Toxicity of domoic acid in the marine mussel Mytilus edulis

The neurotoxic, immunotoxic and genotoxic effects of domoic acid (DA) on th e blue mussel Mytilus edulis were investigated by biomarkers, acethylcholin esterase (ChE) activity in gills, DNA fragmentation in digestive glands, vi tality and phagocytosis activity of haemocytes in haemolymph of mussels. Af ter intra muscular injection of DA at the concentrations ranging from 1-500 ng/g body weight (bw), no neurotoxic effect was detected within incubation times of 48 h and 7 d. The vitality of haemocytes remained in all mussels at the level of control samples within 48 h, and increased significantly af ter 7 d (P < 0.05). At DA concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ng/g bw haem ocytes suggested a great phagocytosis activity, but no alteration in their number by both incubation times. By increasing DA concentration of 500 ng/g bw, the number of haemocytes doubled in 48 h without any change in phagocy tosis activity. Primary DNA lesions in digestive glands of all injected mus sels were determined in acute phase of poisoning within 48 h, and rapidly r epaired after 7 d of incubation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.