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King MD, Su G, Crump D, Farhat A, Marlatt V, Lee SL, Williams TD, Elliott JE. Contaminant biomonitoring augmented with a qPCR array indicates hepatic mRNA gene expression effects in wild-collected seabird embryos. Sci Total Environ 2023; 904:166784. [PMID: 37666345 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Birds can bioaccumulate persistent contaminants, and maternal transfer to eggs may expose embryos to concentrations sufficient to cause adverse effects during sensitive early-life stages. However, using tissue residue concentrations alone to infer whether contaminant effects are occurring suffers from uncertainty, and efficient, sensitive biomarkers remain limited in wildlife. We studied relationships between whole embryo contaminant concentrations (total mercury, organochlorine pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, polychlorinated biphenyls, and halogenated flame retardants) together with mRNA expression in embryonic liver tissue from a Pacific Ocean seabird, the rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata). Fresh eggs were collected, incubated under controlled conditions, and from the pre-hatch embryo, hepatic RNA was extracted for qPCR array analysis to measure gene expression (2-∆Cq), while the remaining embryo was analyzed for contaminant residues. Contaminant and gene expression data were assessed with a combination of multivariate approaches and linear models. Results indicated correlations between embryonic total mercury and several genes such as sepp1, which encodes selenoprotein P. Correlation between the biotransformation gene cyp1a4 and the C7 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid PFHpA was also evident. This study demonstrates that egg collection from free-living populations for contaminant biomonitoring programs can relate chemical residues to in ovo mRNA gene expression effects in embryo hepatic tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason D King
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Geoffrey Su
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Doug Crump
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Amani Farhat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Vicki Marlatt
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Sandi L Lee
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Simon Fraser University, Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada
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Kreitsberg R, Nääb L, Meitern R, Carbillet J, Fort J, Giraudeau M, Sepp T. The effect of environmental pollution on gene expression of seabirds: A review. Mar Environ Res 2023; 189:106067. [PMID: 37393763 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
One of the biggest challenges for ecotoxicologists is to detect harmful effects of contaminants on individual organisms before they have caused significant harm to natural populations. One possible approach for discovering sub-lethal, negative health effects of pollutants is to study gene expression, to identify metabolic pathways and physiological processes affected by contaminants. Seabirds are essential components of ecosystems but highly threatened by environmental changes. Being at the top of the food chain and exhibiting a slow pace of life, they are highly exposed to contaminants and to their ultimate impacts on populations. Here we provide an overview of the currently available seabird-related gene expression studies in the context of environmental pollution. We show that studies conducted, so far, mainly focus on a small selection of xenobiotic metabolism genes, often using lethal sampling protocols, while the greater promise of gene expression studies for wild species may lie in non-invasive procedures focusing on a wider range of physiological processes. However, as whole genome approaches might still be too expensive for large-scale assessments, we also bring out the most promising candidate biomarker genes for future studies. Based on the biased geographical representativeness of the current literature, we suggest expanding studies to temperate and tropical latitudes and urban environments. Also, as links with fitness traits are very rare in the current literature, but would be highly relevant for regulatory purposes, we point to an urgent need for establishing long-term monitoring programs in seabirds that would link pollutant exposure and gene expression to fitness traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randel Kreitsberg
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Lisanne Nääb
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Richard Meitern
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jeffrey Carbillet
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Tuul Sepp
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003, Tartu, Estonia
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Tseng CY, Custer CM, Custer TW, Dummer PM, Karouna-Renier N, Matson CW. Multi-omics responses in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings from the Maumee Area of Concern, Maumee River, Ohio. Sci Total Environ 2023; 856:159130. [PMID: 36183771 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A multi-omics approach was utilized to identify altered biological responses and functions, and to prioritize contaminants to assess the risks of chemical mixtures in the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC), Maumee River, OH, USA. The Maumee AOC is designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as having significant beneficial use impairments, including degradation of fish and wildlife populations, bird or animal deformities or reproduction problems, and loss of fish and wildlife habitat. Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings were collected at five sites along the Maumee River, which included wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and industrial land-use sites. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo p dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs), and chlorinated pesticide concentrations were elevated in Maumee tree swallows, relative to a remote reference site, Star Lake, WI, USA. Liver tissue was utilized for non-targeted transcriptome and targeted metabolome evaluation. A significantly differentially expressed gene cluster related to a downregulation in cell growth and cell cycle regulation was identified when comparing all Maumee River sites with the reference site. There was an upregulation of lipogenesis genes, such as PPAR signaling (HMGCS2, SLC22A5), biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids (FASN, SCD, ELOVL2, and FADS2), and higher lipogenesis related metabolites, such as docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and arachidonic acid (AA) at two industrial land-use sites, Ironhead and Maumee, relative to WWTP sites (Perrysburg and SideCut), and the reference site. Toledo Water, in the vicinity of the other two industrial sites and also adjacent to a WWTP, showed a mix of signals between industrial land-use and WWTP land-use. PAHs, oxychlordane, and PBDEs were determined to be the most likely causes of the differentiation in biological responses, including de novo lipogenesis and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Yen Tseng
- Department of Environmental Science, The Institute of Ecological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (TIE3S), the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, United States
| | - Christine M Custer
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, WI 54603, United States
| | - Thomas W Custer
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, WI 54603, United States
| | - Paul M Dummer
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, WI 54603, United States
| | - Natalie Karouna-Renier
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) at Patuxent, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - Cole W Matson
- Department of Environmental Science, The Institute of Ecological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (TIE3S), the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, United States.
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Ha K, Xia P, Crump D, Saini A, Harner T, O’Brien J. Cytotoxic and Transcriptomic Effects in Avian Hepatocytes Exposed to a Complex Mixture from Air Samples, and Their Relation to the Organic Flame Retardant Signature. Toxics 2021; 9:toxics9120324. [PMID: 34941758 PMCID: PMC8704741 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9120324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Assessing complex environmental mixtures and their effects is challenging. In this study, we evaluate the utility of an avian in vitro screening approach to determine the effects of passive air sampler extracts collected from different global megacities on cytotoxicity and gene expression. Concentrations of a suite of organic flame retardants (OFRs) were quantified in extracts from a total of 19 megacities/major cities in an earlier study, and levels were highly variable across sites. Chicken embryonic hepatocytes were exposed to serial dilutions of extracts from the 19 cities for 24 h. Cell viability results indicate a high level of variability in cytotoxicity, with extracts from Toronto, Canada, having the lowest LC50 value. Partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis was used to estimate LC50 values from OFR concentrations. PLS modeling of OFRs was moderately predictive of LC50 (p-value = 0.0003, r2 = 0.66, slope = 0.76, when comparing predicted LC50 to actual values), although only after one outlier city was removed from the analysis. A chicken ToxChip PCR array, comprising 43 target genes, was used to determine effects on gene expression, and similar to results for cell viability, gene expression profiles were highly variable among the megacities. PLS modeling was used to determine if gene expression was related to the OFR profiles of the extracts. Weak relationships to the ToxChip expression profiles could be detected for only three of the 35 OFRs (indicated by regression slopes between 0.6 and 0.5 when comparing predicted to actual OFR concentrations). While this in vitro approach shows promise in terms of evaluating effects of complex mixtures, we also identified several limitations that, if addressed in future studies, might improve its performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Ha
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada;
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada; (P.X.); (J.O.)
| | - Pu Xia
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada; (P.X.); (J.O.)
| | - Doug Crump
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada; (P.X.); (J.O.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(613)-998-7383
| | - Amandeep Saini
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada; (A.S.); (T.H.)
| | - Tom Harner
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada; (A.S.); (T.H.)
| | - Jason O’Brien
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada; (P.X.); (J.O.)
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Zahaby Y, Xia P, Crump D, Provencher JF, Thomas PJ, Pauli B, Braune BM, Franckowiak RP, Gendron M, Savard G, Sarma SN, Mallory ML, O'Brien J. ToxChip PCR Arrays for Two Arctic-Breeding Seabirds: Applications for Regional Environmental Assessments. Environ Sci Technol 2021; 55:7521-7530. [PMID: 33983718 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Increasing pollution in the Arctic poses challenges in terms of geographical and ecological monitoring. The Baffin Bay-Davis Strait (BBDS) region in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is of particular concern due to the potential for increased shipping traffic and oil exploration. However, data on background contaminants associated with oil exploration/spills/natural seeps (e.g., polycyclic aromatic compounds [PAC]) and measures of potential effects for Arctic birds are limited. We developed a toxicogenomics approach to investigate the background gene expression profiles for two Arctic-breeding seabirds, the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) and the black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), which will aid effects-based monitoring efforts. Chemical burdens (53 PACs and 5 trace elements) and transcriptomic profiles (31 genes using a ToxChip PCR array) were examined in liver tissues (n = 30) of each species collected from the Qaqulluit and Akpait National Wildlife Areas in the BBDS region. While chemical and transcriptomic profiles demonstrated low variability across individuals for each species, gene expression signatures were able to distinguish guillemots collected from two distinct colonies. This toxicogenomics approach provides benchmark data for two Arctic seabirds and is promising for future monitoring efforts and strategic environmental assessments in this sensitive ecosystem and areas elsewhere in the circumpolar Arctic that are undergoing change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmeen Zahaby
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Pu Xia
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Doug Crump
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Philippe J Thomas
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Bruce Pauli
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Birgit M Braune
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | - Michel Gendron
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Guy Savard
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Sailendra Nath Sarma
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Mark L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Jason O'Brien
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON ON K1S, Canada
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