Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes

Grasman, K A; Scanlon, P F; Fox, G A

Title: Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes

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Abstract

The authors studied the effects of environmental contaminants on immune function and related biochemical and histological biomarkers in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and Caspian terns (Sterna caspia) from the Great Lakes. An epidemiological analysis strongly supported the hypothesis that suppression of T-cell-mediated immunity was associated with high perinatal exposure to persistent organochlorines (primarily PCBs). Suppression of T cell function (measured by the phytohemagglutinin skin test) was most severe in colonies in Lake Ontario and Saginaw Bay for both species and in western Lake Erie (1992) for herring gulls. In herring gull chicks, the mass of the thymus decreased as liver EROD increased. Both species exhibited biologically significant differences among sites in anti-SRBC antibody titers, but there were few associations with organochlorines. In Caspian terns and, to a lesser degree, in herring gulls, plasma retinol decreased as organochlorines increased. In both species, plasma thyroxine concentrations differed significantly among sites, but there were no apparent associations with contaminants. Although thyroxine and retinol often are associated with immune function in laboratory studies, there were few consistent relationships between these variables and T-cell- and antibody-mediated immunity in this field study. These biochemical variables may be poor surrogate biomarkers for immune function in wild birds,more »« less

Authors:

Grasman, K A ^[1]; Scanlon, P F ^[2]; Fox, G A ^[3]

Wright State Univ., Dayton, OH (United States). Dept. of Biological Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States)
Canadian Wildlife Service, Hull, Quebec (Canada)

Publication Date:: Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI Identifier:: 460495

Report Number(s):: CONF-961149-
Journal ID: ISSN 1087-8939; TRN: IM9718%%76

Resource Type:: Conference

Resource Relation:: Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, APPLIED STUDIES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; BIRDS; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; BIOLOGICAL MARKERS; WATER POLLUTION; BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS; TOXICITY; IMMUNE REACTIONS; GREAT LAKES; BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Citation Formats


                    Grasman, K A, Scanlon, P F, and Fox, G A. Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes.  United States: N. p., 1995. 
        Web.

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                    Grasman, K A, Scanlon, P F, & Fox, G A. Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes.  United States.

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                    Grasman, K A, Scanlon, P F, and Fox, G A. 1995.  
        "Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes".  United States.

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@article{osti_460495,

  title        = {Functional, biochemical, and histological biomarkers for immunocompetence in fish-eating birds of the Great Lakes},

  author       = {Grasman, K A and Scanlon, P F and Fox, G A},

  abstractNote = {The authors studied the effects of environmental contaminants on immune function and related biochemical and histological biomarkers in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and Caspian terns (Sterna caspia) from the Great Lakes. An epidemiological analysis strongly supported the hypothesis that suppression of T-cell-mediated immunity was associated with high perinatal exposure to persistent organochlorines (primarily PCBs). Suppression of T cell function (measured by the phytohemagglutinin skin test) was most severe in colonies in Lake Ontario and Saginaw Bay for both species and in western Lake Erie (1992) for herring gulls. In herring gull chicks, the mass of the thymus decreased as liver EROD increased. Both species exhibited biologically significant differences among sites in anti-SRBC antibody titers, but there were few associations with organochlorines. In Caspian terns and, to a lesser degree, in herring gulls, plasma retinol decreased as organochlorines increased. In both species, plasma thyroxine concentrations differed significantly among sites, but there were no apparent associations with contaminants. Although thyroxine and retinol often are associated with immune function in laboratory studies, there were few consistent relationships between these variables and T-cell- and antibody-mediated immunity in this field study. These biochemical variables may be poor surrogate biomarkers for immune function in wild birds, although they are important indicators for other physiological systems. The histology of the thymus, bursa of Fabricius, and spleen were examined for developmental and functional abnormalities and the presence of infections.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/460495},
  journal      = {},

  issn         = {1087-8939},

  number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995},

  month        = {Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995}

}

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