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Modulation of hemocyte activities in oysters (Crassostrea virginica) upon exposure to PAHs

Conference ·
OSTI ID:452066
; ; ;  [1]
  1. College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA (United States). Virginia Inst. of Marine Science

Hemocyte activities were assessed in oysters exposed to sediment sorbed PAHs. Dose of 0 or 30 g daily for 60 days (Experiment 1) and 0, 60, or 120 g three times/week for 41 days (Experiment 2) were used. In vitro effects of water soluble fractions (WSFs) prepared from sediment collected from a heavily polluted area on the hemocyte activities were also evaluated. To some extent, exposure of oysters to sediment sorbed PAHs (sPAHs) modulated the oyster hemocyte activities. In Experiment 1, 30 day exposure to sPAHs reduced the hemocytes` ability to incorporate {sup 14}C-labeled thymine, uridine and leucine. After 60 days of exposure, the overall uptake of these three components by hemocytes declined in both control and sPAHs exposed oysters and no significant difference was noted. However, after 60 days of exposure, phagocytic, chemotactic and chemiluminescence responses were significantly lower in hemocytes from sPAHs exposed than from control oysters. In Experiment 2, no difference was noted in thymidine, uridine and leucine uptake by oyster hemocytes between 14 and 30 days exposure, but uptake of these compounds increased at the end of the experiment in all groups including controls. Phagocytosis did not differ between treatments nor change with exposure time. No difference was observed in chemiluminescence measured at the end of 41 days among treatments. In vitro exposure of hemocytes to 100% WSF significantly stimulated mitochondrial dehydrogenases production (MTT reduction expressed as % of control), compared to hemocytes exposed to 25 and 50% WSF.

OSTI ID:
452066
Report Number(s):
CONF-961149--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English