title: Effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the immune responses and expression of immune-related genes in Chinese mitten-handed crab Eriocheir sinensis.
abstract: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been widely studied due to its global distribution, slow degradation, high bioaccumulation and toxicological effects on vertebrates. However, the potential toxicity of PFOS to crustaceans is little known. The present study investigated the effects of PFOS on the immune responses and expression of immune-related genes in the Chinese mitten-handed crab Eriocheir sinensis. Crabs were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10mg/L of PFOS, and sampled on 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21days respectively. The total hemocyte count and lysozyme activity in PFOS-treated crab were significantly lower than in the control. The exposure to 10mg/L of PFOS led to a marked inhibition in phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase activities. At other PFOS levels, phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase showed an initial increase and a subsequent decrease over time. The alkaline and acid phosphatase activities were stimulated in 10mg/L PFOS until 21days. The mRNA expression of immune related genes including hepatopancreas-specific C-type lectin and prophenoloxidase activating factors were up-regulated after the exposure to the concentrations of 1 and 10mg/L of PFOS, while the expression of lysozyme gene was up-regulated only in the crab exposed to 0.1mg/L PFOS. The results demonstrate that the high dose of PFOS leads to immune toxicity and the hepatopancreas is a major target organ for PFOS accumulation and immunotoxicity. Hemocyte counts, phenoloxidase and acid phosphatase are useful biomarkers for the risk assessment of PFOS toxicity to crustaceans.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Runlan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: Jianguang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China. Electronic address: lqchen@bio.ecnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Liqiao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D017738:Alkanesulfonic Acids; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005466:Fluorocarbons; C076994:perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
keywords: Eriocheir sinensis; Hepatopancreas; Immune-related genes; Immunity response; Lysozyme; PFOS; Perfluorooctane sulfonate; Phenoloxidase