Dear all,
My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the new publication
of the following article in Scientific Reports.
Wen-Ta Li, Hui-Wen Chang, Wei-Cheng Yang, Chieh Lo, Lei-Ya Wang, Victor Fei Pang, Meng-Hsien Chen & Chian-Ren Jeng
Immunotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the Leukocytes of Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been
extensively used and are considered as an emerging contaminant in the ocean.
The environmental contamination of AgNPs is expected to increase greatly over
time, and cetaceans, as the top ocean predators, will suffer the negative
impacts of AgNPs. In the present study, we investigate the immunotoxicity of
AgNPs on the leukocytes of cetaceans using several methods, including
cytomorphology, cytotoxicity, and functional activity assays. The results
reveal that 20 nm Citrate-AgNPs (C-AgNP20) induce different
cytomorphological alterations and intracellular distributions in cetacean
polymorphonuclear cells (cPMNs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells
(cPBMCs). At high concentrations of C-AgNP20 (10 and 50 μg/ml), the
time- and dose-dependent cytotoxicity in cPMNs and cPBMCs involving apoptosis
is demonstrated. C-AgNP20 at sub-lethal doses (0.1 and 1 μg/ml)
negatively affect the functional activities of cPMNs (phagocytosis and
respiratory burst) and cPBMCs (proliferative activity). The current study
presents the first evidence of the cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity of AgNPs on
the leukocytes of cetaceans and improves our understanding of environmental
safety concerning AgNPs. The dose-response data of AgNPs on the leukocytes of
cetaceans are invaluable for evaluating the adverse health effects in cetaceans
and for proposing a conservation plan for marine mammals.
or via researchgate (here)
--
Wen-Ta Li, DVM, MS
PhD candidate/Veterinary Pathologist
Graduate Institute of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology,
School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University
Veterinarian/Director, Taiwan Cetacean Society