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 Colum...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2011-12, Vol.45 (23), p.10194-10202
Main Authors: Buckman, Andrea H, Veldhoen, Nik, Ellis, Graeme, Ford, John K. B, Helbing, Caren C, Ross, Peter S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Biopsy
Ecotoxicology and Human Environmental Health
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Environmental Monitoring
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene expression
Gene Expression - drug effects
General aspects
Male
Mammalia
Pacific Ocean
PCB
Physiology
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychlorinated Biphenyls - toxicity
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Whale, Killer - metabolism
Whales & whaling
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary: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; r2 = 0.83; p < 0.001), thyroid hormone α receptor (TRα; r2 = 0.64; p < 0.001), estrogen α receptor (ERα; r2 = 0.70; p < 0.001), interleukin 10 (IL-10; r2 = 0.74 and 0.68, males and females, respectively; p < 0.001), and metallothionein 1 (MT1; r2 = 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.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es201541j