Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2011 Aug;62(8):1891-4. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.034. Epub 2011 Jul 1.
Environmental exposure to metals is believed to affect marine mammal health adversely including immunosuppression or acute as well as chronic inflammatory processes leading to hypersensitivities or autoimmune diseases. Metal-specific hypersensitivities were found in several pinnipeds of the North Sea. However, hypersensitivity is a complex phenomenon whose characteristics are still not completely understood; in particular, effects on health are not well established. In the present study, we compared basic hematological and biochemical parameters of seals with and without metal-specific hypersensitivities. We found altered hematological parameters and liver enzyme patterns in seals with a metal-induced hypersensitivity, including a reduction in macrophages, an increase in lymphocytes, and elevated levels of lactate dehydrogenase. These findings support the suggestion of a chronic influence of metal pollutants on the health of marine mammals of the North Sea.
人们认为，金属的环境暴露会对海洋哺乳动物的健康产生不利影响，包括免疫抑制或急性和慢性炎症过程，从而导致过敏或自身免疫性疾病。在北海的几种鳍足类动物中发现了针对金属的过敏。然而，过敏是一种复杂的现象，其特征尚未完全了解；特别是，对健康的影响还没有得到很好的证实。在本研究中，我们比较了有和没有金属特异性过敏的海豹的基本血液学和生化学参数。我们发现，金属诱导的过敏海豹的血液学参数和肝酶模式发生了改变，包括巨噬细胞减少、淋巴细胞增加和乳酸脱氢酶水平升高。这些发现支持了金属污染物对北海海洋哺乳动物健康产生慢性影响的观点。
