Invertebrate Immunity: a Tool for Monitoring MarinePollution

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Over a one year period, seasonal variations inaspects of Mytilus edulis L. immune function, namely, total anddifferential blood cell counts, phagocytic capability and intracellularsuperoxide generation, were investigated. These immuneparameters were found to be significantly affected by seasonalvariations with special reference to M. edulis reproductive cycle.A concomitant population genetics study, usingelectrophoresis at 9 allozyme loci, was carried out on the monthlysamples of M. edulis used for the immunocompetence assays. Significant temporal genetic variations were observed. Whencomparing the level of heterozygosity at the 9 allozyme locisurveyed with the aspects of immunity studied, one association could be demonstrated between heterozygosity and the character of circulating haemocytes.The effects of short-term (14 day) and long-term (40day) in vivo exposures to the reference toxicant sodium pentachlorophenol (NaPCP), on aspects of M. edulis immunefunction (using the same immune parameters as for theseasonal variations study) were also investigated. Resultsshowed that NaPCP had a toxic effect on the immune responsessurveyed.