Biomonitoring environmental contamination with pipping black-crowned night heron embryos: Induction of cytochrome P450

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620120921· OSTI ID:5692428

Rattner, B A; Melancon, M J; Custer, T W; Hothem, R L; King, K A; LeCaptain, L J; Spann, J W ^[1]; Woodin, B R; Stegeman, J J ^[2]

---

1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, MD (United States). Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA (United States)

Cytochrome P450-associated monooxygenase activities and cytochrome P450 proteins were measured in pipping black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) embryos collected from a reference site (next to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, VA) and three polluted sites (Cat Island, Green Bay, Lake Michigan, WI; Bair Island, San Francisco Bay, CA; West Marin Island, San Francisco Bay, CA). In a laboratory study, artificially incubated night heron embryos from the reference site were treated with 3-methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital. Compared to controls, 3-methylcholanthrene induced a greater than fivefold increase in activities of several monooxygenases and a greater than 100-fold increase in the concentration of immunodetected cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A). Phenobarbital treatment resulted in only a slight increase in BROD activity but induced proteins recognized by antibodies to cytochrome P450 2B (CYP2B) by 2,000-fold. In a field study, activities of AHH, BROD, EROD, and ethoxycoumarin-O-dealkylase (ECOD) were up to 85-fold higher in pipping black-crowned night herons collected from Cat Island compared to other sites. Hepatic CYP1A and CYP2B cross-reactive proteins were detected in significantly more individuals from Cat Island than from the reference site. Greatest burdens of total PCBs and p,p[prime]-DDE were detected in embryos from Cat Island. Cytochrome P450-associated monooxygenase activities and cytochrome P450 proteins (AHH, BROD, EROD, ECOD, CYP1A, CYP1B) were significantly associated with total PCB burdens.

• OSTI ID: 5692428
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:9; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
3-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE
METABOLISM
BIRDS
SENSITIVITY
MIXED-FUNCTION OXIDASES
ENZYME INDUCTION
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BODY BURDEN
EMBRYOS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
ENZYMES
GENE REGULATION
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
OXYGENASES
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PROTEINS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology