The humoral immune response of Salmo trutta L. and Cyprinus carpio L. exposed to heavy metals

Abstract

Salmo trutta L. and Cyprinus carpio L. were exposed to low levels of waterborne heavy metals, 0.75 mg Ni drn-,, 1.06 mg Zn dm-3, 0.29 mg Cu dm-3 and 1.01 mg Cr dm-3, at pH 7.83, water hardness 206.9 mg CaCO, dm-,, and water temperature 15.5" C. During a 38 week exposure period, the humoral antibody response to MS2 bacteriophage was followed using a 50% viral neutralization assay (SD,,) method. A suppression of the immune response was observed in fish exposed to the four heavy metals. Total suppression of the humoral antibody response was found only in C. carpio exposed to Cu or Cr, and these fish exhibited symptoms of acute toxicosis. The time for the primary blood clearance of live bacteriophage was increased in S. trutta exposed to the heavy metals, with the exception of Zn-exposed fish, and in C. carpio exposed to Cu. Following the suppressed primary responses, the Ni-exposed S. trutta and Zn-exposed C. carpio exhibited an adjuvant-like response to the second bacteriophage challenge.

Effects of chronic copper exposure on the macrophage chemiluminescent response and gill histology in goldfish (Carassius auratusL.)

“…Although more evidence is shown for immunosuppression as indicated by decreased antibody titres (Stevens, 1977;O'Neill, 1981;Khangarot et al, 1988), no changes in immune parameters such as mitogen response and total immunoglobulin level have also been observed (Viale & Calamari, 1984;Carballo et al, 1992). Enhancement of the non-specific immune system, as evidenced by increased phagocytosis, has also been reported following in vitro exposure to copper (Cheng & Sullivan, 1984;Pickwell & Steinert, 1984).…”

In vitro effect of cadmium and copper on separated blood leukocytes of Dicentrarchus labrax

“…The exposure of fish to sublethal doses of Cd and Cu altered the macrophage functions such as phagocytic activity and production of free radicals (Elsasser et al, 1986;Zelikoff, 1993), respiratory burst (Sanchez-Dardon et al, 1999) and the blastogenic and antibody-production responses of lymphocytes (Anderson et al, 1989;O'Neill, 1981;Thuvander, 1989). The effects of metal also affect the levels of circulating leukocytes, thus altering the blood cell ratios (Dick and Dixon, 1985;Murad and Houston, 1988;Nussey et al, 1995).…”

Immunotoxicological Effects of Environmental Contaminants in Teleost Fish Reared for Aquaculture

“…Otherwise, in plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), Cr-treatment increased the number of melano-macrophage centres but reduced their size (Kranz & Gercken, 1987). In the case of common carp and brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), 38 weeks of exposure with potassium dichromate diminished the primary and secondary humoral responses being the carp more susceptible to the heavy metal (O'Neill, 1981). In other kind of studies, the chromium exposure was carried out by dietary intake and resembling the food chain bioaccumulation.…”