title: Contamination and effects of perfluorochemicals in Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica). 2. Molecular characterization, expression level, and transcriptional activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha.
abstract: To investigate the biological effects of perfluorochemicals (PFCs) and to identify biomarkers of exposure to PFCs, this study focused on the effects mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in Baikal seals (Pusa sibirica). We cloned a full-length cDNA, encoding PPARalpha from the liver of Baikal seal, which has a deduced open reading frame of 468-amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 52.2 kDa. Comparison of the amino-acid sequence of Baikal seal PPARalpha with that of other mammalian PPARalpha showed considerable similarities with PPARalpha of dog (97%), human (95%), rat (92%), and mouse (91%). The quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses of tissues from Baikal seals revealed that PPARalpha mRNAs were primarily expressed in the liver, kidney, heart, and muscle. The hepatic expression levels of PPARalpha mRNA showed a positive correlation with the expression levels of immunochemically detected cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4A-like protein, indicating that the PPARalpha-CYP4A signaling pathway in Baikal seal is likely conserved. This study also developed an in vitro PPARalpha reporter gene assay using African green monkey kidney CV-1 cells transiently transfected with Baikal seal PPARalpha cDNA expression vector and a reporter vector containing a peroxisome proliferator-responsive element The in vitro reporter gene assay displayed significant response to clofibrate, which is a known PPARalpha agonist in humans and rodents. Treatmentwith perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) induced PPARalpha-mediated transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner, showing the lowest-observed-effect concentrations of 62.5, 125, 125, 62.5, and 125 microM, respectively. In the livers of wild Baikal seals, expression levels of PPARalpha mRNA showed a significant positive correlation with PFNA levels. Moreover, expression of hepatic CYP4A-like protein was significantly correlated with the hepatic concentrations of PFNA and PFDA. These results suggest modulation of the PPARalpha-CYP4A signaling pathway by PFCs in the wild Baikal seals. Our study demonstrates that the PPARalpha-mediated response may be a useful biomarkerto evaluate potential biological effects of PFCs in wildlife.
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Eun-Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Kurunthachalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kannan
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Valeriy B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Batoev
authors.forename: Evgeny A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Petrov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000633:toxicity*; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014873:Water Pollutants
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D047493:PPAR alpha; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014873:Water Pollutants