The use of innate immune responses as biomarkers in a programme of integrated biological effects monitoring on flounder (Platichthys flesus) from the southern North Sea

Abstract

Immunological biomarkers that reflect the effects of exposure to environmental contaminants in coastal marine habitats were sought in European flounder (Platichthys flesus) from five locations in the German Bight with different anthropogenic impacts. During a 2-year period of sampling, innate immune responses were monitored from a total of 331 individual flounder of a body length of 18 to 25 cm. From the fish, plasma lysozyme, phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity of head kidney leucocytes were analysed and implemented as part of an integrated biological effects monitoring programme. As the measurements of the parameters applied here varied within wide ranges at some locations, spatial differences could not always be established, but some general trends could be drawn: plasma lysozyme activity was decreased in flounder contaminated with DDT adducts and some PCBs, while cellular functions such as phagocytosis and respiratory burst were stimulated by some chlorinated hydrocarbons. Correlation analysis also revealed connections not only between the parameters applied here and some contaminants but also with some biochemical parameters used as biomarkers in pollution monitoring: in flounder with decreased integrity of hepatocyte lysosomal membranes, immune functions also were impaired, and plasma lysozyme as well as phagocytosis activity of head kidney cells were impaired when the activity of cytochrome P450 1A was induced. The data presented here indicate that innate immune responses may be useful parameters to monitor cellular functions in a battery of biomarkers of different levels of biological organisation.

Assessment of some innate immune responses in dab ( Limanda limanda L.) from the North Sea as part of an integrated biological effects monitoring

“…Measurements of haematocrit, endocytosis, basal and PMA-stimulated ROS, however, were significantly influenced by body weight and age of dab, even though the analysis was restricted to a defined size class of 20-24 cm total length. These findings are consistent with results from field studies on flounder (Skouras et al 2003), Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes, see Duffy et al 2002) and from mammals, which reveal a decreasing sensitivity to toxic insult with increasing age (Parkinson and Safe 1987). In the present study, only female dab were collected during campaigns in August and September in order to reduce seasonal and sex-related variations, which were described in detail by Hutchinson and Manning (1996a).…”

“…These comparisons showed that dab with induced EROD or GST activities also had lower lysozyme activity and decreased phagocyte responses, which indicates that in fish under contaminant stress, several functional systems were affected. The observations made in dab confirm findings in flounder from the German Bight (Skouras et al 2003), where in individuals with decreased integrity of hepatocyte lysosomes, the EROD system was also induced and innate immune responses were impaired. In the present study on dab, correlation coefficients between biomarkers and immune parameters were much higher than those found for flounder (Skouras et al 2003), most probably because a more pronounced contamination gradient existed between the sampling locations of the present study compared with the locations in the German Bight, where the xenobiotic load has decreased during the past decade (for details see De Jong 1999) and only a less pronounced contaminant gradient was found (Schmolke et al 1999).…”

Parasites of flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) from the German Bight, North Sea, and their potential use in biological effects monitoring

“…LY1: type of lysosomes which has an early membrane breakdown; LY2: late membrane breakdown ) 7. Lysozyme activity (Lys) in flounder plasma (Skouras et al 2003) 8. Macrophage aggregate area (MAA), the mean size of macrophage aggregates in flounder liver ) 9.…”

Health status of Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus in response to aquatic pollution in Epe, Lagos and Ologe Lagoons, Southwest Nigeria

“…Fish health can be adversely affected by temperature changes, habitat deterioration and aquatic pollution (Skouras et al 2003). Fish species have attracted considerable interest in studies assessing the biological effects of environmental contaminants (Powers 1989).…”

“…Biomarkers are measureable biological responses that may indicate exposure to and/or effects from anthropogenic substances at sub-lethal concentrations. A number of biochemical, physiological, enzyme and immune assays are considered suitable markers of exposure to and effects of aquatic contamination (Zelikoff et al 2000;Skouras et al 2003;Farombi et al 2007;Olarinmonye et al 2009;Obiakor et al 2010).…”