title: Hexavalent chromium is cytotoxic and genotoxic to the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) lung and testes fibroblasts.
abstract: Although hexavalent chromium is a known genotoxic agent in human and terrestrial mammals and is present in seawater and air, its effects on marine mammals including the endangered North Atlantic right whale are unknown and untested. The present study investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of hexavalent chromium in primary cultured North Atlantic right whale lung and testes fibroblasts and levels of total chromium in skin biopsies from North Atlantic right whales. Cytotoxicity was measured by clonogenic survival assay. Genotoxicity was measured as production of chromosome aberrations. Tissue chromium levels were determined from skin biopsies of healthy free-ranging whales in the Bay of Fundy using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Hexavalent chromium-induced concentration-dependent increases in right whale lung and testes fibroblast cytotoxicity with the testes more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects. It also induced concentration-dependent increases in chromosomal aberrations in both cell types with no significant difference in sensitivity. Skin biopsy data indicate that North Atlantic right whales are exposed to chromium and accumulate a range of 4.9-10 microg Cr/g tissue with a mean of 7.1 microg/g. Hexavalent chromium is cytotoxic and genotoxic to North Atlantic right whale cells. The whales have tissue chromium levels that are concerning. These data support a hypothesis that chromium may be a concern for the health of the North Atlantic right whales. Considering these data with chromium chemistry, whale physiology and atmospheric chromium levels further suggest that inhalation may be an important exposure route.
authors.affiliation: Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth Street, Portland, ME 04104, USA. John.Wise@usm.maine.edu
authors.forename: John Pierce
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Sandra S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shaffiey
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.forename: Tania Li
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: W Douglas
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Tongzhang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yawei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Hara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D002857:Chromium / Q000633:toxicity*; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D014907:Whales
chemical_list: D009153:Mutagens; D002857:Chromium