Cellular Biomarkers for Measuring Toxicity of Xenobiotics: Effects of PCBs on Earthworm Lumbricus Terrestris Coelomocytes

• Main Author: Eyambe, George Sona
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 1991
• Subjects: polychlorinated biphenyls; immunotoxicology; earthworms; Polychlorinated biphenyls > Toxicity testing.; Earthworms > Effect of xenobiotics on.; Immunotoxicology.
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332716/

The research presented herein provides information on coelomocyte (leukocyte) collection, function and immunotoxicity from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris. Research was undertaken as part of an overall goal to develop a well-documented and scientifically valid non-mammalian surrogate immunoassay with the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris to assess immunotoxic potential of xenobiotics. The principal objectives were to: (1) Develop an extrusion model for analyzing immunotoxicity of xenobiotics; (2) determine if coelomocytes can be collected repeatedly without obvious harm to the earthworm or change in immune response of the coelomocytes harvested and (3) validate the response sensitivity profiles of a panel of biomarkers {differential and total cell counts, erythrocyte rosette (ER) and secretory rosette (SR) formation with, and phagocytosis of antigenic rabbit red blood cells} in earthworms after acute exposure to a known mammalian and L. terrestris immunotoxin, the PCB Aroclor 1254.