Accumulation of hsp70 in juvenile and adult rainbow trout gill exposed to metal-contaminated water and/or diet

Abstract

Abstract The accumulation of heat shock cognate (hsc)/heat shock protein (hsp) 70 was measured in gill and liver from juvenile and adult rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to waterborne metals and/or fed a metal-contaminated diet. These experiments are part of a larger study in which physiological responses were documented in adult and juvenile rainbow trout after exposure to food-borne and/or waterborne metals for 21 d. Western blot analyses were used to measure the accumulation of hsp70 and hsc70. Hsc/hsp70 levels were significantly increased in gills of juveniles exposed to metals, in both water and food. The importance of metals in the diet as well as the water was confirmed for the juveniles. Significant increases in hsp/hsc70 could not be demonstrated in the adults.