Biomarker response and hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis functioning in Arctic charr from Bjørnøya (74°30′ N), Norway, with high levels of organohalogenated compounds

Jørgensen, Even H.; Maule, Alec G.; Evenset, Anita; Christensen, Guttorm; Bytningsvik, Jenny; Frantzen, Marianne; Nikiforov, Vladimir; Faught, Erin; Vijayan, Mathilakath M.

doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.03.017

Cited by 6 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…When PCC were contrasted between fish from habitats of different contaminant load, fish from the polluted site exhibited lower PCC. This different response in either site could be due to the effect of certain aquatic contaminants, since there is strong evidence that can inhibit post-stress cortisol levels (Hontela et al, 1992;Jorgensen et al, 2017;Leblond et al, 2001;Quabius et al, 1997) or delay the stress response (Marentette et al, 2012;Norris et al, 1999). Importantly, altered PCC may suggest a reduced capacity of the fish to tolerate subsequent or additional stressors from their natural settings (Angelier and Wingfield, 2012;Odermatt et al, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Long-term exposure to pollutants, such as metals, pesticides, and other organics, can cause the chronic activation of the HPI axis, which as mentioned, can have detrimental consequences on fish performance (Mommsen et al, 1999;Scott and Sloman, 2004). Many researchers have explored the effects of environmental contaminants on the fish stress response, either measuring cortisol in blood (Hontela et al, 1992;Jorgensen et al, 2017;Miller et al, 2009) the surrounding water (Pottinger et al, 2016) or using whole-body homogenates (Belanger et al, 2016;King et al, 2016;Pottinger et al, 2013). Measurement of cortisol in scales could be a better option when an integrated measure of the HPI axis activity over longer periods is needed to enhance the ''snapshot'' of cortisol measurement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variation in scale cortisol concentrations of a wild freshwater fish: Habitat quality or seasonal influences?

Carbajal

Talló-Parra

Monclús

et al. 2019

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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A significant body of literature suggests that aquatic pollutants can interfere with the physiological function of the fish hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis, and eventually impair the ability to cope with subsequent stressors. For this reason, development of accurate techniques to assess fish stress responses have become of growing interest. Fish scales have been recently recognized as a biomaterial that accumulates cortisol, hence it can be potentially used to assess chronic stress in laboratory conditions. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the applicability of this novel method for cortisol assessment in fish within their natural environment. Catalan chub (Squalius laietanus) were sampled from two sites; a highly polluted and a less polluted (reference) site, in order to examine if habitat quality could potentially influence the cortisol deposition in scales. We also evaluated the seasonal variation in scale cortisol levels by sampling fish at three different time points during spring-summer 2014. In each sampling, blood was collected to complement the information provided by the scales. Our results demonstrated that blood and scale cortisol levels from individuals inhabiting the reference site were significantly correlated, therefore increasing the applicability of the method as a sensitive-individual measure of fish HPI axis activity, at least in non-polluted habitats. Since different environmental conditions could potentially alter the usefulness of the technique, results highlight that further validation is required to better interpret hormone fluctuations in fish scales. Scale cortisol concentrations were unaffected by habitat quality although fish from the polluted environment presented lower circulating cortisol levels. We detected a seasonal increase in scale cortisol values concurring with an energetically costly period for the species, supporting the idea that the analysis of cortisol in scales reveals changes in the HPI axis activity. Taken together, the present study suggests that cortisol levels in scales are more likely to be influenced by mid-term, intense energetically demanding periods rather than by long-term stressors. Measurement of cortisol in fish scales can open the possibility to study novel spatiotemporal contexts of interest, yet further research is required to better understand its biological relevance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in scale cortisol concentrations of a wild freshwater fish: Habitat quality or seasonal influences?

Carbajal

Talló-Parra

Monclús

et al. 2019

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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“…The chemical analysis indicates that the fish population in Ellasjøen is subjected to higher risk of biological effects than the Laksvatn fish population. A statement supported by previous observation of approximately 50 fold higher hepatic cytochrome P450(CYP)1A enzyme levels in Arctic char from Ellasjøen compared to those from another low-contaminated lake on Bjørnøya (Lake Øyangen) in addition to lower glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein expression, elevated heat shock proteins expression (Wiseman et al 2011), higher level of DNA double strand breaks in Lake Ellasjøen char (Neerland., 2016), higher liver cyp1a mRNA abundance, and altered mRNA abundance of key genes related to HPI axis functioning in the Lake Ellasjøen char compared to the Lake Laksvatn char (Jørgensen et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In Ellasjøen fish, highest concentrations were observed for ∑PCBs with concentrations > 10000 ng/g lipid weight in both muscle and ovary tissue (Bytingsvik et al, 2015). The higher contaminant concentrations in Arctic char from Lake Ellasjøen compared to Lake Laksvatn have been linked to higher levels of double DNA-strand breaks (Neerland, 2016), higher hepatic cytochrome P450(CYP)1A enzyme levels, lower glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein expression, elevated heat shock proteins expression (Wiseman et al, 2011), and altered mRNA abundance of key genes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis functioning suggestive of endocrine disruptive effects (Jørgensen et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The population of Arctic char in lake Ellasjøen at Bjørnøya is known to be exposed to several different POPs, and endocrine disruptive effects have been suggested to occur in this population based on observations of altered mRNA abundance of key genes related to the HPI axis functioning (Jørgensen et al, 2017). It is therefore of interest to investigate whether the contaminant cocktail in the livers of spawning Arctic char can affect reproductive processes and cell viability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterizing cytotoxic and estrogenic activity of Arctic char tissue extracts in primary Arctic char hepatocytes

Petersen

Hultman

Bytingsvik

et al. 2017

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A

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Contaminants from various anthropogenic activities are detected in the Arctic due to long-range atmospheric transport, ocean currents, and living organisms such as migrating fish or seabirds. Although levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Arctic fish are generally low, local hot spots of contamination were found in freshwater systems such as Lake Ellasjøen at Bjørnøya (Bear Island, Norway). Higher concentrations of organic halogenated compounds (OHC), and higher levels of cytochrome P450 and DNA-double strand breaks were reported in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from this lake compared to fish from other lakes on Bjørnøya. Although several of the measured contaminants are potential endocrine disrupters, few studies have investigated potential endocrine disruptive effects of the contaminant cocktail in this fish population. The aim of this study was to compare acutely toxic and estrogenic potency of the cocktail of pollutants as evidenced by cytotoxic and/or estrogenic effects in vitro using extracts of Arctic char livers from contaminated Lake Ellasjøen with those from less contaminated Lake Laksvatn at Bjørnøya. This was performed by in situ sampling and contaminant extraction from liver tissue, followed by chemical analysis and in vitro testing of the following contaminated tissue extracts: F1-nonpolar OHC, F2-polar pesticides and metabolites of OHC, and F3-polar OHC. Contaminant levels were highest in extracts from Ellasjøen fish. The F2 and F3 extracts from Lake Laksvatn and Lake Ellasjøen fish reduced in vitro cell viability at a concentration ratio of 0.03-1 relative to tissue concentration in Arctic char. Only the F3 liver extract from Ellasjøen fish increased in vitro vitellogenin protein expression. Although compounds such as estrogenic OH-PCBs were quantified in Ellasjøen F3 extracts, it remains to be determined which compounds were inducing estrogenic effects.

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DNA Double‐Strand Breaks in Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) from Bjørnøya in the Norwegian Arctic

Neerland

Bytingsvik

Nikiforov

et al. 2019

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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High levels of organochlorine contaminants (OCs) have been found in arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from Lake Ellasjøen, Bjørnøya (Norwegian Arctic). The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential genotoxic effect of environmental organochlorine contaminant exposure in arctic char from Ellasjøen compared with arctic char from the low‐contaminated Lake Laksvatn nearby. Blood was analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis and image data analysis to quantify the fraction of total DNA that migrated into the gel (DNA‐FTM) as a relative measure of DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs). Analysis by GC‐MS of muscle samples showed an average 43 times higher concentration of ΣOCs in arctic char from Ellasjøen (n = 18) compared with Laksvatn char (n = 21). Char from Lake Ellasjøen had a much higher frequency of DSBs, as measured by DNA‐FTM, than char from Lake Laksvatn. Principal component analysis and multiple linear regressions show that there was a significant positive relationship between DSBs and levels of organochlorine contaminants in the char. In addition, DSBs were less frequent in reproductively mature char than in immature char. The results suggest that organochlorine contaminants are genotoxic to arctic char. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:2405–2413. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC

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Biomarker response and hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis functioning in Arctic charr from Bjørnøya (74°30′ N), Norway, with high levels of organohalogenated compounds

Cited by 6 publications

References 33 publications

Variation in scale cortisol concentrations of a wild freshwater fish: Habitat quality or seasonal influences?

Variation in scale cortisol concentrations of a wild freshwater fish: Habitat quality or seasonal influences?

Characterizing cytotoxic and estrogenic activity of Arctic char tissue extracts in primary Arctic char hepatocytes

DNA Double‐Strand Breaks in Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) from Bjørnøya in the Norwegian Arctic

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