Centre de recherche en toxicologie de l'environnement (TOXEN), Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada.
Environment and Climate Change Canada, 105 McGill Street, Montreal, QC H2Y 2E7, Canada.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Aug;145:174-184. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.029. Epub 2019 May 24.
Elevated concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and emerging halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) have been reported in tissues of the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (Canada) beluga population as well as in minke whales visiting that same feeding area. This study examined the linkages between blubber concentrations of POPs and emerging HFRs, and transcription in skin of genes involved in the regulation of thyroid and steroid axes in belugas and minke whales from the St. Lawrence Estuary. In belugas, concentrations of PCBs, OCs and hexabromobenzene (HBB) were positively correlated with the transcription of thyroid- and/or steroid-related genes, while Dec-604 CB concentrations were negatively associated with the transcription of glucocorticoid and thyroid genes. In minke whales, PBDE concentrations changed positively with Esrβ transcript levels and HBB concentrations negatively with Nr3c1 transcripts. Present results suggest that several biological functions including reproduction and energetic metabolism may represent potential targets for organohalogens in these whales.
在濒危的圣劳伦斯河口（加拿大）白鲸种群的组织中，以及在访问同一觅食区的小须鲸中，都报告了持久性有机污染物（POPs）和新兴卤代阻燃剂（HFRs）的浓度升高。本研究考察了圣劳伦斯河口白鲸和小须鲸的脂肪中 POPs 和新兴 HFRs 的浓度与调节甲状腺和类固醇轴的基因在皮肤中的转录之间的联系。在白鲸中，多氯联苯、OC 和六溴苯（HBB）的浓度与甲状腺和/或类固醇相关基因的转录呈正相关，而 Dec-604 CB 的浓度与糖皮质激素和甲状腺基因的转录呈负相关。在小须鲸中，PBDE 浓度与 Esrβ 转录水平呈正相关，HBB 浓度与 Nr3c1 转录物呈负相关。目前的结果表明，包括繁殖和能量代谢在内的几种生物学功能可能是这些鲸鱼中有机卤化物的潜在靶标。
