Department of Life Sciences

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Browsing Department of Life Sciences by Author "Pramanick, Kousik"

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    Deciphering micro/nanoplastic induced phytotoxicity with special emphasis on the cytogenotoxic effects on Allium cepa L.
    Pramanick, Kousik
    Considering the present plastic pollution crisis, this thesis work reported the phytotoxicity of polystyrene micro/nanoplastics (M/NPs) in onion with effects on seed germination, root growth, and cytotogenotoxicity. The detection of negative impacts in environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrenes (PS) clearly showed the harmful effects of polystyrene particles on the plants health, indicating its possible negative impacts on biodiversity. The root growth rather than seed germination was negatively affected by the increasing concentrations of polystyrene particles. The tested diameter of polystyrene particles caused an imbalance in redox homeostasis through the elevated production of ROS, which in high concentrations of polystyrenes subdues the antioxidant defence and ensues in different harmful effects. Different chromosomal alterations and DNA damage potential of micro/nanopolystyrenes (M/NPS), as recorded in this work, may indicate the potential threat of micro/nanoplastics to other organisms because, the basic genetic makeup is same for all eukaryotes. The combined effects of nanoplastics and heavy metals such as Cd and Hg were also evaluated showing an increasing level of toxicity of Cd and a decreasing toxicity of Hg in the presence of polystyrene particles. This observation signifies a differential effect of plastics in modulating the toxicities of heavy metals depending on metal species. Another interesting finding of this work was the positive impact of high temperature or temperature stress (TS), but not the salinity stress (SS), in aggravating the toxicity of micro/nanoplastics. The temperature stress improves the root accumulation of polystyrene particles with notable deleterious effects on oxidative stress, microtubules stability, and organization. In this study, we have used the term micropolystyrene and nanopolystyrene interchangeably for the same diameter (100 nm or 0.1 µm) of polystyrene particles, because the selected diameter remains at the transition between micro and nano particles and there is no accepted distinction on nanoplastics size unlike metal nanoparticles. Some authors have used the term micro for this diameter, while others have used nano for the same.
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    Functional role of Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-10 in the reproductive processes of a teleost fish, Anabas testudineus
    Pramanick, Kousik
    In mammals, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) has an important function during the reproductive processes, however, the functions of IL-6 and IL-10 in fish have not been elucidated. In the present study, there was quantification of de novo synthesis of ovarian IL-6, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) in control and hCG treated fish and results were compared with those from an in vitro study where there was evaluation of the regulatory functions of gonadotropins and TNFα of IL-6 and Il-10 secretions. Relatively greater concentrations of ovarian IL-6 at the post-GVBD (post-germinal vesicle breakdown) stage and higher concentration of ovarian IL-10 in post vitellogenic (PV) and post-GVBD stages indicates IL-6 and IL-10 can modulates reproductive processes. The hCG-induced increase in relative abundance of IL-6 and IL-10 (in vitro) mRNA transcript and secretion from the ovary were attenuated when there was administration of the inhibitor of TNF-α secreting enzyme, TAPI-I, which indicates TNF-α modulates IL-6 secretion and facilitate the production of IL-10. Treatments with IL-6 induced a marked increase in ovulation rate but there was no direct involvement of IL-10 during the time of maturation and ovulation. In vitro established that Il-6 induced ovulation by activating matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). Furthermore, treatment with IL-6 resulted in production of prostaglandin as indicated by the IL-6 induced increase in the abundance of ptgs2 mRNA transcript in the ovary of Anabas testudineus. IL-10 during this process mostly play the regulatory role of the cytokine environment in the oocyte the inhibition of IL-6 when treated with IL-10 in PV follicle establish the fact. Furthermore, results indicate the source of IL-6 and IL-10 in the ovary, is the granulosa cells for IL-6 and both theca and granulosa cells for IL-10 with secretion of IL-6 and IL-10 being induced by the additions of hCG and TNFα in the medium. There was also an IL-6-induced increase in abundance of receptors (IL-6 Rα and gp130) to which it binds indicating IL-6 autoregulates this population of receptors. There was also marked increase in IL-10 receptor IL-10R1 and IL-10R2 suggesting their involvement during the reproductive processes. Stat-3 activation ensured the involvement of IL-6 during the time of ovulation. Results from this study, for the first time, elucidate the reproductive functions of IL-6 in a teleost fish.
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    Studies on hormonal regulation of oocyte maturation, steroidogenesis and mercury-induced reproductive impairments in banded gourami, Trichogaster fasciata
    Pramanick, Kousik
    The endocrine regulation of gonadal development and annual variation of key sex steroids is the basic knowledge to understand the reproductive cycle of teleost fish. Present study was aimed to investigate the levels of gonadotropins in relation to the follicular development and plasma steroids during the reproductive cycle of female Trichogaster fasciata. Furthermore, Mercury is one of the key pollutants responsible for the degradation of natural aquatic ecosystems. Pollutant may exert their action on organisms or populations by affecting their normal endocrine function as well as reproduction. Thus, the present study also tried to understand the effect of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on reproductive function and to decipher the molecular mechanism of Hginduced reproductive impairments of female T. fasciata. In female fish, relatively higher level of FSH was observed till the ovary reaches in late vitellogenic stage confirms that FSH regulates the early folliculogenesis of the ovary, whereas LH peak was observed in the postvitellogenic stage, which indicates that maturation and ovulation were controlled by LH. Seasonal steroid profiles show that both T and E2 reach its maximum level prior to the 17,20β-P which attain itspeak value in the month of August. Moreover, this study analyzes the other key factors of ovarian function such as cyp19a1a gene expression, aromatase activity and SF-1 localization throughout the year. cyp19a1a gene expression and the aromatase activity were highest in vitellogenic stages indicate that relatively higher E2 production in this stage is regulated by FSH. Immunohistochemical localizations of aromatase and SF-1 in the cellular layer of oocytes demonstrated that aromatase is FSH-dependent and SF-1 could be regulated by both FSH and LH. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed by using ecologically relevant doses of HgCl2 and the resulting effects on follicular development, steroidogenic potentiality, aromatase activity, aromatase gene expression and steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1) expression pattern were analyzed. In vivo experiments confirm the inhibitory role of HgCl2 on follicular development, steroid biosynthesis and SF-1 activity. In vitro experiments revealed that aromatase activity, steroidogenesis, aromatase and SF-1 expression were blocked by HgCl2. The results obtained from this study contribute to understand the molecular mechanism of HgCl2- induced reproductive impairment of T. fasciata.
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    Sustainable Water Resource Management of Agriculture in India
    Pramanick, Kousik
    Agriculture (with industry and household sector) is one of three major sectors of human consumption in this Anthropocene era. For assessment of sustainability of agricultural water resource consumption, various methods have been used to get insight into this dimension from multiple perspectives, such as - triple bottom line approach, planetary boundaries framework, doughnut economy etc. At the end, agricultural indicators have been corroborated in accordance with UN SDGs (2030). To exert priority on India (i.e. operational boundary), every analysis has been done in the level of national - scale. The first part was to assess overall sustainability scenario analysis of India using safe and just operating space framework. The second part was to assess the sustainability scenario for water and sanitation sector in India through preparation of a new national water barometer. The third part was to assess the safe and just operating space of agriculture in India along with the contribution of this sector in overall sustainability dimensions. The fourth part was to assess the past and probable future trends of food consumption, water and land requirement for past and future food consumption of almost all of the major agricultural products in India. For all of these works, past trends have been analysed, interactions between biophysical (i.e. ecological) and socioeconomic dimensions have been analysed, probable future projection have been done based on UN and SSP scenarios, and lastly feasible mitigation ways for various challenges have been suggested based on the results of these works. This work would be helpful to understand the Indian context, especially concerning water and agriculture sectors, regarding the sustainable development goals, advocated by UN towards policy formulations in national context.