Ocean Acidification Effects on Marine Immunology
Summary
Ocean acidification, driven by the uptake of excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, leads to a decrease in seawater pH and alters carbonate chemistry. These changes have profound implications for the immune systems of marine organisms, particularly invertebrates that rely on haemocytes for defence. Reduced pH can compromise haemocyte function by disrupting cytoskeletal structures, impairing phagocytosis and triggering oxidative stress. Such impairments may increase susceptibility to pathogens, with cascading effects on population health and ecosystem resilience. Research has documented species‐specific responses, ranging from modulation of antioxidant enzymes to shifts in energy allocation, highlighting the complex interplay between acid–base regulation and immunocompetence. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for predicting disease dynamics in a changing ocean and for informing conservation and aquaculture practices globally.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have shown that CO₂-induced acidification impairs haemocyte ultrastructure and phagocytic capacity in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis. Seawater acidification leads to overproduction of reactive oxygen species and triggers antioxidant responses, including glutathione and related enzyme activity. Comparatively, CO₂-driven pH reduction exerts more pronounced effects than mineral acid addition, indicating that mechanisms beyond proton concentration contribute to immunomodulation.
Ocean Acidification Effects on Marine Immunology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in ocean acidification effects on marine immunology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Haemocyte: Blood cell in invertebrates responsible for immune defence, including phagocytosis and enzyme production.
Phagocytosis: Cellular process by which immune cells engulf and digest pathogens or particles.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Chemically reactive molecules derived from oxygen that can damage cellular structures.
Lysozyme: Enzyme that degrades bacterial cell walls and contributes to antimicrobial defence in haemolymph.
Apoptosis: Programmed cell death mechanism crucial for removing damaged or infected cells.
References
- Intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis induced by multiple antibiotics residues and ocean acidification in hemocytes of scallop Argopecten irradians irradians: An interactionist perspective. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (2023).
- Ocean Acidification Affects the Cytoskeleton, Lysozymes, and Nitric Oxide of Hemocytes: A Possible Explanation for the Hampered Phagocytosis in Blood Clams, Tegillarca granosa. Frontiers in Physiology (2018).
- Seawater acidification induced immune function changes of haemocytes in Mytilus edulis: a comparative study of CO2 and HCl enrichment. Scientific Reports (2017).
- Impacts of pH on the Fitness and Immune System of Pacific White Shrimp. Frontiers in Marine Science (2021).
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