Exposure to the polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1254 alters melanocyte and tail muscle morphology in developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants that have damaging effects on both ecosystem and human health. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to PCBs can alter growth and development of aquatic organisms, including frogs. In this report, developing Xenopus laevis tadpoles were exposed to the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254. Tadpoles were exposed from 5 through 9 d postfertilization to either 0, 1, 10, 50, or 100 ppm Aroclor 1254. Exposure to an acute, high concentration of Aroclor 1254 (10, 50, and 100 ppm) caused statistically significant reductions in survival and body size. In addition, tadpoles exposed to these higher concentrations showed histological abnormalities, including aberrant tail tip, myotomal, and melanocyte morphologies. Described adverse health effects associated with PCB exposure of developing frogs will serve as useful health endpoints in ongoing and future molecular-based studies that correlate health effects with changes in gene expression.
Fisher
Marla A
MA
Environmental Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-3805, USA. m9fisher@wmich.edu
Jelaso
Anna M
AM
Predenkiewicz
Amy
A
Schuster
Lindsey
L
Means
Jay
J
Ide
Charles F
CF
D000818:Animals; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine) / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D013623:Tail / Q000473:pathology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D020111:Chlorodiphenyl (54% Chlorine)