Biomarkers of contaminant exposure in northern pike (Esox lucius) from the Yukon River Basin, Alaska

As part of a larger investigation, northern pike (n = 158; Esox lucius) were collected from ten sites in the Yukon River Basin (YRB), Alaska, to document biomarkers and their correlations with organochlorine pesticide (total p,p'-DDT, total chlordane, dieldrin, and toxaphene), total polychlorin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology 2007-05, Vol.52 (4), p.549-562
Main Authors: HINCK, J. E, BLAZER, V. S, DENSLOW, N. D, MYERS, M. S, GROSS, T. S, TILLITT, D. E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alaska
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Arsenic - metabolism
Arsenic - toxicity
Biological and medical sciences
Biomarkers
Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 - metabolism
Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene - metabolism
Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene - toxicity
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental Monitoring
Esocidae - parasitology
Esocidae - physiology
Esox lucius
Estradiol - blood
Female
Fish
Fresh water ecosystems
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Gills - drug effects
Gills - parasitology
Gills - pathology
Kidney - drug effects
Kidney - parasitology
Kidney - pathology
Liver - drug effects
Liver - parasitology
Liver - pathology
Macrophages - immunology
Male
Metals, Heavy - metabolism
Metals, Heavy - toxicity
Oocytes - drug effects
Oocytes - physiology
PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychlorinated Biphenyls - metabolism
Polychlorinated Biphenyls - toxicity
Rivers
Selenium
Spleen - drug effects
Spleen - immunology
Spleen - pathology
Steroids
Synecology
Testosterone - analogs & derivatives
Testosterone - blood
Vitellogenins - metabolism
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
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Summary:As part of a larger investigation, northern pike (n = 158; Esox lucius) were collected from ten sites in the Yukon River Basin (YRB), Alaska, to document biomarkers and their correlations with organochlorine pesticide (total p,p'-DDT, total chlordane, dieldrin, and toxaphene), total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and elemental contaminant (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, total mercury, selenium, and zinc) concentrations. A suite of biomarkers including somatic indices, hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, vitellogenin concentrations, steroid hormone (17B- ustradiol and 16-kebtestosteront) concentrations, splenic macrophage aggregates (MAs), oocyte atresia, and other microscopic anomalies in various tissues were documented in YRB pike. Mean condition factor (0.50 to 0.68), hepatosomatic index (1.00% to 3.56%), and splenosomatic index (0.09% to 0.18%) were not anomalous at any site nor correlated with any contaminant concentration. Mean EROD activity (0.71 to 17.51 pmol/min/mg protein) was similar to basal activity levels previously measured in pike and was positively correlated with selenium concentrations (r = 0.88, P < 0.01). Vitellogenin concentrations in female (0.09 to 5.32 mg/mL) and male (0.01 mg/mL in male pike from multiple sites indicated exposure to estrogenic compounds. Mean steroid hormone concentrations and percent oocyte atresia were not anomalous in pike from any YRB site. Few site differences were significant for mean MA density (1.86 to 6.42 MA/mm(2)), size (812 to 1481 microm(2)), and tissue occupied (MA-%; 0.24% to 0.75%). A linear regression between MA-% and total PCBs was significant, although PCB concentrations were generally low in YRB pike (< or =63 ng/g), and MA-% values in female pike (0.24% to 0.54%) were lower than in male pike (0.32% to 0.75%) at similar PCB concentrations. Greater numbers of MAs were found as zinc concentrations increased in YRB female pike, but it is unlikely that this is a causative relationship. Histological abnormalities observed in gill, liver, spleen, and kidney tissues were not likely a result of contaminant exposure but provide information on the general health of YRB pike. The most common histologic anomalies were parasitic infestations in various organs and developing nephrons and nephrocalcinosis in posterior kidney tissues. Overall, few biomarker responses in YRB pike were c
ISSN:0090-4341
1432-0703
DOI:10.1007/s00244-006-0134-z