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Tierarztl Prax Ausg K Kleintiere Heimtiere 2006; 34(02): 118-126
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1622518
Andere Tierarten
Schattauer GmbH

Das Immunsystem der marinen Säugetiere

Teil 1: Immunantwort, Zytokine und ImmuntoxizitätThe immune system of marine mammalsPart 1: Immune response, cytokines and immunotoxicity
A. Beineke
1   Aus dem Institut für Pathologie (Direktor: Prof. Dr. W. Baumgärtner, Ph. D.) der Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover
,
U. Siebert
2   Forschungs- und Technologiezentrum Westküste, Hafentoern, Büsum
,
W. Baumgärtner
1   Aus dem Institut für Pathologie (Direktor: Prof. Dr. W. Baumgärtner, Ph. D.) der Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Eingegangen: 20 July 2005

akzeptiert: 28 July 2005

Publication Date:
05 January 2018 (online)

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Zusammenfassung

Das weltweit gehäufte Auftreten von infektiösen und neoplastischen Erkrankungen bei Walen und Delphinen gab Anlass zu Spekulationen über den möglichen negativen Einfluss von Umweltchemikalien auf das Immunsystem dieser Tierarten. Trotz gewisser Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der Immunologie der Meeressäugetiere ist das Wissen über das lymphatische System von Walen und Delphinen noch lückenhaft. Die Entwicklung von immunologischen Methoden, wie des Lymphozytenstimulationstests, ermöglicht jedoch die Untersuchung der zellulären Immunantwort bei marinen Säugetieren. Darüber hinaus erlauben funktionelle Testsysteme die Untersuchung der Aktivität der natürlichen Killerzellen sowie der phagozytotischen und zytotoxischen Aktivität von Leukozyten bei unterschiedlichen Walspezies. Weiterhin kann die humorale Immunantwort durch die Messung von Immunglobulinen mittels radialer Immundiffusion bei verschiedenen Meeressäugetieren bestimmt werden. Molekularbiologische Methoden wie die Reverse-Transkriptase-Polymerasekettenreaktion (RT-PCR) ermöglichen den Nachweis und die Quantifizierung der Genexpression von pround antiinflammatorischen Zytokinen. Hierdurch kann die Aktivität von lymphatischen Zellen im Verlauf von Entzündungen- und der Immunabwehr bei Walen und Delphinen näher charakterisiert werden. Die Erfassung des Immunstatus mittels dieser Methoden stellt somit einen wichtigen Bestandteil für die Untersuchung des Gesundheitszustandes dar und ermöglicht Aussagen über die Empfindlichkeit der Tiere gegenüber infektiösen Erkrankungen. Verschiedene neuere Studien verdeutlichen den Zusammenhang zwischen der Umweltbelastung mit Schadstoffen und der Suppression des Immunsystems bei verschiedenen Walund Robbenspezies. Allerdings müssen bei dem Vergleich zwischen Walen und Robben speziesspezifische Unterschiede im Immunsystem und Metabolismus von Xenobiotika der Meeressäugetiere berücksichtigt werden.

Summary

The worldwide increasing incidence of infectious and neoplastic diseases in whales and dolphins leads to speculations about the possible negative influence of environmental contaminants on the immune system and therefore on the health status of marine mammals. Despite current efforts in the field of marine mammal immunology several aspects of the immune function in these marine mammal species remain unknown. However, the development of functional assays, such as the lymphocyte transformation assay enables the investigation of T and B cell immune response. Furthermore, natural killer cell activity, respiratory burst as well as the phagocytic and cytotoxic activity of leukocytes can be measured by immunological methods in different cetacean species. Humoral immune responses can be investigated by measuring different immunoglobulins in the serum of marine mammals, using radial immunodiffusion. Additionally, molecular techniques, such as reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) enable the detection and quantification of gene expression of proand anti-inflammatory cytokines in activated lymphoid cells during inflammation or immune responses. In combination with detailed clinical examinations, these immunologic methods represent important tools to assess the health status and susceptibility for infectious diseases in whales and dolphins. Several current studies demonstrate the association between environmental contamination and immunosuppression in different cetaceans and pinnipeds of different waters. However, species-specific differences of the immune system and metabolism of xenobiotics between whales and seals have to be taken into consideration in the interpretation of these results.

Schlüsselwörter

Meeressäugetiere - immunologische Techniken - Zytokine - Immuntoxizität - Schadstoffbelastung

Key words

Marine mammals - immunological assays - cytokines - immunotoxicity - environmental contaminants
 

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