Vitamins A₁, A₂, and E in minks exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1242®) and copper, VIA diet based on freshwater or marine fish

Abstract

Minks (Mustela vison) fed diets based on either freshwater fish or marine fish were exposed to 1 mg of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (Aroclor 1242) daily for 28 d. To minks on the freshwater diet, copper (62 mg/kg food) was also given with or without PCBs. The marine diet (vitamin-rich plus additional supplements) included more vitamin A 1 and E than the freshwater diet. We studied how the exposures affected levels of vitamins A 1 , A 2 , and E in liver and adipose tissues and levels of vitamins A 1 and A 2 in plasma. In females and males on the freshwater diet, the hepatic level of vitamin A 2 was decreased because of the PCBs, and in these males the hepatic levels of vitamin E also decreased. Interestingly, with coexposure to PCBs and copper, the vitamin levels were, in general, close to the control values. In adipose tissues also, the PCBs induced significant changes in the concentrations of vitamins A 1 and A 2 . In plasma, vitamins A 1 and A 2 were decreased in all patterns of exposure and on both diets. However, plasma thyroxine was slightly increased, a finding opposite to that reported previously in rodent studies. The results suggest that, in mink, diet greatly modulates the responses to PCBs, which may also differ in males and females. Furthermore, vitamins A 1 and A 2 may not be metabolized equally during PCB administration. Keywords-Polychlorinated biphenyls Vitamin A Vitamin E Mink CopperEnviron. Toxicol. Chem. 18, 1999 R. Käkelä et al.

Concentrations of vitamin A, E, thyroid and testosterone hormones in blood plasma and tissues from emaciated adult male Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) dietary exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

“…The negative effects of the POP exposure on hepatic α-tocopherol concentrations reported in the present study are in accordance with results from previous studies of mink and Greenland sledge dogs exposed to POPs in their diet (Kirkegaard et al, 2010;Käkelä et al, 1999). Furthermore, inverse associations between PCB burdens and hepatic α-tocopherol have been documented in experimental studies with rodents (Banudevi et al, 2006;Mantyla and Ahotupa, 1993;Twaroski et al, 2001a).…”

Tissue distribution of retinoids in common dolphins Delphinus delphis

“…Exposure of experimental animals, such as rats, mink and otters, to organochlorines leads to depletion of hepatic retinoid levels (Brunström et al 1991, Håkans-son et al 1992, Chu et al 1995, Murk et al 1998, Käkelä et al 1999, 2002, Kelley et al 2000, while those in the kidney generally increase (Brouwer et al 1989a, Jurek et al 1990, Nilsson et al 2000. This indicates that the pollutants mobilize retinoid storage forms, which is followed by an increase in their degradation and renal elimination through the urine (Kelley et al 1998(Kelley et al , 2000.…”

“…Traditionally, disruption of body retinoids has been assessed through plasma levels in terrestrial (Brouwer & Van der Berg 1986, Bank et al 1989, Brouwer et al 1989a, Käkelä et al 1999) and marine mammals (Brouwer et al 1989b, De Swart et al 1994, Jenssen et al 1995, Beckmen et al 1997, Skaare et al 2001, Nyman et al 2003. However, their concentration in plasma is, in general, regulated homeostatically (Wolf 1984, Blomhoff et al 1992).…”

Analysis of Hepatic Vitamins A1, A2, Their Fatty Acyl Esters, and Vitamin E for Biomonitoring Mammals Feeding on Freshwater Fish

“…Important physiological processes, such as cell differentiation, organogenesis and immune function, depend on adequate levels of tissue vitamin A. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) disturb the metabolism of vitamin A. These contaminants have been found to decrease the hepatic concentration of vitamin A in several mammalian species, including laboratory rodents, mink (Mustela vison), and otter (Lutra lutra) [1][2][3][4][5]. In harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), alterations in concentration of blood retinol have been applied as bioindicators of exposure to PCBs [6][7][8].…”

“…Especially threatened by xenobiotics are mammals that live in polluted freshwater rivers or lakes, with very high local concentrations of mixed contaminants. Unlike marine fish, freshwater fish provide piscivorous mammals with more vitamin A 2 (3,4-didehydroretinol) than vitamin A 1 (all-transretinol), both of which are stored in the body as fatty acyl esters [5,12]. However, in the tissues of fish-eating carnivores, no detailed information has been published about alterations in A 1 and A 2 esters induced by organic contaminants.…”