Assessment of immune parameters of manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum in different physiological conditions using flow cytometry

• Published in: Ocean science journal Vol. 47; no. 1; pp. 19 - 26
• Main Authors: Park, Kyung-Il, Donaghy, Ludovic, Kang, Hyun-Sil, Hong, Hyun-Ki, Kim, Young-Ok, Choi, Kwang-Sik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute and The Korean society of Oceanography 01.03.2012; 한국해양과학기술원
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Marine; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Oceanography; Ruditapes philippinarum; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; 해양학; immune parameter; flow cytometry; physiological stress; hemocyte
• ISSN: 1738-5261; 2005-7172
• DOI: 10.1007/s12601-012-0002-x

Cellular and humoral immune parameters are often used as biomarkers to trace environmental and physiological stresses in marine bivalves. In this study, we compared various immune parameters of Manila clams ( Ruditapes philippinarum ) under normal conditions and under a high level of desiccation, using flow cytometry. The immune parameters analyzed included, total hemocyte count, hemocyte mortality, hemocyte DNA damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and phagocytosis activity. Total hemocyte count, hemocyte DNA damage, and hemocyte mortality were significantly elevated among clams under high desiccation stress, while phagocytosis activity and spontaneous ROS production were significantly lower compared to those parameters of the control clams ( p <0.05). These data suggest that the immune parameters analyzed in this study well reflect the physiological status of clams.