title: Possible immunotoxic effects of organochlorines in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) at Svalbard.
abstract: Associations between immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and the organochlorine contaminants (OCs) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordanes, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in blood plasma from polar bears caught at Svalbard were determined. The blood samples were collected from free-living polar bears of different age and sex between 1991 and 1994. The IgC concentration increased with age and was significantly higher in males than in females. IgG was negatively correlated with sigmaPCB level and with three individual PCB congeners, IUPAC numbers 99, 194, and 206. HCB was also negatively correlated with IgG. The significant negative OC correlation with IgG levels may indicate an immunotoxic effect.
authors.affiliation: National Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhoft
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Skaare
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wiig
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Derocher
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007306:Insecticides / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D012621:Seasons; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007306:Insecticides; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls