EVIDENCE FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY DERIVED IMMUNOMODULATION IN MUSSELS FROMTHE VENICE LAGOON

Mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were sampled at three times of yea r, from various sites within the Venice Lagoon and a reference Platfor m site in the north Adriatic. The immune response of the mussels was a ssessed using a range of assays which included total and differential cell counts, phagocytosis, degradative enzyme levels and release of re active oxygen metabolites. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, including lindane , DDT and PCBs, together with trace metal levels were measured in dige stive gland tissues from the mussels. The measurements of immune respo nse and the contaminant levels showed seasonal fluctuations. However, the results did demonstrate significant differences in a number of imm unocompetence assays which in some instances showed some correlation w ith the levels of contaminants measured in the tissues. In particular, total and differential cell counts, phagocytosis and release of react ive oxygen metabolites showed a degree of correlation with contaminant burdens although other factors were clearly involved. The results con firm the requirement for using a range of assays for monitoring pollut ion effects.