Today, the list of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in freshwater and marine environments that mimic or block endogenous hormones is expanding at an alarming rate. As immune and reproductive systems may interact in a bidirectional way, some authors proposed the immune capacities as attractive markers to evaluate the hormonal potential of environmental samples. Thus, the present work proposed to gain more knowledge on direct biological effects of natural and EDCs on female fish splenic leucocyte non-specific immune activities by using ex vivo assays. After determining the optimal required conditions to analyze splenic immune responses, seven different EDCs were tested ex vivo at 0.01, 1 and 100nM over 12h on the leucocyte functions of female three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. In summary, we found that natural hormones acted as immunostimulants, whilst EDCs were immunosuppressive.

Deca-brominated diphenyl ether (deca-BDE), composed mainly of BDE-209, is subject to usage restrictions in North America and Europe, although global action on its continued use has yet to be undertaken. Relatively large concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), especially BDE-209 and its higher brominated degradation products, have been reported in tissues of ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) breeding near the densely populated city of Montreal (QC, Canada). There is limited knowledge of BDE-209 biotransformation and toxicokinetics in birds. Deiodinases, a class of enzymes catalyzing thyroid hormone conversion, have been suggested to be involved in BDE-209 debromination in birds. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships between PBDE concentrations and type 1 deiodinase (D1) transcription and in vitro activity (microsomes) in livers of Montreal-breeding ring-billed gulls. The ring-billed gulls exhibiting the highest D1 activity in liver microsomes accumulated the greatest liver concentrations of hepta-BDEs and octa-BDEs. Activity of D1 was inversely related to concentration ratios of BDE-209 to octa-BDEs and ∑hepta-BDE. An even stronger inverse relation was found between D1 activity and BDE-209 to ∑nona + octa + hepta-BDE concentration ratios. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of D1 in gull livers were inversely associated with liver concentrations of ∑octa-BDE. The present study's findings suggest that D1 is potentially involved in BDE-209 biotransformation and accumulation of higher brominated PBDEs in livers of ring-billed gulls. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2215-2222. © 2016 SETAC.

No abstract

No abstract