Suppressive effects of benzo[a]pyrene upon fish immune function: Evolutionarily conserved cellular mechanisms of immunotoxicity

Knowledge gained through the use of alternative animal models has significantly enhanced our understanding of life at all levels of biological organization. The discipline of toxicology is under considerable pressure to develop such models due to increasing public concern regarding the experimental use of mammals. Studies in this laboratory have focused on the utility of a small laboratory fish model, the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), to investigate immunotoxicological effects of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). BaP is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant and known mammalian immunotoxicant. This laboratory has demonstrated that in vivo exposure of medaka to BaP (2–200 μg/g BW) significantly depresses both innate and humoral immunity. Further studies have indicated that BaP activates its own biotransformation pathway within medaka immune cells following both in vivo and in vitro exposure. In addition, reduction of BaP metabolism with α-naphthoflavone results in the reversal of BaP-induced suppression of antibody production in vitro. Inhibition of CYPlA-mediated metabolism within medaka immune cells also alleviates the immunotoxicity induced by benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol, but not benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). This suggests that BPDE may be an ultimate immunotoxicant. Results from this study in medaka are in agreement with previously conducted rodent studies that indicated a role for immunotoxic BaP metabolites in BaP-induced suppression of humoral immunity.