A study of the effects of methyl mercury, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, and a PCB, (Aroclor 1254) on adrenal and testicular steroidogeneses in vitro, by the gray seal Halichoerus grypus.

An in vitro study on the effects of the contaminants polychlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1254) (PCB), methyl mercury (MeHg), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and selenium (Se) on the biosynthesis of steroid hormones in the gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) indicated altered steroid biosynthesis. Biotransformed delta4-androstene-3, 17-dione (delta 4A), dehydroepiandrosterone, 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), and testosterone (T) were detected in all seal testicular incubates. Yields of 11-KT were greatly increased in the presence of Aroclor 1254. All contaminants except As and Se stimulated the in vitro biosyntheses of T, with the greatest increase in production of T being in the Cd-treated tissue. Cortisol (F), corticosterone (B), aldosterone (ALDO) but no cortisone (E), were biosynthesized by the seal adrenal tissue. Corticosterone (B) was the principal transformation product in all incubations with less B produced by the treated adrenals than by the control. The lowest yeild of B was achieved by the Se-treated adrenal. The yeild of ALDO was also lower in all contaminant treated incubations, with Se and Cd giving the greatest inhibition. More F was biosynthesized by all the treated adrenals than by the control. The greatest increase of production of F(6-fold) from progesterone was by the As-treated adrenal.