Assessment of fatty acid profile, cholinergic function and histopathological aspect prompted by chloride cobalt in Cyprinus carpio intestine

The present study aims, for the first time, to assess the toxic effects of chloride cobalt concentrations (0(CT), 2.5(D1), 25(D2), 100(D3) µg/L CoCl2) on fatty acids composition, cholinergic function and histopathological aspects of Cyprinus carpio intestine. After 3 days of treatment, cobalt altered the lipids of intestinal cells causing therefore lipid peroxidation manifested by significant increases in H2O2 and MDA levels. The toxic effects of cobalt prompted changes in fatty acid composition. SFA and MUFA levels declined significantly following exposure to high CoCl2 concentration. However, for the same CoCl2 dose, significant increases in PUFA (n-3) mainly in EPA and DHA levels were noted. Our study revealed the activation of anti-inflammatory and immune responses through the increase of ARA levels. The cholinergic function was confirmed by a significant decrease in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the middle and highest exposure doses. Histopathological findings confirmed the fatty acids results, indicating changes in the structure of the intestine tissues.