CYP1A expression fails to demonstrate exposure–response relationship

Abstract

In a PNAS special feature, Whitehead et al. (1) purported to provide evidence “that links biological impacts with exposure to contaminating oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.” However, data presented do not support the reported conclusions. The paper provides insufficient information in its methods to allow a rigorous review, and the underlying data presented show no exposure–response relationship between total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (tPAHs) and biological response (i.e., genome expression and tissue morphology). Moreover, other chemicals (e.g., PCBs) common in Gulf Coast sediments (2) that may act via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) were not evaluated.