Highlights

• Further characterization of hemocyte profiles in Lymnaea stagnalis and assessment of individual and temporal variability in immune responses.
• L. stagnalis is a suitable model for individual and temporal monitoring of immunocompetence markers.
• Immunotoxic pollutants in vertebrates are not systematically immunotoxic in L. stagnalis.
• Early physiological response of markers highlights their relevance for environmental monitoring.

Key words

Lymnaea stagnalis ; Freshwater ; Gastropod ; Relevance; Life-history traits; Ecotoxicology; Immunocompetence; Hemocytes

Abstract

In natural environments, animals encounter multiple stresses (e.g., pollutants and pathogens/ parasites). In this context, the immune system plays a pivotal role. Chemical insults from pollutants can jeopardize the immune system of these animals, weaken their health and make them vulnerable to contracting infectious diseases. In ecotoxicology, assessment of immunocompetence markers can be used to diagnose the health of organisms and better understand the immunotoxic hazard of xenobiotics.

Lymnaea stagnalis is a freshwater gastropod representative of several lentic ecosystems on the planet. OECD reprotoxicity tests are available using this species, but too few studies have focused on immunotoxic parameters. The first part of this thesis covers the description, comprehension and development of the methods used to assess the immunocompetence at an individual scale and repeatedly within an experiment in L. stagnalis.

The second part assesses this multibiomarker approach in several ecotoxicological contexts. Several populations (laboratory-bred vs collected in the field), time exposures (3 vs 29–44 days), concentrations (environmental vs unrealistic) and contaminants were evaluated : pharmaceuticals (the anti-cancer drugs etoposide and cyclophosphamide, the anti-xenograft rejection drug cyclosporine A, the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac), the insecticide deltamethrin, the metal cadmium and wastewater treatment plant effluents.

The general reasoning is built on questions relative to (i) the sensitivity of the approach, (ii) the rapidity of the response, (iii) their physiological precocity of alteration (immune vs life-history traits), (iv) the transposition of xenobiotic immunotoxicity between L. stagnalis and the Chordata phylum and (vi) the pragmatic use of L. stagnalis (breeding, collection in the environment, calibration and reproduction)

Publications

• Boisseaux Paul, Noury Patrice, Delorme Nicolas, Perrier Lucile, Thomas Hélène, Garric Jeanne. 2018. Immunocompetence analysis of the aquatic snail Lymnaea stagnalis exposed to urban wastewaters . Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-1790 2016 : NORIA Notoriety = correct/excellent; IF (5-years): 3,023
• Boisseaux Paul, Noury Patrice, Thomas Hélène, Garric Jeanne. 2017. Immune responses in the aquatic gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis under short-term exposure to pharmaceuticals of concern for immune systems: Diclofenac, cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine A. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.02.003 2016 : NORIA Notoriety = excellent; IF (5-years): 3,577
• Boisseaux Paul, Noury Patrice, Delignette-Muller M-L, Thomas Hélène, Garric Jeanne. 2016. Recomendation for the analysis of hemocyte-related oxidative activity in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Journal Of Xenobiotics. https://doi.org/10.4081/xeno.2016.6585 NORIA Notoriety = unknown
• Boisseaux Paul, Delignette-Muller M-L, Thomas Hélène, Abbaci Khédidja, Garric Jeanne. 2016. Analysis of hemocytes in Lymnaea stagnalis: Characterization and effects of repeated hemolymph collections. Fish&Shellfish Immunology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2016.08.007 2016 : NORIA Notoriety = excellent; IF (5-years): 3,282
• Boisseaux Paul, Gust Marion, Betoulle Stéphane, Garric Jeanne. 2014. Short-term immunotoxic effects of an anticancer drug (Etoposide) on the freshwater pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Journal Of Xenobiotics. https://doi.org/10.4081/xeno.2014.4894 NORIA Notoriety = unknown

Cite the thesis

Paul Boisseaux. Développement de marqueurs d'immunocompétence chez le gastéropode d'eau douce Lymnaea stagnalis et applications en écotoxicologie. Ecologie, Environnement. Université de Lyon, 2017. Français. ⟨NNT : 2017LYSE1019⟩. ⟨tel-01505580v2⟩

Access manuscript on HAL thèses

And then?

Since 2023, Paul is Research Fellow in Ecotoxicology, CREWW (Centre for Resilience in Environment Water and Waste), University of Exeter, Joint Venture Agreement, South West Water, (UK).

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