PCB-associated changes in mRNA expression in killer whales (Orcinus orca) from the NE Pacific Ocean.

Killer whales in the NE Pacific Ocean are among the world's most PCB-contaminated marine mammals, raising concerns about implications for their health. Sixteen health-related killer whale mRNA transcripts were analyzed in blubber biopsies collected from 35 free-ranging killer whales in British Columbia using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We observed PCB-related increases in the expression of five gene targets, including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR; r(2) = 0.83; p < 0.001), thyroid hormone α receptor (TRα; r(2) = 0.64; p < 0.001), estrogen α receptor (ERα; r(2) = 0.70; p < 0.001), interleukin 10 (IL-10; r(2) = 0.74 and 0.68, males and females, respectively; p < 0.001), and metallothionein 1 (MT1; r(2) = 0.58; p < 0.001). Best-fit models indicated that population (dietary preference), age, and sex were not confounding factors, except for IL-10, where males differed from females. While the population-level consequences are unclear, the PCB-associated alterations in mRNA abundance of such pivotal end points provide compelling evidence of adverse physiological effects of persistent environmental contaminants in these endangered killer whales.

PCBs can diminish the influence of temperature on thyroid indices in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The influence of PCBs on the thyroid status of rainbow trout was assessed at various temperatures to identify if PCB mixtures, as well OH-PCBs produced via biotransformation of parent PCBs, can illicit thyroid effects in fish. Juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) held at 8, 12 or 16 degrees C were exposed to dietary concentrations of an environmentally relevant mixture of PCBs for 30 days followed by a depuration phase. Two additional treatments at 12 degrees C included higher concentrations of PCBs (congeners 77, 126 and 169) known to induce CYP1A in fish (referred to as CYP1A treatment) and PCBs (congeners 87, 99, 101, 153, 180, 183 and 194) known to induce CYP2B in mammals (referred to as CYP2 treatment), to assess the influence of more biologically relevant PCB congeners on thyroid indices in fish. Growth rate and liver somatic index varied with water temperature (p<0.05) but did not differ between PCB exposed and control fish (p>0.05) and mortality was low in all treatments. Changes in some measures of thyroid status were apparent in PCB-exposed fish held in the 12 and 16 degrees C treatments while other measures showed no change in any treatment. The natural inverse relationship between thyroid epithelial cell height (TECH) and temperature, was diminished after 30 days of exposure to PCBs as the epithelial cell height in PCB-exposed fish was significantly augmented in the 12 and 16 degrees C treatments compared to controls at these temperatures (p<0.05). However, after 20 days of depuration, TECH values in the PCB exposed fish returned to control values. The natural linear gradient between T(4) outer-ring deiodinase activity (ORD) and temperature was also diminished after 30 days of exposure to PCBs. PCB-exposed fish from the 16 degrees C treatment had significantly lower deiodinase activities (p<0.05) compared to controls at this temperature, but deiodinase activities returned to normal by day 20 of depuration. No differences were observed in T(3) inner-ring deiodinase (IRD) activities and plasma concentrations of T(3) and T(4) in any of the treatments (p>0.05). EROD activity in fish from the CYP1A and CYP2 treatments were elevated compared to control and high dose PCB-exposed treatments (p<0.05), but the inclusion of CYP inducing congeners did not appear to influence any index of thyroid status. Results of this study suggest that exposure of rainbow trout to high concentrations of PCBs and/or OH-PCBs may alter some indices of thyroid status when water temperatures are high, but these changes are within the compensatory scope of the thyroid system based on no change in circulating hormone concentrations, growth rates or mortality.

Role of temperature and enzyme induction in the biotransformation of polychlorinated biphenyls and bioformation of hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs) are metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that have recently been found in the plasma of Great Lakes fish. Studies have shown that the ability of laboratory-held rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to bioform OH-PCBs from dietary mixtures of PCB congeners is complex and may be attributed to factors such as temperature and/or enzyme induction. Past studies have also suggested that CYP1A- and 2B-like enzymes are the likely mechanism for forming OH-PCBs, but this has not been directly studied in a controlled setting. To address these issues, we exposed rainbow trout (-80 g) to dietary concentrations of a mixture of three Aroclors (1248, 1254, and 1260), at three water temperatures (8, 12, and 16 oC), as well as additional PCBs known to induce CYP1A- and CYP2B-like isoforms in mammals. PCB half-lives in trout were inversely related to water temperature, but biotransformation of PCBs was positively related to water temperature. Thirty-one OH-PCBs were observed in trout plasma after 30 days of dietary exposure to the Aroclor mixtures, although approximately 40% of the sigmaOH-PCBs concentrations were OH-PCB for which no standards were available. Concentration of OH-PCBs in the trout plasma increased with increasing temperature and with the addition of CYP2B-like inducing congeners but not with the addition of CYP1A-inducing congeners to food. The results of this study provide the first in vivo evidence that rainbow trout are responsive to CYP2B-like induction by PCBs and that this enzyme system can influence PCB concentrations and OH-PCB formation in fish.

Biotransformation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and bioformation of hydroxylated PCBs in fish.

Hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs) are a class of organic contaminants that have been found recently in the plasma of Great Lakes fish, the source of which is either bioformation from PCBs or accumulation from the environment. To address the potential for fish to biotransform PCBs and bioform OH-PCBs juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; approximately 80 g) were exposed to dietary concentrations of an environmentally relevant mixture of PCBs. Eight OH-PCBs were found in the plasma of rainbow trout after 30 days of exposure to the PCBs, the relative pattern of which was similar to those observed in wild lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from Lake Ontario. Hydroxylated-PCBs were not found (detection limit 0.02 pg/g) in the food or control (not PCB-exposed) fish. A curvilinear logt(1/2)-logK(ow) relationship for recalcitrant PCBs was found, similar to previously reported relationships, although t(1/2) values were longer and shorter than studies using smaller fish or cooler temperatures, respectively. A number of PCB congeners fell below the logt(1/2)-logK(ow) relationship providing the first estimates of non-chiral PCB biotransformation rates in fish. Enantioselective degradation of the chiral congeners PCBs 91 and 136, also indicated biotransformation. Biotransformation of PCBs was structure-dependent with greater biotransformation of PCBs with vicinal hydrogen atoms in the meta/para positions, suggesting CYP 2B-like biotransformation. Other chiral congeners with a meta/para substitution pattern showed no enantioselective degradation but were biotransformed based on the logt(1/2)-logK(ow) relationship. The results of this study demonstrate that laboratory held rainbow trout can biotransform a number of PCB congeners and that bioformation is likely an important source of OH-PCBs in wild salmonids of the Great Lakes.

Toxicokinetics of three polychlorinated biphenyl technical mixtures in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Accumulation and depuration parameters of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish have been reported only for a few congeners. As well, there is little information on the ability of fish to biotransform PCBs. To address these issues, juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to dietary concentrations of three Aroclor mixtures (1248, 1254, 1260) in food for 30 d followed by an additional 160 d of nonspiked food at 8 degrees C. Accumulation, depuration, and potential biotransformation of 92 PCB congeners were assessed. Half-lives (t1/2) of PCB congeners ranged from 79 to 182 d, assimilation efficiencies ranged from 40 to 50% and biomagnification factors (BMF) ranged from 2.9 to 6.9. No evidence of significant biotransformation of any PCB congeners was found. All 92 congeners fell on the same t1/2 to Kow relationship as 16 preselected PCB congeners previously shown to persist in fish and no hydroxylated PCB metabolites (OH-PCBs) were detected in the plasma after 30 d of exposure. These findings suggest that OH-PCBs observed in feral fish may be accumulated from sources other than internal metabolism of the parent congeners, at least for juvenile fish at cool temperatures. Because t1/2s in this experiment were slower than t1/2s reported in other work, water temperature also may be an important factor in determining the t1/2s of all PCB congeners in fish.

Organochlorine contaminants in seven species of Arctic seabirds from northern Baffin Bay.

Organochlorine contaminants (OCs) were determined in liver and fat of seven species of seabirds (Alle alle, Uria lomvia, Cepphus grylle, Rissa tridactyla, Pagophila eburnea, Larus hyperboreus, and Fulmaris glacialis) collected in May/June 1998 from the Northwater Polynya in northern Baffin Bay. OC concentrations ranged over an order of magnitude between seabird species and OC groups, with PCBs having the highest concentrations followed by DDT, chlordane, HCH and ClBz. Positive relationships between delta15N (estimator of trophic level) and OC concentrations (lipid basis) were found for all OC groups, showing that trophic position and biomagnification significantly influence OC concentrations in Arctic seabirds. Concentrations of a number of OCs in particular species (e.g., HCH in P. eburnean) were lower than expected based on delta15N and was attributed to biotransformation. P. eburnea and F. glacialis, which scavenge, and R. tridactyla, which migrate from the south, were consistently above the delta15N-OC regression providing evidence that these variables can elevate OC concentrations. Stable isotope measurements in muscle may not be suitable for identifying past scavenging events by seabirds. OC relative proportions were related to trophic position and phylogeny, showing that OC biotransformation varies between seabird groups. Trophic level, migration, scavenging and biotransformation all play important roles in the OCs found in Arctic seabirds.