Poster (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
Methylmercury and selenium in vitro effects on harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) lymphocytes : a multidisciplinary approach
Dupont, Aurélie; Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie; Das, Krishna et al.
201020th SETAC Europe Annual Meeting
 

Files


Full Text
Poster SETAC - Mai 2010 [Mode de compatibilité].pdf
Author postprint (5.49 MB)
Download

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
methylmercury; selenium; in vitro; lymphocyte; harbor seal; phoca vitulina
Abstract :
[en] Methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulates along the food web, leading to the highest levels in tissues of predatory species. It constitutes the predominant form present in the blood of marine mammals. The blood cells, including the immune cells, are therefore exposed to the toxic properties of that chemical. Nevertheless, selenium (Se) is an essential element absorbed concomitantly to MeHg which seems to modulate this toxicity. The goal of this study is to evaluate the immunotoxicity of MeHg on the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) T lymphocytes, highly important in the adaptive immune response, and to investigate the modulating effect of Se on that toxicity. In parallel, the concentrations of MeHg, total mercury (T-Hg) and Se are determined in free-ranging harbour seal blood in order to follow their contamination levels. The T lymphocytes were isolated from the whole blood, exposed to various MeHg and Se concentrations and the exposure effects were estimated by functional tests including the evaluation of viability, proliferation, metabolic activity, DNA and protein synthesis, and by morphological analysis by transmission electron microscopy. The mean T-Hg concentration was 172 ± 143 µg/l of whole blood. The T lymphocytes cultures in vitro displayed a decreasing number of viable cells with increasing concentrations of MeHg, and numerous ultrastructural defects. The cells exposed to MeHg notably displayed distortion of the plasmic membrane, nucleus fragmentations, chromatin compaction, swelling mitochondrias and cytoplasmic vacuolisations. Those results highlighted various immunotoxic effects of MeHg, both at the functional and ultrastructural levels. The antagonistic role of Se on MeHg immunotoxicity is discussed.
Research center :
Laboratoire d'Océanologie, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
Disciplines :
Zoology
Author, co-author :
Dupont, Aurélie ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Das, Krishna  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Other collaborator :
De Pauw-Gillet, Marie-Claire ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Histologie - Cytologie - Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques
Siebert, Ursula
Rosenberger, Tanja
Language :
English
Title :
Methylmercury and selenium in vitro effects on harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) lymphocytes : a multidisciplinary approach
Publication date :
26 May 2010
Number of pages :
A0
Event name :
20th SETAC Europe Annual Meeting
Event organizer :
The society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Event place :
Séville, Spain
Event date :
du 23 au 27 mai 2010
Audience :
International
Funders :
FRIA - Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture [BE]
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
Bourse du Patrimoine, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
Available on ORBi :
since 10 July 2010

Statistics


Number of views
138 (8 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
92 (2 by ULiège)

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi