Polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with reduced testes weights in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). 2021

Rosie S Williams, and David J Curnick, and Andrew Brownlow, and Jonathan L Barber, and James Barnett, and Nicholas J Davison, and Robert Deaville, and Mariel Ten Doeschate, and Matthew Perkins, and Paul D Jepson, and Susan Jobling
Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK. Electronic address: rosie.williams@brunel.ac.uk.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly toxic and persistent aquatic pollutants that are known to bioaccumulate in a variety of marine mammals. They have been associated with reduced recruitment rates and population declines in multiple species. Evidence to date documents effects of PCB exposures on female reproduction, but few studies have investigated whether PCB exposure impacts male fertility. Using blubber tissue samples of 99 adult and 168 juvenile UK-stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) collected between 1991 and 2017, here we show that PCBs exposures are associated with reduced testes weights in adults with good body condition. In animals with poor body condition, however, the impact of PCBs on testes weights was reduced, conceivably due to testes weights being limited by nutritional stress. This is the first study to investigate the relationship between PCB contaminant burden and testes weights in cetaceans and represents a substantial advance in our understanding of the relationship between PCB exposures and male reproductive biology in cetaceans. As testes weight is a strong indicator of male fertility in seasonally breeding mammals, we suggest the inclusion of such effects in population level impact assessments involving PCB exposures. Given the re-emergent PCB threat our findings are globally significant, with potentially serious implications for long-lived mammals. We show that more effective PCB controls could have a substantial impact on the reproductive health of coastal cetacean species and that management actions may need to be escalated to ensure adequate protection of the most vulnerable cetacean populations.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011078 Polychlorinated Biphenyls Industrial products consisting of a mixture of chlorinated biphenyl congeners and isomers. These compounds are highly lipophilic and tend to accumulate in fat stores of animals. Many of these compounds are considered toxic and potential environmental pollutants. PCBs,Polychlorinated Biphenyl,Polychlorobiphenyl Compounds,Biphenyl, Polychlorinated,Biphenyls, Polychlorinated,Compounds, Polychlorobiphenyl
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013737 Testis The male gonad containing two functional parts: the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES for the production and transport of male germ cells (SPERMATOGENESIS) and the interstitial compartment containing LEYDIG CELLS that produce ANDROGENS. Testicles,Testes,Testicle
D014874 Water Pollutants, Chemical Chemical compounds which pollute the water of rivers, streams, lakes, the sea, reservoirs, or other bodies of water. Chemical Water Pollutants,Landfill Leachate,Leachate, Landfill,Pollutants, Chemical Water
D050741 Phocoena A genus of PORPOISES, in the family Phocoenidae, comprised of several species. They frequent coastal waters, bays, estuaries, and the mouths of large rivers. Harbor Porpoise,Common Porpoise,Harbour Porpoise,Phocoena phocoena,Common Porpoises,Harbor Porpoises,Harbour Porpoises,Porpoise, Common,Porpoise, Harbor,Porpoise, Harbour,Porpoises, Common,Porpoises, Harbor,Porpoises, Harbour
D019576 Porpoises Mammals of the family Phocoenidae comprising four genera found in the North Pacific Ocean and both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean and in various other seas. They differ from DOLPHINS in that porpoises have a blunt snout and a rather stocky body while dolphins have a beak-like snout and a slender, streamlined body. They usually travel in small groups. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, pp1003-4) Dall Porpoise,Finless Porpoise,Phocoenidae,Spectacled Porpoise,Australophocaena dioptrica,Neophocaena phocaenoides,Phocoenoides dalli,Finless Porpoises,Porpoise,Porpoise, Dall,Porpoise, Finless,Porpoise, Spectacled,Porpoises, Finless,Porpoises, Spectacled,Spectacled Porpoises

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