title: Toxic effects of various pollutants in 11B7501 lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).
abstract: Although, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been reported at high levels in marine mammals, little is known about the toxic effects of some of these contaminants. In this study, we assessed the immunotoxic and genotoxic effects of seven heavy metals (arsenic, vanadium, selenium, iron, zinc, silver and chromium) and one PAH (benzo[a]pyrene or B[a]P) on a lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). A significant reduction in lymphocyte proliferation was registered following an exposure to 0.05 microM of B[a]P, 5 microM of arsenic or selenium, 50 microM of vanadium, 100 microM of silver and 200 microM of iron. On the contrary, zinc increased the lymphoproliferative response at 200 microM. Decreased phagocytosis was observed at 20 microM of arsenic, 50 microM of B[a]P or selenium, 200 microM of zinc and 500 microM of vanadium. Micronuclei induction occurred with 0.2 microM of B[a]P, 100 microM of vanadium and with 200muM of arsenic or selenium. Exposure to 50muM of arsenic decreased G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle. Chromium did not induce any effects at the concentrations tested. Concentrations of heavy metals (except silver and vanadium) and B[a]P inducing an toxic effect are within the environmental ranges reported in the blood tissue of pinnipeds. The reduction of some functional activities of the harbour seal immune system may cause a significant weakness capable of altering host resistance to disease in free-ranging pinnipeds.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Recherche Scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7, Canada. heloise.frouin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Héloïse
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frouin
authors.forename: Marlène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fortier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fournier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000633:toxicity; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D046049:Phoca / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene