Selected Biomarkers; In Vivo And In Situ Applications

Abstract

Selected biomarkers, cholinesterase (ChE) and phagocytic activities from blue mussels, Mytilus edulis have been used to detect the effects of neuroimmunotoxicity of organophophate (OP) pesticide, dimethoate. The serial dilutions of dimethoate concentrations which were 0.00, 7.88, 15.75, 31.50 and 63.00 μg/l, showed dose-dependent effects on the ChE activity of blue mussels, Mytilus edulis after being exposed for 14 days. Statistical analysis showed that the significant effects of the pesticide on the ChE activity occurred at concentrations 31.50 and 63.00 μg/l (p <0.05). In contrast, the dose-dependent effects of dimethoate were not observed in the phagocytic activity of dimethoateexposed mussels. The suppression effects of dimethoate on phagocytic activity occurred significantly (p < 0.05) at two concentrations of dimethoate (7.88 and 15.75 μg/l), but stimulation effects significantly (p < 0.05) emerged at the following concentrations (31.35 and 63.00 μg/l). The reduction which occurred at the lowest concentrations along with the stimulation at the highest concentrations implied the occurrence of a U-shape hormetic response of the phagocytic activity under dimethoate exposure. The results suggested that two selected biomarkers, ChE and phagocytic activities were respectable tools to detect the effects of the pesticides when the dose-dependent and U-shape hormetic responses were taken into account in the laboratory scale study.