Article (Scientific journals)
Interfollicular fibrosis in the thyroid of the harbour porpoise: An endocrine disruption?
Das, Krishna; Vossen, Arndt; Tolley, Kristal et al.
2006In Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 51, p. 720-729
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
 

Files


Full Text
2006AECT.pdf
Publisher postprint (496.52 kB)
Download

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
marine mammals; Organic Pollutants; endocrine disruption; PCBs; thyroid; harbour porpoise
Abstract :
[en] Previous studies have described high levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCB), polybrominated diphenylether (PBDE), toxaphene, ,p0-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and ,p0-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in the blubber of the harbour porpoise from the North Sea raising the question of a potential endocrine disruption in this species. In the present study, the thyroids of 57 harbour porpoises from the German and Danish (North and Baltic Seas), Norwegian, and Icelandic coasts have been collected for histological and immunohistological investigations. The number of follicles and the relative distribution of follicles, connective, and solid tissues (%) were quantified in the thyroid of each individual. Then, the potential relationship between the thyroid morphometry data and previously described organic compounds (namely, PCB, PBDE, toxaphene, DDT, and DDE) was investigated using factor analysis and multiple regressions. Thyroid morphology differed strongly between ampling sites. Porpoises from the German (North and Baltic Seas) and Norwegian coasts displayed a high percentage of connective tissues between 30 and 38% revealing severe interfollicular fibrosis and a high number of large follicles (diameter >200 lm). A correlation-based principal component analysis (PCA) revealed two principal components explaining 85.9% of the total variance. The variables PCB, PBDE, DDT, and DDE compounds loaded highest on PC1 whereas toxaphene compound loaded most on PC2. Our results pointed out a relationship between PC1 (PCBs, PBDE, DDE, and DDT compounds) and interfollicular fibrosis in the harbour porpoise thyroids. Such an association is not alone sufficient for a cause–effect relationship but supports the hypothesis of a contaminant-induced thyroid fibrosis in harbour porpoises raising the question of the longterm viability in highly polluted areas.
Research center :
MARE Center- Laboratoire d'Océanologie
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Das, Krishna  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie > u177731
Vossen, Arndt;  Research- and Technology Centre Westcoast, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Buesum, Germany
Tolley, Kristal;  Leslie Hill Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735, South Africa
Vikingsson, Gisli;  Marine Research Institute, Reykjavik, Iceland
Thron, Kristina;  Baltic Sea Research Institute Warnemuende, Warnemuende, Germany
Müller, Gundi;  School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Baumgärtner, Wolfgang;  School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
Siebert, Ursula;  Research- and Technology Centre Westcoast, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, B sum, Germany
Language :
English
Title :
Interfollicular fibrosis in the thyroid of the harbour porpoise: An endocrine disruption?
Publication date :
2006
Journal title :
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
ISSN :
0090-4341
eISSN :
1432-0703
Publisher :
Springer Science & Business Media B.V., New York, United States - New York
Volume :
51
Pages :
720-729
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
Environmental Research Plan of the German Ministry of Environment
Marie-Curie post-doctoral Fellowship
Available on ORBi :
since 03 July 2008

Statistics


Number of views
191 (19 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
303 (12 by ULiège)

Scopus citations®
 
78
Scopus citations®
without self-citations
37
OpenCitations
 
68

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi