Impact of salt-contaminated freshwater on osmoregulation and tracheal gill function in nymphs of the mayfly Hexagenia rigida

Highlights: • Mayfly nymphs were exposed to salt contaminated water. • Ionoregulatory homeostasis was disturbed. • Significant changes in ion transport occurred in the tracheal gills. • Expression and activities of ionomotive enzymes were unaltered in the tracheal gills. • The morphology of septate junctions in the tracheal gills is altered such that these junctions would be leakier. -- Abstract: The impact of freshwater (FW) salinization on osmoregulation as well as tracheal gill morphology and function was examined in nymphs of the mayfly Hexagenia rigida following exposure to salt contaminated water (SCW, 7.25 g/l NaCl) for a 7-day period. Ionoregulatory homeostasis was perturbed in SCW exposed H. rigida nymphs as indicated by increased hemolymph Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻ levels as well as hemolymph pH and water content. Despite this, SCW did not alter gill Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase (NKA) or V-type H⁺-ATPase (VA) activity. In addition, NKA and VA immunolocalization in gill ionocytes did not show alterations in enzyme location or changes in ionocyte abundance. The latter observation was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine exposed tracheal gill ionocyte numbers. Ionocyte surface morphometrics also revealed that SCW did not change individual ionocyte surface area or ionocyte fractional surface area. Nevertheless, analysis of Na⁺ movement across the tracheal gill of mayfly nymphs using scanning ion-selective electrode technique indicated that FW nymphs acquired Na⁺ from surrounding water, while tracheal gills of SCW nymphs had the capacity to secrete Na⁺. Because Na⁺ secretion across the gill of SCW-exposed animals occurred in the absence of any change in (1) NKA and VA activity or (2) ionocyte numbers/surface exposure, it was reasoned that Na⁺ movement across the gill of SCW animals may be occurring, at least in part, through the paracellular pathway. The ultrastructure of tracheal gill septate junctions (SJs) supported this idea as they exhibited morphological alterations indicative of a leakier pathway. Data provide a first look at alterations in osmoregulatory mechanisms that allow H. rigida nymphs to tolerate sub-lethal salinization of their surroundings.