The effects of tributyltin (TBT) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB-126) mixtures on antibody responses and phagocyte oxidative burst activity in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus.

The organotin tributyltin (TBT) is an antifouling biocide used in marine paints and is a common pollutant in harbor estuaries. We previously demonstrated that the immune system of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is a sensitive target organ of TBT. Exposure strongly suppresses humoral immune responses. Harbor estuaries often contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) due to their ubuquitous distribution. The coplanar congener 3,3',4,4'5'-polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB-126) is also immunotoxic to channel catfish, but it suppresses only the innate immune responses and only at high doses. In this study we exposed channel catfish to TBT, PCB-126, or both in mixtures, with canola oil (CO) serving as the carrier control. Antibody responses to Vibrio anguillarum and phagocyte oxidative burst activity were measured after (1) a single dose of 0.01 or 1 mg/kg of each or both in combination, and (2) six injections of 1.7 or 170 microg/kg of each (or in combination) given every 3 days over a 16-day period to yield a cumulative dose of 0.01 or 1 mg/kg, respectively. We measured antibody responses to V. anguillarum 21 days after immunization and oxidative burst activities 14 and 21 days after the final treatment. The highest dose of TBT suppressed antibody responses after a single exposure. The high dose of PCB-126 also suppressed antibody responses. The addition of PCB-126 to TBT doses did not alter the antibody responses beyond the effects of TBT alone. In the repeated exposure group, only the high dose of TBT suppressed antibody responses. In animals exposed to mixtures, high levels of PCB-126 enhanced suppression associated with low levels of TBT, whereas PCB-126 protected against suppression associated with high levels of TBT. Single exposures to TBT or PCB-126 suppressed phagocyte oxidative burst activity. In animals exposed to mixtures, as a single exposure, the addition of a low dose PCB-126 protected against low dose TBT-related oxidative burst activity suppression. In the repeated exposure groups TBT suppressed oxidative burst activity, but only at the highest dose on day 21, while high doses of PCB-126 suppressed activity on day 14. Furthermore, low levels of PCB-126 reversed the suppressed oxidative burst activity associated with high levels of TBT on day 21. Overall, this study demonstrates moderate additivity in terms of the immunotoxicity of TBT and PCB-126 mixtures using these two endpoints of immune function in the channel catfish model.