Objective
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) can display high levels of zinc (Zn), mercury (Hg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methyl sulfonyl metabolites (MeSO2-PCBs) in their tissues. Little is known about potential imp act of these pollutants on marine mammal immune system. The proposed study aims to better define the immunotoxicological risk linked to an exposure of the harbour porpoise and the harbour seal to methyl-Hg, Zn, PCBs and MeSO2-PCBs. Harbour seal and harbour porpoise peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PMBC) will be isolated (task 1) and contaminated with methyl-Hg, Zn and PCBs (task 2). The expression of cytokines (task 3) and the study of the proteome (task 4) will be studied in control and contaminated PMB C.- Task 1. PMBC will be isolated from the blood of captive and wild harbour porpoises and harbour seals and kept on cell culture medium. Analysis of Hg, Zn, PCBs and MeSO2-PCBs will be realized in the blood and serum of wild harbour porpoises and harbour seals from the North Sea to evaluate their contamination level.- Task 2. PMBC will be contaminated in vitro with methyl-Hg, ZnCl2 and PCB solutions. The tested concentrations will be in the range of concentrations naturally occurring in the blood of wild h arbour porpoises and harbour seals. - Task 3. The expression of pro- inflammatory (IL-1ß, IL-2, Il-6 and TNF-a) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10 and TGF- ß) cytokines will be investigated using RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR. Cytokines are glycoproteins secreted by the immune cells and their expression is one important tool for the characterisation of the cellular immune response. - Task 4. In complement to cytokine mRNA expression, we wish also to understand pollutant effects on a ¿protein¿ level. Proteomic will allow the validation of biomarkers such as cytokines but also the development of new biomarkers to evaluate the impact of contaminants on the immune system.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine physiotherapy
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy cetology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology cytology
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-11
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
LIÈGE
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.