Stress and immune response in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

The present study investigates the effects on immune-related parameters of various stress factors (air exposure, mechanical stress, high temperature and extreme salinity conditions) faced by the bivalve mollusc Mytilus galloprovincialis during marketing procedures. We observed that some stress typologies increase phagocytosis and the number of circulating immunocytes, while others can modify immunocyte response towards a further perturbation, i.e. the marine algal toxin yessotoxin. Our results suggest that non-lethal stress can be counteracted for sometime by increasing the level of some defence parameters. Moreover, our data indicate that fishing and transport procedures could interfere with mussel immunosurveillance.