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Jeantet A, Sandmeyer L, Campech C, Audebert F, Agostini S, Pellerin A, Gasparini J. The "parasite detoxification hypothesis": lead exposure potentially changes the ecological interaction from parasitism to mutualism. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023:10.1007/s10646-023-02678-z. [PMID: 37326808 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02678-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In urban areas, organisms are exposed to high pollutant levels, especially element trace metals that may impact host-parasite interactions. Indeed, parasites have been reported to reduce the negative effects of pollutants on their hosts. The fitness of parasitized organisms in polluted environments may therefore be greater than that of unparasitized organisms. In our study, we used an experimental approach to test this hypothesis on feral pigeons (Columba livia), which are endemically parasitized by nematodes and exposed to high levels of lead in urban areas. We tested the combined effects of lead exposure and helminth parasitism on different pigeon fitness components: preening, immunocompetence, abundance of lice (Columbicola columbae) and haemosporidian parasites (Heamoproteus spp., Plasmodium spp.), reproduction investment, and oxidative stress. Our results show that among pigeons exposed to lead treatment, individuals harboring nematode parasites exhibit more preening activity and have fewer ectoparasites lice than nematode-free individuals. Benefits for nematode-parasitized individuals exposed to lead were not detected for other fitness parameters. Further studies are required to confirm the "parasite detoxification hypothesis" in pigeons and to identify the mechanisms by which this detoxification occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Jeantet
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Lisa Sandmeyer
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Clément Campech
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Audebert
- Sorbonne Université, MNHN, CNRS, IRD, UCA, Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Écosystèmes Aquatiques, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Simon Agostini
- Centre de recherche en Écologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL Resarch University, UMS 3194, 77140, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Anouk Pellerin
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Julien Gasparini
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
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Colin Y, Molbert N, Berthe T, Agostini S, Alliot F, Decencière B, Millot A, Goutte A, Petit F. Dysbiosis of fish gut microbiota is associated with helminths parasitism rather than exposure to PAHs at environmentally relevant concentrations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11084. [PMID: 35773378 PMCID: PMC9246949 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15010-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although parasite infection and pollution are common threats facing wild populations, the response of the gut microbiota to the joint impact of these stressors remains largely understudied. Here, we experimentally investigated the effects of exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and infection by a common acanthocephalan intestinal parasite (Pomphorhynchus sp.) on the gut microbial flora of a freshwater fish, the European chub (Squalius cephalus). Naturally infected or uninfected individuals were exposed to PAHs at environmentally realistic concentrations over a five-week period. Characterization of the gut bacterial community through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that parasitic infection was a more structuring factor of bacterial diversity and composition than PAH exposure. Specifically, chub infected by Pomphorhynchus sp. harbored significantly less evenly represented gut bacterial communities than the uninfected ones. In addition, substantial changes in sequence abundance were observed within the main bacterial phyla, including the Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, and Proteobacteria. Again, these compositional changes correlated with host infection with Pomphorhynchus sp., confirming its pivotal role in gut microbial assemblage. Overall, these results highlight the importance of defining the parasitic status of individuals when conducting microbial ecotoxicological analyses at the digestive tract level, as this should lead to better understanding of microbiota modulations and help to identify microbial markers specifically associated with chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Colin
- CNRS, M2C, UNICAEN, UNIROUEN, Normandie University, 76821, Rouen, France. .,CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Noëlie Molbert
- CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Berthe
- CNRS, M2C, UNICAEN, UNIROUEN, Normandie University, 76821, Rouen, France.,CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Simon Agostini
- Département de biologie, Centre de recherche en ecologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL University, 77140, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Fabrice Alliot
- CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France.,EPHE, UMR 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne University, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Beatriz Decencière
- Département de biologie, Centre de recherche en ecologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL University, 77140, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Alexis Millot
- Département de biologie, Centre de recherche en ecologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, PSL University, 77140, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Aurélie Goutte
- CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France.,EPHE, UMR 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne University, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Petit
- CNRS, M2C, UNICAEN, UNIROUEN, Normandie University, 76821, Rouen, France.,CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
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Goutte A, Molbert N. Benefits of Parasitism in Polluted Environments: A Review and Perspectives. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.847869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The frequency and strength of biotic interactions are thought to be shaped by environmental conditions. In this study, we reviewed and discussed the potential effects of toxic chemicals in driving shifts along the parasite-mutualist continuum. Some parasites have the astonishing capacity to accumulate trace metals and organic pollutants from various taxa within freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. Recent studies have provided evidence of clear benefits for the host: when exposed to contaminants, infected organisms exhibited reduced contamination levels, less severe oxidative stress, and histological alterations, as well as higher body condition and survival rate compared with their uninfected conspecifics. Such effects might arise when the costs of parasitism are lower than their benefits in specific environmental conditions. Assessing the potential outcomes for parasites exploiting contaminated hosts is a crucial but neglected issue, since ecotoxicological effects on parasites may alter interspecific relationships. We identified possible avenues for future research using innovative tools and long-term experimental manipulations of both parasitism and pollution to better understand how toxic chemicals can modulate the strength and direction of host-parasite interactions.
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Canova L, Sturini M, Profumo A, Maraschi F. Evidence of Low-Habitat Contamination Using Feathers of Three Heron Species as a Biomonitor of Inorganic Elemental Pollution. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E7776. [PMID: 33114248 PMCID: PMC7660610 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17217776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The concentration of 12 elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) has been investigated in the feathers of three species of Ardeidae, namely the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, the Little Egret Egretta garzetta, and the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, all breeding at a colony located in the southern Padana Plain (NW Italy). This study is a first step for an evaluation of possible direct effects of these elements on chicks' survival and growth rate. Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn were in the range 7-69 mg Kg-1, while lower levels of Pb, Ni, As, and Se (0.27-1.45 mg Kg-1) were measured. Co, Cd, and Cr were close to the method detection limits (MDLs) in all the species. The measured concentrations of the most abundant trace elements, such as Zn and Cu, seem to reflect the geochemical pattern of the background (running water and soil), while Hg concentration is lower and it appears to be biomagnified, particularly in Grey Heron feathers. Its concentration is higher in adults than in chicks, and it differs among the three species, as it is closely related to the fish-based dietary pattern. The measured trace elements' concentrations are below the threshold levels in all the heron species, and consequently, harmful and acute effects on the local population are unlikely; the conservation status of herons populations in northern Italy is probably more affected by other factors, such as climate changes, altered aquatic environment, and, consequently, food quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Canova
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, I-27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.S.); (A.P.); (F.M.)
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Molbert N, Alliot F, Leroux-Coyau M, Médoc V, Biard C, Meylan S, Jacquin L, Santos R, Goutte A. Potential Benefits of Acanthocephalan Parasites for Chub Hosts in Polluted Environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:5540-5549. [PMID: 32267695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Some parasites are expected to have beneficial impacts on wild populations in polluted environments because of their bioaccumulation potential of pollutants from their hosts. The fate of organic micropollutants in host-parasite systems and the combined effect of parasitism and pollution were investigated in chub Squalius cephalus, a freshwater fish, infected (n = 73) or uninfected (n = 45) by acanthocephalan parasites Pomphorhynchus sp. from differently contaminated riverine sites. Several ubiquitous pollutants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl-ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, insecticides, pyrethroids, and N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)) and some of their metabolites were characterized for the first time in parasites and various fish matrices (muscle, liver, and stomach content). Most organic pollutants reached higher levels in parasites than in chub matrices. In contrast, metabolite levels were lower in parasite tissues compared to fish matrices. Infected and uninfected chub exhibited no significant differences in their pollutant load. Body condition, organo-somatic indices, and immunity were not affected by parasitism, and few correlations were found with chemical pollution. Interestingly, infected chub exhibited lower oxidative damage compared to uninfected fish, irrespective of their pollutant load. In light of these results, this correlative study supports the hypothesis that acanthocephalan parasites could bring benefits to their hosts to cope with organic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noëlie Molbert
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Alliot
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UMR METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Leroux-Coyau
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Médoc
- Equipe Neuro Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/Neuro-PSI CNRS UMR 9197, Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, F-42100 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Clotilde Biard
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Meylan
- Sorbonne Université, UPEC, Paris 7, CNRS, INRA, IRD, Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Lisa Jacquin
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique EDB, UMR 5174, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier; UPS; CNRS; IRD, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Raphaël Santos
- Ecology and Engineering of Aquatic Systems Research Group, HEPIA, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, CH-1254 Jussy, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Goutte
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, EPHE, UMR METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UMR METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
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Morrill A, Provencher JF, Gilchrist HG, Mallory ML, Forbes MR. Anti-parasite treatment results in decreased estimated survival with increasing lead (Pb) levels in the common eider Somateria mollissima. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191356. [PMID: 31480973 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Field experiments where parasites are removed through treatment and contaminant levels in host tissues are recorded can provide insight into the combined effects of parasitism and contaminants in wild populations. In 2013 and 2014, we treated northern common eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) arriving at a breeding colony with either a broad-spectrum antihelminthic (PANACUR®) or distilled water, and measured their blood lead (Pb) levels. Breeding propensity and clutch sizes were inversely related to Pb in both treatment groups. In comparison, a negative effect of Pb on resight probability the following year was observed only in the anti-parasitic treatment (APT) group. These contrasting patterns suggest a long-term benefit to survival of intestinal parasitism in eiders experiencing Pb exposure. The arrival date of hens explained some, but not all, of the effects of Pb. We weigh the merits of different hypotheses in explaining our results, including protective bioaccumulation of Pb by parasites, condition-linked thresholds to costly reproduction and the direct effects of APT on eider health. We conclude that variation in helminth parasitism influences survival in this migratory bird in counterintuitive ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Morrill
- Biology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - J F Provencher
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada.,Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, Canada
| | - H G Gilchrist
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - M L Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada
| | - M R Forbes
- Biology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
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