Mercury immunotoxicity in the brown watersnake ( Nerodia taxispilota ): An in vitro study

Haskins, David L.; Brown, M. Kyle; Meichner, Kristina; Tuberville, Tracey D.; Gogal, Robert M.

doi:10.1002/jat.4200

Mercury immunotoxicity in the brown watersnake ( Nerodia taxispilota ): An in vitro study

Journal Article · Thu May 20 04:00:00 EDT 2021 · JAT, Journal of Applied Toxicology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4200· OSTI ID:1976342

^[1]; Brown, M. Kyle ^[2]; Meichner, Kristina ^[3]; Tuberville, Tracey D. ^[4]; Gogal, Robert M. ^[3]

Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL); OSTI
Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States); Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL)
Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). College of Veterinary Medicine
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL)

Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal that enters the environment through natural and anthropogenic means. Once in the environment, Hg can biomagnify in food webs and is known to cause immunotoxic effects to wildlife. Compared with other vertebrates, knowledge of the reptilian immune system is lacking, especially in snakes. Further, even less is known about the impact of environmental contaminants on snake immunity. This gap in knowledge is largely due to an absence of established immune-based assays or specific reagents for these species. In this study, brown watersnakes (Nerodia taxispilota; n = 23) were captured on the Savannah River (Augusta, Georgia, USA), weighed, measured, bled, and released. Peripheral blood leukocytes (24 h old) were enriched and evaluated with an established mammalian in vitro lymphocyte proliferation assay. Enriched leukocytes were then exposed to mercury chloride (HgCl2) at 3.75, 37.5, and 75 μM. Total mercury (THg) in whole blood was also quantified. Snake peripheral blood leukocyte enrichment yielded >90% lymphocytes with viabilities averaging >70%. Exposure to HgCl₂ resulted in significant dose-dependent suppression of proliferative responses relative to spontaneous proliferation at 37.5 and 75 μM (both p ≤ 0.01) but not 3.75 μM (p = 0.99). Mean ± 1 SE concentration of THg in whole blood was 0.127 ± 0.027 mg/kg (wet weight). Based on the in vitro findings with HgCl₂, snakes in systems with heavy Hg pollution may be at risk of immunosuppression, but N. taxispilota at the site in this study appear to be at low risk.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)

Grant/Contract Number:: EM0004391

OSTI ID:: 1976342

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1786467

Journal Information:: JAT, Journal of Applied Toxicology, Journal Name: JAT, Journal of Applied Toxicology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 42; ISSN 0260-437X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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