Lysozyme activity in earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) coelomic fluid and coelomocytes: Enzyme assay for immunotoxicity of xenobiotics

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620130409· OSTI ID:7239298

Goven, A J; Chen, S C; Fitzpatrick, L C ^[1]; Venables, B J ^[2]

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1. Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX (United States). Dept. of Biological Sciences
2. Univ. of North Texas, Denton, TX (United States). Dept. of Biological Sciences TRAC Laboratories Inc., Denton, TX (United States)

Lysozyme activity in earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) coelomic fluid and coelomocytes appears sufficiently sensitive for use as a nonmammalian biomarker to detect toxic effects of sublethal body burdens of Cu[sup 2+]. Lysozyme, a phylogenetically conserved enzyme, is capable of bactericidal activity via action on peptidoglycan of gram-positive bacterial cell walls and functions as a component of an organism's innate antimicrobial defense mechanism. Coelomic fluid and coelomocyte lysozyme activities, which exhibit temperature-response patterns similar to those of human saliva, plasma, serum and leukocyte extracts, were sensitive to Cu[sup 2+] exposure. Lysozyme activity of coelomic fluid and coelomocyte extracts from earthworms exposed for 5 d to CuSO[sub 4], using filter paper contact exposure, decreased with increasing sublethal Cu[sup 2+] concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 [mu]g/cm[sup 2]. Compared to controls, coelomic fluid lysozyme activity was suppressed significantly at both exposure concentrations, whereas coelomocyte extract lysozyme activity was suppressed significantly at the 0.1-[mu]g/cm[sup 2] exposure concentration. Low inherent natural variability and sensitivity to sublethal Cu[sup 2+] body burdens indicate that lysozyme activity has potential as a biomarker for assaying immunotoxicity of metals.

• OSTI ID: 7239298
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 13:4; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
ANNELIDS
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
COPPER
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HYDROLASES
INVERTEBRATES
LYSOZYME
METALS
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
SENSITIVITY
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
XENOBIOTICS