Effect of atrazine on immunocompetence of red-eared slider turtle(Trachemys scripta)

Abstract

The impact of agrichemicals on aquatic vertebrate species has been a matter of increasing concern to researchers and environmentalist. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of atrazine (ATZ), a worldwide used herbicide, on some immune parameters of red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta). Twentyfour turtles (2 years old) were randomly distributed in four groups. Three groups were intraperitoneally injected once with one of three different doses of atrazine (0.01, 0.1 or 1.0 ng/g body mass), while one was maintained as control (saline injected). Blood samples were taken 1-and 2-week post-treatment. A positive correlation was found between atrazine (high dose) concentration and immunosuppressive effects as evidenced by lowered serum complement and lysozyme activities, reduced leucocyte number as well as their phagocytic activity and increased heterophil/lymphocyte ratio. These data demonstrate that turtles with elevated atrazine exposure exhibit immunomodulation. ARTICLE HISTORY

Ranaviruses and reptiles

“…The immunosuppressive effects of some anthropogenic stressors (e.g., pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals) on the reptile immune system suggest a possible mechanism of environmental influence on susceptibility. Future epidemiological studies should consider these factors (Keller et al, 2006; Soltanian, 2016).…”

The potential benefits of dietary β‐glucan against growth retardation, immunosuppression, oxidative stress and expression of related genes and susceptibility to Aeromonas hydrophila challenge in Oreochromis niloticus induced by herbicide pendimethalin

“…Interleukin‐8 is a small cytokine, participates a key task in the inflammatory response of organisms (Laing & Secombes, 2004; Secombes et al., 2001; Wang et al., 2019). Exposure to PMN like other herbicide induce inflammatory reaction and immunosuppression (Rooney et al., 2003; Soltanian, 2016; Toughan et al., 2018). Supplementation with βG suggested modulate the amplified IL8 and dwindled IgM, SOD, and CAT gene expression resulted from PMN exposure.…”

Plasma complement activation mechanisms differ in ornate (Terrapene ornata ornata) and eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)

“…Several studies demonstrate that chelonian immune function is impacted by poor nutritional status, unnaturally high densities, and toxin exposure (Borysenko & Lewis, 1979; Chen et al, 2007; Soltanian et al, 2018; Soltanian, 2016). These increasingly common problems may act synergistically with infectious diseases to impact individual health status and population persistence.…”

“…Complement activity has been demonstrated in multiple reptile species (Baker & Merchant, 2018;Merchant et al, 2012;Vogel & Muller-Eberhard, 1985a, 1985b, but is best characterized in crocodilians (Merchant & Britton, 2006;Merchant et al, 2005Merchant et al, , 2010Merchant et al, , 2013Merchant et al, , 2014Siroski et al, 2010). While a handful of studies have employed complement assays to explore immune function in chelonians (Borysenko & Lewis, 1979;Chen et al, 2007;Ferronato et al, 2009;Freedberg et al, 2010;Soltanian, 2016;Soltanian et al, 2018;West & Klukowski, 2018;Yektaseresht et al, 2014Yektaseresht et al, , 2018, very few have provided mechanistic data to determine the pathways of complement activation utilized by this taxon (Baker, Kessler, Darville-Bowleg, et al, 2019;Koppenheffer, 1987). Chelonians are one of the most imperiled vertebrate groups, with over 60% of species threatened with extinction due to habitat alteration, overexploitation, climate change, and, in certain circumstances, disease (Lovich et al, 2018;Rhodin et al, 2019;Spencer et al, 2018).…”