Induction of multixenobiotic resistance in mussel blood cells

Mussel blood cells can easily be removed from live animals without killing them. These cells express an MDR-like protein and have shown rhodamine B exclusion activity when single cell fluorescence measurements using computerized confocal laser microscope were performed. Treatments of mussels with up to 10 μg/ml vincristine enhanced the ability of the treated blood cells to lower their intracellular concentration of rhodamine B and increased the expression of the protein detected by the C219 monoclonal antibody. These responses are dose-dependant and stable for a period of over 14 days. The MXR phenotope could thus be valuable as a biomarker of exposure.