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Cellular biomarkers to elucidate global warming effects on Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri

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Abstract

Global warming is a reality and its effects have been widely studied. However, the consequences for marine invertebrates remain poorly understood. Thus, the present study proposed to evaluate the effect of elevated temperature on the innate immune system of Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. Sea urchins were collected nearby Brazilian Antarctic Station “Comandante Ferraz” and exposed to 0 (control), 2 and 4°C for periods of 48 h, 2, 7 and 14 days. After the experimental periods, coelomic fluid was collected in order to perform the following analyses: coelomocytes differential counting, phagocytic response, adhesion and spreading coelomocytes assay, intranuclear iron crystalloid and ultra structural analysis of coelomocytes. The red sphere cell was considered a biomarker for heat stress, as they increased in acute stress. Besides that, a significant increase in phagocytic indexes was observed at 2°C coinciding with a significant increase of intranuclear iron crystalloid at the same temperature and same time period. Furthermore, significant alterations in cell adhesion and spreading were observed in elevated temperatures. The ultra structural analysis of coelomocytes showed no significant difference across treatments. This was the first time that innate immune response alterations were observed in response to elevated temperature in a Polar echinoid.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to express their acknowledgements to Secirm (Secretaria Interministerial para os Recursos do Mar) and the Brazilian Navy for logistical support in Antarctica, CEBIMar-USP for supporting the pilot experiments and to FAPESP, CAPES and CNPq for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, CEP 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Paola Cristina Branco, Leandro Nogueira Pressinotti, Renata Stecca Iunes, Marinilce Fagundes dos Santos & José Roberto Machado Cunha da Silva

  2. Metropolitan United Faculties, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rua Ministro Nelson Hungria, 541, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    João Carlos Shimada Borges & Marcos Oliveira da Silva

  3. Sector of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, CEP 05508-270, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    José Roberto Kfoury Jr

  4. Antarctic Bio-resources Laboratory, Chilean Antarctic Institute, Plaza Muñoz Gamero, 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile

    Marcelo Gonzalez

  5. Ecosystems Programme, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

    Lloyd Samuel Peck

  6. Laboratory of Comparative Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen Scholl of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 190095-4763, USA

    Edwin L. Cooper

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  1. Paola Cristina Branco
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  2. Leandro Nogueira Pressinotti
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  3. João Carlos Shimada Borges
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  6. Marcos Oliveira da Silva
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  11. José Roberto Machado Cunha da Silva
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Correspondence to Paola Cristina Branco.

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Branco, P.C., Pressinotti, L.N., Borges, J.C.S. et al. Cellular biomarkers to elucidate global warming effects on Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri . Polar Biol 35, 221–229 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-1063-5

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