Bustnes J O, Hanssen S A, Folstad I, Erikstad K E, Hasselquist D, Skaare J U
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Division of Arctic Ecology, The Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø.
Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2004 Nov;47(4):530-41. doi: 10.1007/s00244-003-3203-6.
Organochlorine contaminants (OCs) are known to affect the immune systems of wildlife, and in this study we assessed the relationship between blood concentration of different OCs and measurements relevant to immune status and function in arctic breeding glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus). In 1997 and 2001, we counted white blood cells (heterophils and lymphocytes) from blood smears, and in 2000 and 2001 we injected two novel nonpathogenic antigens (diphtheria and tetanus toxoids) into the pectoral muscle of gulls and measured the primary antibody responses. We then related these measurements to the blood concentrations of three pesticides (hexachlorobenzene [HCB], oxychlordane, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) and seven different polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCB 101, 99, 118, 153, 138, 180, and 170). There were significant or near significant positive relationships (0.1 > p > 0.001) between most persistent OCs and the levels of heterophils in the blood for both sexes in 1997 and for male gulls in 2001. Similarly, levels of all persistent OCs and lymphocytes were positively related (0.1 > p > 0.001) in both sexes in 1997. This suggests that OCs are causing alterations to immune systems, which may decrease their efficiency and make the birds more susceptible to parasites and diseases. In female gulls, the antibody response to the diphtheria toxoid was significant and negative for HCB (p < 0.01) and weaker, but significant, for oxychlordane (p < 0.05), suggesting that OCs were causing an impairment of the humoral immunity. Various OCs have been linked to negative effects in our study population, including decreased survival and reproduction, and this study suggests that such compounds also affect immune status and function.
已知有机氯污染物（OCs）会影响野生动物的免疫系统。在本研究中，我们评估了北极繁殖的白鸥（Larus hyperboreus）血液中不同有机氯污染物的浓度与免疫状态和功能相关指标之间的关系。1997年和2001年，我们对血涂片上的白细胞（嗜异性粒细胞和淋巴细胞）进行计数；2000年和2001年，我们将两种新型非致病性抗原（白喉和破伤风类毒素）注射到海鸥的胸肌中，并测量初次抗体反应。然后，我们将这些测量结果与三种农药（六氯苯[HCB]、氧氯丹和p,p'-二氯二苯二氯乙烯）以及七种不同的多氯联苯同系物（PCB 101、99、118、153、138、180和170）的血液浓度相关联。1997年以及2001年的雄性海鸥中，大多数持久性有机氯污染物与血液中嗜异性粒细胞水平之间存在显著或接近显著的正相关关系（0.1 > p > 0.001）。同样，1997年两性中所有持久性有机氯污染物的水平与淋巴细胞呈正相关（0.1 > p > 0.001）。这表明有机氯污染物正在引起免疫系统的改变，这可能会降低其效率，并使鸟类更容易受到寄生虫和疾病的影响。在雌性海鸥中，对白喉类毒素的抗体反应对六氯苯显著为负（p < 0.01），对氧氯丹较弱但显著（p < 0.05），这表明有机氯污染物正在损害体液免疫。在我们的研究种群中，各种有机氯污染物都与负面影响有关，包括存活率和繁殖率下降，并且这项研究表明这些化合物也会影响免疫状态和功能。
