title: Relationships between vitamin A and PCBs in grey seal mothers and pups during lactation.
abstract: A previous study has shown a simultaneous increase of vitamin A and PCBs in grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) milk at late lactation (Debier et al., 2004). Here we sought to understand this unexpected relationship by comparing the dynamics of vitamin A and PCBs in the different tissue compartments of transfer. Lactating grey seals and their pups were sampled longitudinally in Scotland during the 2006 breeding season. As blubber reserves decreased, concentrations of vitamin A and PCBs increased during lactation in the inner layer of maternal blubber. A concomitant rise was observed in milk and consequently in the serum of suckling pups. The similar dynamics of vitamin A and PCBs in milk and inner blubber suggest a common mechanism of mobilisation from maternal body stores and transfer into the milk. A panel data analysis highlighted a negative impact of PCBs in milk and pup serum on vitamin A status in pup serum.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Unité de biochimie de la nutrition, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2/8, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. marie.vandenberghe@uclouvain.be
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanden Berghe
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mat
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arriola
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polain
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stekke
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thomé
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaspart
authors.forename: Paddy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pomeroy
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Larondelle
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Debier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D014801:Vitamin A; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls