Effects of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans on phagocytic response of Eisenia andrei coelomocytes

Abstract

The immunotoxicological effects of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDDs/Fs) mixtures on Eisenia andrei earthworms have never been studied. In this work we investigated these effects both for in vitro and in vivo exposure, using the viability and the phagocytic activity of coelomocytes as immunological biomarkers and the flow cytometry was used for analysis. The in vitro exposure revealed a cytotoxic effect of PCDD/Fs mixture (C2) containing 50¥10-3 ng/mL of 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD and an induction of the phagocytic capacity at the mixture (C1) containing 25¥10-3 ng/mL of 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD. In the in vivo filter paper exposure, the immunocompetence of earthworms was assessed after 3 h-exposure to mixtures of PCDD/Fs at the levels of C1, C2, C3 and C4 containing about; 0.05, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.83 ng of 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD/cm², respectively. Morphological observations showed an excessive secretion of mucus and body surface lesions in worms exposed to higher concentrations (C3 and C4), which revealed that these organisms were affected by PCDD/Fs either through skin and/or by feeding. The levels of the extruded cell yield decreased significantly at all the concentrations tested. However, the cell viability was shown to be unaffected by PCDD/Fs concentrations. It was also shown, that exposure to the highest PCDD/Fs concentrations; C2, C3 and C4 inhibited both phagocytic activity and efficiency.

Keywords

• PCDDs/Fs, earthworms, Eisenia andrei, immunosuppression, phagocytosis, coelomocytes.