Immunotoxicological Assays Using the Japanese Medaka
2006
Anderson, Robert S. | Brubacher, Lisa L.
Fish phagocytic blood cells provide the first line of defense against pathogenic microorganisms that cause infectious diseases. The blood cells engulf bacteria and kill them via cytotoxic mechanisms mediated by the production of various oxyradicals. Exposure of fish to sublethal concentrations of environmental contaminants reportedly causes reduced resistance to disease via immunological suppression. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of xenobiotics on the immune systems of a representative bivalve mollusk (the Easter oyster) and a small aquarium fish (the medaka) by quantifying changes in oxyradical production by macrophages. In this way, it was possible to provide evidence of immunotoxicity of several classes of common aquatic pollutants such as heavy metals and halogenated phenolic compounds. For example, the priority pollutant pentachlorophenol, an environmentally ubiquitous chemical, was shown to markedly reduce oxyradical production by the blood cells of both oysters and fish. Some of the tests developed during this study, especially luminol- augmented chemiluminescence, proved to be very sensitive and may find application in monitoring chronic aquatic pollution.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by AVANO
