364.
Marigómez I, Zorita I, Izagirre U, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Navarro P, Etxebarria N, Orbea A, Soto M, Cajaraville MP (2013) Combined use of native and caged mussels to assess biological effects of pollution through the integrative biomarker approach. Aquat Toxicol. 136-137: 32-48.
Orbea A, Cajaraville MP (2006) Peroxisome proliferation and antioxidant enzymes in transplanted mussels of four basque estuaries with different levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and polychlorinated biphenyl pollution. Environ Toxicol Chem. 25: 1616-1626.
Porte C, Janer G, Lorusso LC, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Cajaraville MP, Fossi MC, Canesi L (2006) Endocrine Disruptors in marine organisms: approaches and perspectives. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 143: 303-315.
Puy-Azurmendi E, Ortiz-Zarragoitia M, Villagrasa M, Kuster M, Aragón P, Atienza J, Puchades R, Maquieira A, Domínguez C, López de Alda M, Fernandes D, Porte C, Bayona JM, Barceló D, Cajaraville MP (2013) Endocrine disruption in thicklip grey mullet (Chelon labrosus) from the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Bay of Biscay, Southwestern Europe). Sci Total Environ. 443: 233-244.
Ruiz P, Díaz S, Orbea A, Carballal MJ, Villalba A, Cajaraville MP (2013) Biomarkers and transcription levels of cancer-related genes in cockles Cerastoderma edule from Galicia (NW Spain) with disseminated neoplasia. Aquat Toxicol.136-137: 101-111.