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Jordan-Ward R, von Hippel FA, Sancho Santos ME, Wilson CA, Rodriguez Maldonado Z, Dillon D, Titus T, Gardell A, Salamova A, Postlethwait JH, Contreras E, Capozzi SL, Panuwet P, Parrocha C, Bremiller R, Guiguen Y, Gologergen J, Immingan T, Miller P, Carpenter D, Buck CL. Transcriptomic and developmental effects of persistent organic pollutants in sentinel fishes collected near an arctic formerly used defense site. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124283. [PMID: 38823546 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Alaska contains over 600 formerly used defense (FUD) sites, many of which serve as point sources of pollution. These sites are often co-located with rural communities that depend upon traditional subsistence foods, especially lipid-rich animals that bioaccumulate and biomagnify persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Many POPs are carcinogenic and endocrine-disrupting compounds that are associated with adverse health outcomes. Therefore, elevated exposure to POPs from point sources of pollution may contribute to disproportionate incidence of disease in arctic communities. We investigated PCB concentrations and the health implications of POP exposure in sentinel fishes collected near the Northeast Cape FUD site on Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska. Sivuqaq residents are almost exclusively Yupik and rely on subsistence foods. At the request of the Sivuqaq community, we examined differential gene expression and developmental pathologies associated with exposure to POPs originating at the Northeast Cape FUD site. We found significantly higher levels of PCBs in Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) collected from contaminated sites downstream of the FUD site compared to fish collected from upstream reference sites. We compared transcriptomic profiles and histopathologies of these same blackfish. Blackfish from contaminated sites overexpressed genes involved in ribosomal and FoxO signaling pathways compared to blackfish from reference sites. Contaminated blackfish also had significantly fewer thyroid follicles and smaller pigmented macrophage aggregates. Conversely, we found that ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) from contaminated sites exhibited thyroid follicle hyperplasia. Despite our previous research reporting transcriptomic and endocrine differences in stickleback from contaminated vs. reference sites, we did not find significant differences in kidney or gonadal histomorphologies. Our results demonstrate that contaminants from the Northeast Cape FUD site are associated with altered gene expression and thyroid development in native fishes. These results are consistent with our prior work demonstrating disruption of the thyroid hormone axis in Sivuqaq residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Jordan-Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave., P.O. Box 245210, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA.
| | | | - Catherine A Wilson
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Zyled Rodriguez Maldonado
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Tom Titus
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Alison Gardell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, 1900 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA, 98402, USA
| | - Amina Salamova
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - John H Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Elise Contreras
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Staci L Capozzi
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Chelsea Parrocha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ruth Bremiller
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | | | - Jesse Gologergen
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK, 99518, USA
| | - Tiffany Immingan
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK, 99518, USA
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK, 99518, USA
| | - David Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, 5 University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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Jordan-Ward R, von Hippel FA, Wilson CA, Rodriguez Maldonado Z, Dillon D, Contreras E, Gardell A, Minicozzi MR, Titus T, Ungwiluk B, Miller P, Carpenter D, Postlethwait JH, Byrne S, Buck CL. Differential gene expression and developmental pathologies associated with persistent organic pollutants in sentinel fish in Troutman Lake, Sivuqaq, Alaska. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 340:122765. [PMID: 37913975 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are lipophilic compounds that bioaccumulate in animals and biomagnify within food webs. Many POPs are endocrine disrupting compounds that impact vertebrate development. POPs accumulate in the Arctic via global distillation and thereby impact high trophic level vertebrates as well as people who live a subsistence lifestyle. The Arctic also contains thousands of point sources of pollution, such as formerly used defense (FUD) sites. Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska was used by the U.S. military during the Cold War and FUD sites on the island remain point sources of POP contamination. We examined the effects of POP exposure on ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) collected from Troutman Lake in the village of Gambell as a model for human exposure and disease. During the Cold War, Troutman Lake was used as a dump site by the U.S. military. We found that PCB concentrations in stickleback exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guideline for unlimited consumption despite these fish being low trophic level organisms. We examined effects at three levels of biological organization: gene expression, endocrinology, and histomorphology. We found that ninespine stickleback from Troutman Lake exhibited suppressed gonadal development compared to threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) studied elsewhere. Troutman Lake stickleback also displayed two distinct hepatic phenotypes, one with lipid accumulation and one with glycogen-type vacuolation. We compared the transcriptomic profiles of these liver phenotypes using RNA sequencing and found significant upregulation of genes involved in ribosomal and metabolic pathways in the lipid accumulation group. Additionally, stickleback displaying liver lipid accumulation had significantly fewer thyroid follicles than the vacuolated phenotype. Our study and previous work highlight health concerns for people and wildlife due to pollution hotspots in the Arctic, and the need for health-protective remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Jordan-Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave., P.O. Box 245210, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
| | - Catherine A Wilson
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Zyled Rodriguez Maldonado
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Elise Contreras
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Alison Gardell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, 1900 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
| | - Michael R Minicozzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University Mankato, 242 Trafton Science Center South, Mankato, MN, 56001, USA
| | - Tom Titus
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Bobby Ungwiluk
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - David Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, 5 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - John H Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Samuel Byrne
- Middlebury College, Department of Biology and Global Health Program, 14 Old Chapel Rd, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Miller P. Protecting the health of future generations in the arctic through community-based participatory research and action. Explore (NY) 2023; 19:271-272. [PMID: 36653271 PMCID: PMC10775922 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT), United States.
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Dillon D, Witten PE, Buck CL. Evaluating Dermal Bone as a Novel Source of Endocrine Information in Ninespine and Threespine Stickleback Fish. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad007. [PMID: 36937455 PMCID: PMC10019498 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Monitoring the physiology of small aquatic and marine teleost fish presents challenges. Blood samples, often the first choice for endocrinologists, can be difficult or even impossible to obtain and alternative matrices currently used for hormone analyses do not occur in fishes (e.g., hair, feathers etc.) or are not easily collected from small aquatic organisms (e.g., urine and feces). Some teleosts, however, have enlarged bony dermal elements that possibly accumulate and store steroid hormones in physiological relevant concentrations. Both threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) have a series of external, lateral bony plates, dorsal spines, and a pair of pelvic spines attached to the pelvic girdle. We investigated if cortisol, the primary circulating glucocorticoid in teleosts, could be extracted from stickleback dermal bone and quantified using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA). We successfully validated a cortisol EIA for dermal bone extracts, determined that cortisol was detectable in both species, and found that dermal bone cortisol levels significantly correlated with cortisol levels in whole body homogenate. Ninespine stickleback had significantly higher dermal bone cortisol concentrations than threespine stickleback and female threespine stickleback tended to have over twice the mean dermal bone cortisol concentration than males. Because both stickleback species are widely used for ecotoxicological studies, using dermal bone as a source of endocrine information, while leaving the body for contaminant, genomic, histological, and stable isotope analyses, could be a powerful and parsimonious tool. Further investigation and physiological validations are necessary to fully understand the utility of this new sample matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - P E Witten
- Research Group Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - C L Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Byrne S, Seguinot-Medina S, Waghiyi V, Apatiki E, Immingan T, Miller P, von Hippel FA, Buck CL, Carpenter DO. PFAS and PBDEs in traditional subsistence foods from Sivuqaq, Alaska. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:77145-77156. [PMID: 35672645 PMCID: PMC9588546 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20757-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is a hemispheric sink for both legacy and current use persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Once in the Arctic, POPs biomagnify in food webs, potentially reaching concentrations in high trophic level animals that pose a health concern for people who subsist on those animals. Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic may be highly exposed to POPs through their traditional diets. The objective of this study was to assess concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tissues of traditionally harvested foods from Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska. Community health researchers identified volunteer households and local hunters to donate tissues from traditionally harvested animals. Target species included bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), ringed seal (Pusa hispida), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata), spotted seal (Phoca largha), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). PBDEs were frequently detected in all species and tissues. PBDE concentrations tended to be highest in lipid-rich tissues of seals. PFAS were infrequently detected and did not show obvious patterns among species or tissues. This and other studies demonstrate that POPs such as PBDEs are present in tissues of traditional food animals from Sivuqaq, as they are throughout the Arctic, and consumption of these animals likely contributes to exposure among Arctic Indigenous Peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Byrne
- Department of Biology, Global Health Program, Middlebury College, Bicentennial Hall, Bicentennial Way, VT, 05753, Middlebury, USA.
| | | | - Vi Waghiyi
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | | | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Charles Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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Smith RJ, Kollus KM, Propper CR. Environmentally relevant arsenic exposure affects morphological and molecular endpoints associated with reproduction in the Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 830:154448. [PMID: 35307416 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) exposure, even at low environmentally relevant levels, may cause detrimental health outcomes through developmental toxicity and by acting as an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC). Although several studies indicate that wildlife bioaccumulate As, few evaluate the health impact on fish species in their natural environment. In the U.S., As has a drinking water regulatory limit of 10 μg/L. In many parts of Arizona, surface water and groundwater have naturally elevated levels of As from geologic deposits and contamination is exacerbated by anthropogenic activity. In aquatic environments, the Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, is a good bioindicator for EDC exposure because of the distinct androgen-related development of an intromittent organ, the gonapodium, in males. We evaluated morphological and reproductive outcomes in mosquitofish exposed to As. In a laboratory experiment, juvenile male mosquitofish were exposed to sodium arsenite (0 μg/L, 0.75 μg/L, 7.50 μg/L, and 75 μg/L) for 30 days, and in a field study, populations of adult male mosquitofish were collected in Arizona waterways with As levels above and below the World Health Organization's regulatory limit. In both studies, higher As exposure was significantly associated with altered hepatosomatic indices, altered fish morphology, shortened gonopodia, and lower gonopodia-somatic indices. In the field experiment, populations from surface water with higher As concentrations exhibited lower condition factors, lower gonadal-somatic indices, distinct gonopodia shapes, and altered estrogen receptor alpha and vitellogenin gene expression; androgen receptor expression was unchanged. Together, laboratory and field results suggest that As exposure at environmentally-relevant levels affects general growth and reproductive development in mosquitofish. Observed effects may further influence individual health, mobility, or reproductive function, and because G. affinis is a species known to tolerate and adapt to a wide range of environments, it serves as a local bioindicator species as well as a model organism for parallel field and laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley J Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Kalai M Kollus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Catherine R Propper
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
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7
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Jordan-Ward R, von Hippel FA, Zheng G, Salamova A, Dillon D, Gologergen J, Immingan T, Dominguez E, Miller P, Carpenter D, Postlethwait JH, Byrne S, Buck CL. Elevated mercury and PCB concentrations in Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) collected near a formerly used defense site on Sivuqaq, Alaska. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154067. [PMID: 35217049 PMCID: PMC9078153 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution causes adverse health effects in many organisms and contributes to health disparities for Arctic communities that depend on subsistence foods, including the Yupik residents of Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island), Alaska. Sivuqaq's proximity to Russia made it a strategic location for U.S. military defense sites during the Cold War. Two radar surveillance stations were installed on Sivuqaq, including at the Northeast Cape. High levels of persistent organic pollutants and toxic metals continue to leach from the Northeast Cape formerly used defense (FUD) site despite remediation efforts. We quantified total mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations, and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures, in skin and muscle samples from Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), an important subsistence species. We found that Hg and PCB concentrations significantly differed across locations, with the highest concentrations found in fish collected near the FUD site. We found that 89% of fish collected from near the FUD site had Hg concentrations that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) unlimited Hg-contaminated fish consumption screening level for subsistence fishers (0.049 μg/g). All fish sampled near the FUD site exceeded the EPA's PCB guidelines for cancer risk for unrestricted human consumption (0.0015 μg/g ww). Both Hg and PCB concentrations had a significant negative correlation with δ13C when sites receiving input from the FUD site were included in the analysis, but these relationships were insignificant when input sites were excluded. δ15N had a significant negative correlation with Hg concentration, but not with PCB concentration. These results suggest that the Northeast Cape FUD site remains a point source of Hg and PCB pollution and contributes to higher concentrations in resident fish, including subsistence species. Moreover, elevated Hg and PCB levels in fish near the FUD site may pose a health risk for Sivuqaq residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Jordan-Ward
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave., P.O. Box 245210, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
| | - Guomao Zheng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Amina Salamova
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jesse Gologergen
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - Tiffany Immingan
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - Elliott Dominguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, 1225 E. International Airport Road, Suite 220, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - David Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, 5 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - John H Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Samuel Byrne
- Middlebury College, Department of Biology and Global Health Program, 14 Old Chapel Rd, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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8
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Hale MD, Parrott BB. Assessing the Ability of Developmentally Precocious Estrogen Signaling to Recapitulate Ovarian Transcriptomes and Follicle Dynamics in Alligators from a Contaminated Lake. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:117003. [PMID: 33186072 PMCID: PMC7665278 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Concern has grown in recent decades over anthropogenic contaminants that interfere with the functioning of endocrine hormones. However, mechanisms connecting developmental processes to pathologies associated with endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure are poorly understood in naturally exposed populations. OBJECTIVES We sought to a) characterize divergence in ovarian transcriptomic and follicular profiles between alligators originating from a historically EDC-contaminated site, Lake Apopka, and a reference site; b) test the ability of developmentally precocious estrogen exposure to recapitulate site-associated patterns of divergence; and c) test whether treatment with exogenous follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is capable of rescuing phenotypes associated with contaminant exposure and/or embryonic estrogen treatment. METHODS Alligators eggs were collected from a contaminated site and a reference site, and a subset of eggs from the reference site were treated with estradiol (E2) during embryonic development prior to gonadal differentiation. After hatching, alligators were raised under controlled laboratory settings for 5 months. Juveniles from both sites were divided and treated with exogenous FSH. Histological analyses and RNA-sequencing were conducted to characterize divergence in ovarian follicle dynamics and transcriptomes between sites, between reference and E2-treated animals, and between FSH-treated and nontreated animals. RESULTS We observed broad site-of-origin divergence in ovarian transcriptomes and reductions in ovarian follicle density between juvenile alligators from Lake Apopka and the reference site. Treating embryos from the reference site with E2 overwhelmingly recapitulated transcriptional and histological alterations observed in Lake Apopka juveniles. Ovarian phenotypes observed in Lake Apopka alligators or resulting from estrogen treatment were only partially rescued by treatment with exogenous FSH. DISCUSSION Recapitulation of ovarian abnormalities by precocious E2 revealed a relatively simple mechanism underlying contaminant-induced pathologies in a historical example of environmental endocrine disruption. Findings reported here support a model where the developmental timing of estrogen signaling has the potential to permanently alter ovarian organization and function. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6627.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Hale
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Benjamin B. Parrott
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, USA
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Glucs ZE, Smith DR, Tubbs CW, Bakker VJ, Wolstenholme R, Dudus K, Burnett LJ, Clark M, Clark M, Finkelstein ME. Foraging behavior, contaminant exposure risk, and the stress response in wild California condors (Gymnogyps californianus). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 189:109905. [PMID: 32738723 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Wild California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are frequently exposed to lead via lead-based ammunition ingestion, and recent studies indicate significant exposure to organochlorines (e.g. dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) for condors feeding on beach-cast marine mammals. We investigated the influence of contaminant exposure on condor glucocorticoid response through comparisons between wild and captive populations and identification of modifiers of glucocorticoid release in wild condors. We assessed the glucocorticoid response to routine trapping and handling events through measurement of plasma corticosterone and urate glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM). Comparison of peak urate GCM levels showed wild condors exhibited higher responses to handling-associated stressors (2300 ± 1400 ng/g dry wt, average ± SD, n = 27) than captive condors (910 ± 490 ng/g dry wt., n = 6, U = 28, p = 0.003). Multiple linear regression models and an information theoretic approach (AICc) identified several extrinsic variables (e.g., time captive in flight pen before sample collection) that were negatively associated with plasma corticosterone and urate GCM levels in wild condors, which explained ~25% of glucocorticoid variation. When accounting for these extrinsic variables we found that behavioral variables associated with increased lead and organochlorine exposure risk were positively associated with GCM levels, explaining an additional 15% of glucocorticoid variation among wild condors. Days absent from management area, a variable associated with reduced survival attributed to increased lead exposure risk, had a positive influence on plasma corticosterone levels (β = 53 ± 20 SE) and peak urate GCM levels (β = 1090 ± 586 SE). Years observed feeding on marine mammals, a variable positively associated with DDE and PCB exposure, positively influenced peak urate GCM (β = 1100 ± 520 SE) and the magnitude of GCM response (peak GCM - 1st urate GCM) (β = 1050 ± 500 SE). Our findings suggest that individual propensities for contaminant-associated foraging behaviors predict higher stress-induced glucocorticoid levels in wild condors, and that accounting for variables associated with trapping and handling is essential for assessing the impact of environmental stressors such as contaminants on the condor stress response. As an abnormal glucocorticoid response to stress is associated with reduced reproduction and survival in vertebrates, this work indicates the need for further investigations into the physiological impacts of sub-lethal contaminant exposures in scavenging species worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeka E Glucs
- Predatory Bird Research Group, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Donald R Smith
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Christopher W Tubbs
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, USA
| | | | - Rachel Wolstenholme
- National Park Service, Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, 12, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kristina Dudus
- National Park Service, Interior Region 2, Gulf Breeze, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Michael Clark
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Myra E Finkelstein
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Zheng G, Miller P, von Hippel FA, Buck CL, Carpenter DO, Salamova A. Legacy and emerging semi-volatile organic compounds in sentinel fish from an arctic formerly used defense site in Alaska. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 259:113872. [PMID: 32069693 PMCID: PMC7082201 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is subject to long-range atmospheric deposition of globally-distilled semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that bioaccumulate and biomagnify in lipid-rich food webs. In addition, locally contaminated sites may also contribute SVOCs to the arctic environment. Specifically, Alaska has hundreds of formerly used defense (FUD) sites, many of which are co-located with Alaska Native villages in remote parts of the state. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of SVOC contamination on Alaska's St. Lawrence Island through the analysis of sentinel fish, the ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius), collected from Troutman Lake located within the watershed of an FUD site and adjacent to the Yupik community of Gambell. We measured the concentrations of legacy and emerging SVOCs in 303 fish samples (81 composites), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs) and their diester metabolites, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PBDEs and PCBs were the most abundant SVOC groups found in stickleback with ΣPBDE and ΣPCB median concentrations of 25.8 and 10.9 ng/g ww, respectively, followed by PFAS (median ΣPFAS 7.22 ng/g ww). ΣOPE and ΣOPE metabolite concentrations were lower with median concentrations of 4.97 and 1.18 ng/g ww, respectively. Chemical patterns and distributions based on correlations and comparison with SVOC concentrations in stickleback from other parts of the island suggest strong local sources of PCBs, PBDEs, and PFAS on St. Lawrence Island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guomao Zheng
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK, 99518, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, 12222, USA
| | - Amina Salamova
- O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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11
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Mancia A, Chenet T, Bono G, Geraci ML, Vaccaro C, Munari C, Mistri M, Cavazzini A, Pasti L. Adverse effects of plastic ingestion on the Mediterranean small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 155:104876. [PMID: 31965976 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are widely diffused in the oceans and their ingestion by marine organisms is raising concern for potentially adverse effects. The risk of harmful interactions with marine plastic pollution depends on the biology of the species as well as the distribution and abundance of the different plastic types. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of plastic ingestion by the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula), one of the most abundant elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean Sea. The expression levels of genes indicative of total immune system function were analyzed to gather preliminary data for further investigation of any potential correlations between plastic presence and immune activation. One hundred catsharks were collected during the Spring 2018 in two geographic locations in the southern region of the central Mediterranean Sea: 1) near Mazara del Vallo, SW Sicily and 2) near Lampedusa island, Italy's southernmost. Standard measurements were recorded for each specimen and its organs and sex was determined. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was preserved for plastic detection and identification. Where present, plastics (macro- and micro-) were characterized in terms of size, shape and polymer typology through microscopy and μ-Raman spectroscopy. Spleen from a subset of thirty samples was preserved for RNA extraction, then used to quantify by real time PCR the transcripts of T cell receptor beta (TCRB), T cell receptor delta (TCRD) and IgM genes. The results indicated that ingestion of plastic is widespread, with microplastics (MP, from 1 μm to <1 mm) abundantly present in nearly all samples and macroplasticplastic (MaP, > 1 cm) in approximately 18% of the specimens collected. A significant increase in the expression of TCRB, TCRD and IgM was observed in the spleen of MaP + specimens from Mazara del Vallo waters, in parallel with 67% increase in liver weight. While the presence of MP alone is not enough to induce a strong activation of the immunity, some type of plastics falling into the MaP category may be more toxic than others and crucial in the activation of the immune response. The results of this study represent a first evidence that plastic pollution represents an emerging threat to S. canicula, the Mediterranean food web and human consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Mancia
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Tatiana Chenet
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Bono
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies - IRBIM, National Research Council (CNR), Via Vaccara, 61, 91026, Mazara del Vallo (TP), Italy
| | - Michele Luca Geraci
- Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies - IRBIM, National Research Council (CNR), Via Vaccara, 61, 91026, Mazara del Vallo (TP), Italy
| | - Carmela Vaccaro
- Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristina Munari
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Michele Mistri
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alberto Cavazzini
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Luisa Pasti
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via L. Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy
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12
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Adams EM, von Hippel FA, Hungate BA, Buck CL. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination of subsistence species on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Archipelago. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02989. [PMID: 31890953 PMCID: PMC6926255 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of synthetic, lipophilic organochlorines that were banned due to their impacts on human and wildlife health and environmental persistence. Although banned, the continued release from pre-banned products allows them to persist at toxic levels in the environment. This is especially the case in lipid rich food webs of the Arctic, where PCBs accumulate due to both long-range atmospheric transport and locally contaminated sites such as formerly used defense (FUD) sites. At the request of the leadership of the Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Archipelago, we analyzed PCB concentrations in samples of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and subsistence foods (i.e., salmonid species and blue mussels [Mytilus edulis]) collected at both FUD and non-FUD sites. PCBs were extracted from samples using a QuEChERS method. The mean PCB concentrations across all mussel samples was 6.1 ppb; mussels from FUD sites had nearly double the PCB concentrations (7.6 ppb) compared to non-military sites (3.9 ppb), and at two FUD sites the PCB concentrations exceeded safe consumption guidelines. The mean total PCB concentration for fish was 2.8 ppb; fish PCB concentrations were higher at FUD sites (3.2 ppb) compared to non-military sites (1.2 ppb). These results support the need to remediate the FUD sites of "Building 551/T Dock to Airport" and "Delta Western". More generally, these results provide further evidence of the continued problem of PCB contamination at FUD sites in the Arctic, many of which are co-located with indigenous communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise M Adams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, USA
| | | | - Bruce A Hungate
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, USA
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13
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Dixon G, Kitano J, Kirkpatrick M. The Origin of a New Sex Chromosome by Introgression between Two Stickleback Fishes. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:28-38. [PMID: 30272243 PMCID: PMC6340465 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introgression is increasingly recognized as a source of genetic diversity that fuels adaptation. Its role in the evolution of sex chromosomes, however, is not well known. Here, we confirm the hypothesis that the Y chromosome in the ninespine stickleback, Pungitius pungitius, was established by introgression from the Amur stickleback, P. sinensis. Using whole genome resequencing, we identified a large region of Chr 12 in P. pungitius that is diverged between males and females. Within but not outside of this region, several lines of evidence show that the Y chromosome of P. pungitius shares a most recent common ancestor not with the X chromosome, but with the homologous chromosome in P. sinensis. Accumulation of repetitive elements and gene expression changes on the new Y are consistent with a young sex chromosome in early stages of degeneration, but other hallmarks of Y chromosomes have not yet appeared. Our findings indicate that porous species boundaries can trigger rapid sex chromosome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Groves Dixon
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX
| | - Jun Kitano
- Division of Ecological Genetics, Department of Population Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Mark Kirkpatrick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX
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14
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Rojas-Hernandez N, Véliz D, Vega-Retter C. Selection of suitable reference genes for gene expression analysis in gills and liver of fish under field pollution conditions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3459. [PMID: 30837616 PMCID: PMC6401100 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40196-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand the role of gene expression in adaptive variation, it is necessary to examine expression variation in an ecological context. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is considered the most accurate and reliable technique to measure gene expression and to validate the data obtained by RNA-seq; however, accurate normalization is crucial. In Chile, the freshwater silverside fish Basilichthys microlepidotus inhabits both polluted and nonpolluted areas, showing differential gene expression related to pollution. In this study, we infer the stability of six potential reference genes (tubulin alpha, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, beta-actin, 60S ribosomal protein L13, and 60S ribosomal protein L8) in the gills and liver of silverside individuals inhabiting polluted and nonpolluted areas. To validate the reference genes selected, the most and least stable reference genes were used to normalize two target transcripts, one for each organ. The RefFinder tool was used to analyze and identify the most stably expressed genes. The 60S ribosomal protein L8 gene was ranked as the most stable gene for both organs. Our results show that reference gene selection influences the detection of differences in the expression levels of target genes in different organs and, also highlighting candidate reference genes that could be used in field studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemí Rojas-Hernandez
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - David Véliz
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Núcleo Milenio de Ecología y Manejo Sustentable de Islas Oceánicas (ESMOI), Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Caren Vega-Retter
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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15
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Wang S, Zhu Z, He J, Yue X, Pan J, Wang Z. Steroidal and phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in surface water of Bahe River, China: Distribution, bioaccumulation, risk assessment and estrogenic effect on Hemiculter leucisculus. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 243:103-114. [PMID: 30172116 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.08.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated selected steroidal and phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the surface water of the Bahe River (China) using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Their effect on the wild sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus was investigated. The concentrations of 4-t-octylphenol, nonylphenol, bisphenol-A, estrone, 17 β-estradiol, 17 α-Ethinylestradiol, and estriol were up to 126.0, 634.8, 1573.1, 55.9, 23.9, 31.5, and 5.2 ng L-1 in the surface water, and up to 26.4, 103.5, 146.9, 14.2, 9.3, 13.8, and 1.3 ng g-1 in the fish muscle tissue, respectively. High estrogen equivalent levels and hazard quotients were found in the middle and lower reaches of the river, and the pollution in these regions caused enhanced growth conditions, inhibition of gonad growth, and suppression of spermatogenesis in H. leucisculus. The up-regulation of Vitellogenin mRNA expression in male fish, collected from relatively heavily EDCs contaminated areas, indicates a potential estrogenic effect. The differential expression profiles of genes related to steroidogenesis at all sampling sites suggests that these endpoints may play an important role for the pollution monitoring of estrogenic EDCs in the Bahe River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zeliang Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jiafa He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiaoya Yue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jianxiong Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zaizhao Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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16
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Byrne SC, Miller P, Seguinot-Medina S, Waghiyi V, Buck CL, von Hippel FA, Carpenter DO. Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and associations with serum thyroid hormones in a remote population of Alaska Natives. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 166:537-543. [PMID: 29958161 PMCID: PMC6932630 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are known to accumulate in traditional food animals of the Arctic, and arctic indigenous peoples may be exposed via consumption of subsistence-harvested animals. PFASs are suspected of disrupting thyroid hormone homeostasis in humans. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between serum PFASs and thyroid function in a remote population of Alaska Natives. Serum samples were collected from 85 individuals from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. The concentrations of 13 PFASs, as well as free and total thyroxine (T4), free and total triiodothyronine (T3), and thyrotropin (TSH) were quantified in serum samples. The relationships between circulating concentrations of PFASs and thyroid hormones were assessed using multiple linear regression fit with generalized estimating equations. Several PFASs, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), were positively associated with TSH concentrations when modeled individually. PFOS and PFNA were significantly associated with free T3 and PFNA was significantly associated with total T3 in models with PFAS*sex interactive terms; these associations suggested negative associations in men and positive associations in women. PFASs were not significantly associated with concentrations of free or total T4. Serum PFASs are associated with circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in a remote population of Alaska Natives. The effects of PFAS exposure on thyroid hormone homeostasis may differ between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel C Byrne
- Environmental Studies, St. Lawrence University, 23 Romoda Drive, Canton, NY, USA.
| | - Pamela Miller
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | - Vi Waghiyi
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences & Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Biological Sciences & Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - David O Carpenter
- Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany, Rensselaer, NY, USA
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