Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression in immune organs of the common carp exposed to atrazine and chlorpyrifos

• Cytokine genes of common carp were investigated by ATR, CPF and their mixture.
• Our aim was to evaluate the sub-chronic effects of ATR and CPF on carp.
• Subchronic exposure to ATR and CPF caused immunotoxic effects.

Atrazine (ATR) and chlorpyrifos (CPF) are toxic and subject to long-term in vivo accumulation in different aquatic species throughout the world. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of ATR, CPF and combined ATR/CPF exposure on cytokines in the head kidney and spleen of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). The carp were sampled after a 40-d exposure to CPF and ATR, individually or in combination, followed by a 40-d recovery to measure the mRNA expression of IL-6fam (IL-6), IL-8, TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β1 (TGF-β) in the head kidney and spleen tissues. These results showed that the expression of cytokines IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in the head kidney and spleen was upregulated following ATR, CPF and mixed ATR/CPF exposure compared with the control group. The expression of IL-10 and TGF-β mRNA was significantly inhibited in both head kidney and spleen of carp exposed to ATR, CPF and the ATR/CPF mixture. The results suggested that long-term exposure of ATR, CPF and the ATR/CPF mixture in aquatic environments can induce the dysregulation of pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine expression. The information regarding the effects of ATR and CPF on cytokine mRNA expression generated in this study will be important information for pesticides toxicology evaluation.

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