Alteration of cellular immune responses in the seastar Asterias rubens following dietary exposure to cadmium.
Several parameters of cellular immunity in seastars fed Cd-contaminated mussels were analyzed. The accumulation of cadmium in the seastars did not alter the concentration of amoebocytes in the coelomic fluid. On the contrary, the immune cells showed a reduced phagocytic activity and an increased production of reactive oxygen species. These effects may lead to an inability of the seastars to cope with bacterial infections and to oxidative damages to self tissue that could threaten the survival of the animals.
Coteur
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G
Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, CP 160/15, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 50, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. gcoteur@ulb.ac.be
Gillan
D
D
Pernet
Ph
P
Dubois
Ph
P
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013215:Starfish / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002104:Cadmium