title: Immunomodulation by different types of N-oxides in the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis.
abstract: The potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) for humans and the environment represents an emerging issue. Since the aquatic environment represents the ultimate sink for NP deposition, the development of suitable assays is needed to evaluate the potential impact of NPs on aquatic biota. The immune system is a sensitive target for NPs, and conservation of innate immunity represents an useful basis for studying common biological responses to NPs. Suspension-feeding invertebrates, such as bivalves, are particularly at risk to NP exposure, since they have extremely developed systems for uptake of nano and microscale particles integral to intracellular digestion and cellular immunity. Evaluation of the effects of NPs on functional parameters of bivalve immunocytes, the hemocytes, may help understanding the major toxic mechanisms and modes of actions that could be relevant for different NP types in aquatic organisms.In this work, a battery of assays was applied to the hemocytes of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis to compare the in vitro effects of different n-oxides (n-TiO(2), n-SiO(2), n-ZnO, n-CeO(2)) chosen on the basis of their commercial and environmental relevance. Physico-chemical characterization of both primary particles and NP suspensions in artificial sea water-ASW was performed. Hemocyte lysosomal and mitochondrial parameters, oxyradical and nitric oxide production, phagocytic activity, as well as NP uptake, were evaluated. The results show that different n-oxides rapidly elicited differential responses hemocytes in relation to their chemical properties, concentration, behavior in sea water, and interactions with subcellular compartments. These represent the most extensive data so far available on the effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic organisms. The results indicate that Mytilus hemocytes can be utilized as a suitable model for screening the potential effects of NPs in the cells of aquatic invertebrates, and may provide a basis for future experimental work for designing environmentally safer nanomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell'Ambiente-DISUAN, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciacci
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Canonico
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bilaniĉovă
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcomini
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pojana
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canesi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002563:Cerium / Q000633:toxicity; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009113:Muramidase / Q000378:metabolism; D049878:Mytilus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000633:toxicity; D014025:Titanium / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C097041:DAP3 protein, human; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012269:Ribosomal Proteins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D002563:Cerium; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C030583:ceric oxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D009113:Muramidase; D015034:Zinc Oxide