Effects of the antineoplastic drug cyclophosphamide on the biochemical responses of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis under different temperatures

Cyclophosphamide (CP) is an antineoplastic drug widely used in chemotherapy treatments with high consumption rates and that has been detected in the aquatic environment. After being released into the aquatic environment, CP may cause adverse effects on aquatic organisms since antineoplastics are well-known cytotoxic, genotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic drugs. Moreover, predicted environmental changes, such as the temperature rising, may alter the impacts caused by CP on organisms. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the effects caused by CP chronic exposure in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, under actual and predicted warming scenarios. Organisms were exposed for 28 days to different concentrations of CP (10, 100, 500 and 1000 ng/L) at control (17 ± 1.0 °C) and increased (21 ± 1.0 °C) temperatures. Biochemical responses related to metabolic capacity, energy reserves, oxidative stress and neurotoxicity were assessed. The results showed that the organisms were able to maintain their metabolic capacity under all exposure conditions. However, their antioxidant defense mechanisms were activated mostly at higher CP concentrations being able to prevent cellular damage, even under the warming scenario. Overall, the present findings suggest that temperature rise may not alter the impacts of CP towards M. galloprovincialis.
Vanessa Queirós benefited from a PhD grant (PD/BD/150590/2020) given by the National Funds through the Portuguese Science Foundation (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, FCT). Thanks are due for the financial support to CESAM (UIDB/50017/2020+UIDP/50017/2020).