title: Comparative sensitivity of harbour and grey seals to several environmental contaminants using in vitro exposure.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)), mercury chloride (HgCl(2)), methylmercury chloride (CH(3)HgCl), and PCBs on lymphocyte proliferation in phocids. PBMCs isolated from harbour and grey seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of contaminants. A reduction of viability occurred when cells were exposed to 10(-4)M HgCl(2) or CH(3)HgCl or to 50ppm of Aroclor 1254. In both grey and harbour seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was suppressed when their cells were incubated with 5 x 10(-5)M CdCl(2) or 10(-4)M HgCl(2). An inhibition of proliferation occurred with CH(3)HgCl from 10(-6)M in grey seals and from 10(-5)M in harbour seals. In grey seals, Aroclor 1254 reduced lymphocyte proliferation at 15ppm. In both harbour and grey seals, CH(3)HgCl was ten times more immunotoxic that HgCl(2). From IC(50), chemicals were ranked in terms of toxicity as followed: CH(3)HgCl>CdCl(2)>HgCl(2)>Aroclor 1254.
authors: Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada.
authors: M M
authors: MM
authors: Dufresne
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Frouin
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Pillet
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Lesage
authors: S
authors: S
authors: De Guise
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fournier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine) / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D046049:Phoca / Q000097:blood; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000097:blood*; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000922:Immunotoxins; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine); D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; C004925:methylmercuric chloride