Contaminants in Atlantic walruses in Svalbard Part 2: relationships with endocrine and immune systems

Marine mammals in the Barents Sea region have among the highest levels of contaminants recorded in the Arctic and the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) is one of the most contaminated species within this region. We therefore investigated the relationships bewteen blubber concentrations of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Pollution
Main Authors: Routti, Heli, Diot, Béatrice, Panti, Cristina, Duale, Nur, Fossi, Maria Cristina, Harju, Mikael, Kovacs, Kit M., Lydersen, Christian, Scotter, Sophie E., Villanger, Gro D., Bourgeon, Sophie
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2019
Subjects:
Marine mammal
mRNA
Pollutant
qPCR
Thyroid hormone
Adipose Tissue
Animal
Arctic Region
Endocrine Disruptor
Hydrocarbons
Fluorinated
Immune System
Male
Svalbard
Walruse
Water Pollutants
Chemical
Toxicology
Pollution
Health
Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Arctic
Barents Sea
Norway
Odobenus rosmarus
walrus*
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11365/1071488
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.097
https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-pollution
Description
Summary:Marine mammals in the Barents Sea region have among the highest levels of contaminants recorded in the Arctic and the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) is one of the most contaminated species within this region. We therefore investigated the relationships bewteen blubber concentrations of lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and plasma concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and markers of endocrine and immune functions in adult male Atlantic walruses (n = 38) from Svalbard, Norway. To do so, we assessed plasma concentrations of five forms of thyroid hormones and transcript levels of genes related to the endocrine and immune systems as endpoints; transcript levels of seven genes in blubber and 23 genes in blood cells were studied. Results indicated that plasma total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations and ratio of TT4 and reverse triiodothyronine decreased with increasing blubber concentrations of lipophilic POPs. Blood cell transcript levels of genes involved in the function of T and B cells (FC like receptors 2 and 5, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22) were increased with plasma PFAS concentrations. These results suggest that changes in thyroid and immune systems in adult male walruses are linked to current levels of contaminant exposure.

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