Download Save as PDF - Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover

Impact of anthropogenic stressors on the immune system of marine
mammals
Project data
Contact:
Apl. Prof. Dr. Ursula Siebert
Scientists:
Dr. Sonja Fonfara (GKSS), Dr. Ursula Siebert, Antje Kakuschke (GKSS)
Cooperation:
GKSS-Forschungszentrum, Institut für Küstenforschung, Marine Bioanalytische Chemie
Seehundstation Friedrichskoog
Niels van Elk, Dolphinarium Harderwijk
Christian Sonne-Hansen, Maja Kirkegaard, Ministry of Environment, National Environmental Research Institut,
Department of Arctic Environment, Roskilde Dänemark
Project description
Anthropogenic influences on the North and Baltic Seas, habitat of the marine mammals harbour seal and harbour porpoise, are
manifold. Often an immune suppression is discussed, which allows pathogens to spread out, generating infections and diseases.
Little is known about the influence of anthropogenic stressors on the health status of marine mammals.
To investigate this impact we analyse blood samples of harbour seals and harbour porpoises on cytokine and acute-phase-protein
(APP) expression with real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). Cytokines are messengers,
initiating and regulating the immune response. Furthermore it is possible to distinguish certain immune cells (T-helpercells) on the
basis of their cytokine expression. T-helpercells influence the type of the immune response. In different species APP are used as
markers for inflammation and stress.
Until now little is known about the expression and function of cytokines and APP in marine mammals. The purpose of this project is
to assess which cytokines and APP are produced in marine mammals and how strong is the influence of natural stressors (e.g. age
and sex of the animals) and anthropogenic stressors (e.g. ship traffic, industrial units). As material we get blood samples from
seals of the Seal Center Friedrichskoog (long term captivity), from pups rehabilitated in the Seal Center, and from wild-catches
within the scope of the monitoring. For samples of harbour porpoises we have a collaboration with the Dolphinarium in Harderwijk,
Holland.
In the context of this project we analyse blood samples from sledge dogs of a feeding study and tissue and blood samples of polar
bears from Greenland in collaboration with the National Environmental Institute in Roskilde, Denmark.
Taking blood samples of harbour seals Photo ITAW
Contact person
Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover
Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research
Werftstr. 6
25761 Büsum
Prof. Prof. h. c. Dr. Ursula Siebert
send email
You are here: Clinics & Institutes > Institutes > Institute for Terrestrial and ... > Research > Projects aquatic > Completed
projects aquatic
Dieses PDF-Dokument wurde dynamisch auf www.tiho-hannover.de erstellt.
Letzte Aktualisierung dieses Dokumentes:19. May 2016
© Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Phone: +49 511 / 953 - 60