Abstract
In recent years, population declines related to viral outbreaks in marine mammals have been associated with polluted coastal waters and high tissue concentrations of certain persistent, lipophilic contaminants. Such observations suggest a contributing role of contaminant-induced suppression of cell-mediated immunity leading to decreased host resistance. Here, we assessed the effects of the prototypic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), CB-156 and CB-80, on the T-cell proliferative response to mitogen in harbor seal peripheral lymphocytes. Despite the variability associated with our samples from free-ranging harbor seals, we observed a clear suppressive effect of B[a]P (10 uM) exposure on T cell mitogenesis. Exposures to 10 uM CB-156 and CB-80, and 1.0 and 0.1 uM B[a]P, did not produce significant depression in lymphoproliferation. Exposure to the model PAH at 10 uM resulted in a 61% (range 34-97%) average reduction in lymphoproliferation. We were able to rule out a direct cytotoxic effect of B[a]P, indicating that observed effects were due to altered T cell function. Based on our in vitro results, we hypothesize that extensive accumulation of PAH by top-trophic-level marine mammals could alter T cell activation in vivo and impaired cell-mediated immunity against viral pathogens.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 215-221 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Developmental Immunology |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2002 |
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Keywords
- Benzo[a]pyrene
- Harbor seal
- Immunotoxicity
- Lymphoproliferation
- PAH
- PCB
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Developmental Biology
Cite this
Proliferative responses of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) T lymphocytes to model marine pollutants. / Neale, Jennifer C C; Van de Water, Judith A; Harvey, James T.; Tjeerdema, Ronald S.; Gershwin, M. Eric.
In: Developmental Immunology, Vol. 9, No. 4, 12.2002, p. 215-221.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Proliferative responses of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) T lymphocytes to model marine pollutants
AU - Neale, Jennifer C C
AU - Van de Water, Judith A
AU - Harvey, James T.
AU - Tjeerdema, Ronald S.
AU - Gershwin, M. Eric
PY - 2002/12
Y1 - 2002/12
N2 - In recent years, population declines related to viral outbreaks in marine mammals have been associated with polluted coastal waters and high tissue concentrations of certain persistent, lipophilic contaminants. Such observations suggest a contributing role of contaminant-induced suppression of cell-mediated immunity leading to decreased host resistance. Here, we assessed the effects of the prototypic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), CB-156 and CB-80, on the T-cell proliferative response to mitogen in harbor seal peripheral lymphocytes. Despite the variability associated with our samples from free-ranging harbor seals, we observed a clear suppressive effect of B[a]P (10 uM) exposure on T cell mitogenesis. Exposures to 10 uM CB-156 and CB-80, and 1.0 and 0.1 uM B[a]P, did not produce significant depression in lymphoproliferation. Exposure to the model PAH at 10 uM resulted in a 61% (range 34-97%) average reduction in lymphoproliferation. We were able to rule out a direct cytotoxic effect of B[a]P, indicating that observed effects were due to altered T cell function. Based on our in vitro results, we hypothesize that extensive accumulation of PAH by top-trophic-level marine mammals could alter T cell activation in vivo and impaired cell-mediated immunity against viral pathogens.
AB - In recent years, population declines related to viral outbreaks in marine mammals have been associated with polluted coastal waters and high tissue concentrations of certain persistent, lipophilic contaminants. Such observations suggest a contributing role of contaminant-induced suppression of cell-mediated immunity leading to decreased host resistance. Here, we assessed the effects of the prototypic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), and two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), CB-156 and CB-80, on the T-cell proliferative response to mitogen in harbor seal peripheral lymphocytes. Despite the variability associated with our samples from free-ranging harbor seals, we observed a clear suppressive effect of B[a]P (10 uM) exposure on T cell mitogenesis. Exposures to 10 uM CB-156 and CB-80, and 1.0 and 0.1 uM B[a]P, did not produce significant depression in lymphoproliferation. Exposure to the model PAH at 10 uM resulted in a 61% (range 34-97%) average reduction in lymphoproliferation. We were able to rule out a direct cytotoxic effect of B[a]P, indicating that observed effects were due to altered T cell function. Based on our in vitro results, we hypothesize that extensive accumulation of PAH by top-trophic-level marine mammals could alter T cell activation in vivo and impaired cell-mediated immunity against viral pathogens.
KW - Benzo[a]pyrene
KW - Harbor seal
KW - Immunotoxicity
KW - Lymphoproliferation
KW - PAH
KW - PCB
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0041828901&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0041828901&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10446670310001593523
DO - 10.1080/10446670310001593523
M3 - Article
C2 - 15144018
AN - SCOPUS:0041828901
VL - 9
SP - 215
EP - 221
JO - Journal of Immunology Research
JF - Journal of Immunology Research
SN - 2314-8861
IS - 4
ER -