PMID- 19932109
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20100806
LR  - 20131121
IS  - 1095-6840 (Electronic)
IS  - 0016-6480 (Linking)
VI  - 166
IP  - 1
DP  - 2010 Mar 1
TI  - Adrenocortical function of Arctic-breeding glaucous gulls in relation to 
      persistent organic pollutants.
PG  - 25-32
LID - 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.11.013 [doi]
AB  - Unpredictable changes in the environment stimulate the avian 
      hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to produce corticosterone, which induces 
      behavioural and metabolic changes that enhance survival in the face of adverse 
      environmental conditions. In addition to profound environmental perturbations, 
      such as severe weather conditions and unpredictable food shortages, many 
      Arctic-breeding birds are also confronted with chronic exposure to persistent 
      organic pollutants (POPs), some of which are known to disrupt endocrine 
      processes. This study investigated the adrenocortical function of a top predator 
      in the Arctic marine environment, the glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus). High 
      concentrations of organochlorines, brominated flame retardants and 
      metabolically-derived products in blood plasma of incubating glaucous gulls were 
      associated with high baseline corticosterone concentrations in both sexes and a 
      reduced stress response in males. Contaminant-related changes in corticosterone 
      concentration occurred over and above differences in body condition and seasonal 
      variation. Chronically high corticosterone concentrations and/or a compromised 
      adrenocortical response to stress can have negative effects on the health of an 
      individual. The results of the present study suggest that exposure to POPs may 
      increase the vulnerability of glaucous gulls to environmental stressors and thus 
      could potentially compromise their ability to adapt to the rapidly changing 
      environmental conditions associated with climate change that are currently seen 
      in the Arctic.
CI  - Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
FAU - Verboven, Nanette
AU  - Verboven N
AD  - Division of Cell Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, 
      464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland, UK.
FAU - Verreault, Jonathan
AU  - Verreault J
FAU - Letcher, Robert J
AU  - Letcher RJ
FAU - Gabrielsen, Geir W
AU  - Gabrielsen GW
FAU - Evans, Neil P
AU  - Evans NP
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20091120
PL  - United States
TA  - Gen Comp Endocrinol
JT  - General and comparative endocrinology
JID - 0370735
RN  - 0 (Flame Retardants)
RN  - 0 (Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers)
RN  - 0 (Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated)
RN  - W980KJ009P (Corticosterone)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Arctic Regions
MH  - Breeding
MH  - Charadriiformes/*physiology
MH  - Corticosterone/*blood
MH  - Female
MH  - Flame Retardants/metabolism
MH  - Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers/blood
MH  - Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated/blood
MH  - Male
MH  - Oceans and Seas
MH  - Stress, Physiological
MH  - Water Pollution, Chemical/*adverse effects
EDAT- 2009/11/26 06:00
MHDA- 2010/08/07 06:00
CRDT- 2009/11/26 06:00
PHST- 2009/02/26 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2009/06/27 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2009/11/17 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2009/11/26 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2009/11/26 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2010/08/07 06:00 [medline]
AID - S0016-6480(09)00424-9 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.11.013 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2010 Mar 1;166(1):25-32. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.11.013. 
      Epub 2009 Nov 20.