Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea

Environmental pollutants may affect the immune system of marine mammals in many areas of the industrialized world. This study provides the first evidence for metal-induced hypersensitivity in harbor seals and demonstrates a relationship between this immunopathy and the level of metals in blood. The...

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Published in:Environmental Science & Technology
Main Authors: Kakuschke, A., Valentine-Thon, E., Griesel, S., Fonfara, S., Siebert, U., Prange, A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publications.hereon.de/id/23472
https://publications.hzg.de/id/23472
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spelling fthzgzmk:oai:publications.hereon.de:23472 2023-06-11T04:16:00+02:00 Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea Kakuschke, A. Valentine-Thon, E. Griesel, S. Fonfara, S. Siebert, U. Prange, A. 2005 https://publications.hereon.de/id/23472 https://publications.hzg.de/id/23472 en eng http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es0505200 urn:issn:0013-936X https://publications.hereon.de/id/23472 https://publications.hzg.de/id/23472 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess issn:0013-936X Kakuschke, A.; Valentine-Thon, E.; Griesel, S.; Fonfara, S.; Siebert, U.; Prange, A.: Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea. In: Environmental Science and Technology. Vol. 39 (2005) 19, 7568 - 7575. (DOI:10.1021/es0505200) info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/551 info:eu-repo/semantics/article Zeitschrift Artikel 2005 fthzgzmk https://doi.org/10.1021/es0505200 2023-05-28T23:22:16Z Environmental pollutants may affect the immune system of marine mammals in many areas of the industrialized world. This study provides the first evidence for metal-induced hypersensitivity in harbor seals and demonstrates a relationship between this immunopathy and the level of metals in blood. The concentrations of 20 essential and nonessential elements were analyzed in the blood of 13 harbor seals from the North Sea. In addition, their T-lymphocyte response to metals in terms of hypersensitivity was investigated using a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) according to the MELISA (memory lymphocyte immunostimulation assay) modification. The results showed metal hypersensitivities in 7 of 11 seals investigated in MELISA (data from two seals could not be assessed), reflecting a positive or possible positive reaction in 13 of 154 total single tests. Four animals responded to one metal and three animals to multiple metals. The sensitizing metals were molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn). Furthermore, the seals with a Ni-, Al-, and Cr-sensibilization showed the highest concentrations of these metals in blood. In 8 of the 13 positive cases, elevated blood metal concentrations correlated with the hypersensitivity reaction. Summarizing, we demonstrate in this first pilot study the potential immunological impact of metals in seals, a topic rarely investigated previously. Our results show the value of a combined biological and effect-monitoring tool to investigate pollution-induced immunopathies in live animals. Article in Journal/Newspaper Phoca vitulina Hereon Publications (Helmholtz-Zentrum) Environmental Science & Technology 39 19 7568 7575
institution Open Polar
collection Hereon Publications (Helmholtz-Zentrum)
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language English
topic info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/551
spellingShingle info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/551
Kakuschke, A.
Valentine-Thon, E.
Griesel, S.
Fonfara, S.
Siebert, U.
Prange, A.
Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
topic_facet info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/551
description Environmental pollutants may affect the immune system of marine mammals in many areas of the industrialized world. This study provides the first evidence for metal-induced hypersensitivity in harbor seals and demonstrates a relationship between this immunopathy and the level of metals in blood. The concentrations of 20 essential and nonessential elements were analyzed in the blood of 13 harbor seals from the North Sea. In addition, their T-lymphocyte response to metals in terms of hypersensitivity was investigated using a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) according to the MELISA (memory lymphocyte immunostimulation assay) modification. The results showed metal hypersensitivities in 7 of 11 seals investigated in MELISA (data from two seals could not be assessed), reflecting a positive or possible positive reaction in 13 of 154 total single tests. Four animals responded to one metal and three animals to multiple metals. The sensitizing metals were molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn). Furthermore, the seals with a Ni-, Al-, and Cr-sensibilization showed the highest concentrations of these metals in blood. In 8 of the 13 positive cases, elevated blood metal concentrations correlated with the hypersensitivity reaction. Summarizing, we demonstrate in this first pilot study the potential immunological impact of metals in seals, a topic rarely investigated previously. Our results show the value of a combined biological and effect-monitoring tool to investigate pollution-induced immunopathies in live animals.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Kakuschke, A.
Valentine-Thon, E.
Griesel, S.
Fonfara, S.
Siebert, U.
Prange, A.
author_facet Kakuschke, A.
Valentine-Thon, E.
Griesel, S.
Fonfara, S.
Siebert, U.
Prange, A.
author_sort Kakuschke, A.
title Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
title_short Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
title_full Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
title_fullStr Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
title_full_unstemmed Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea
title_sort immunological impact of metals in harbor seals (phoca vitulina) of the north sea
publishDate 2005
url https://publications.hereon.de/id/23472
https://publications.hzg.de/id/23472
genre Phoca vitulina
genre_facet Phoca vitulina
op_source issn:0013-936X
Kakuschke, A.; Valentine-Thon, E.; Griesel, S.; Fonfara, S.; Siebert, U.; Prange, A.: Immunological Impact of Metals in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the North Sea. In: Environmental Science and Technology. Vol. 39 (2005) 19, 7568 - 7575. (DOI:10.1021/es0505200)
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container_title Environmental Science & Technology
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