In ovo uptake, metabolism, and tissue-specific distribution of chiral PCBs and PBDEs in developing chicken embryos.

Zong-Rui Li,Bi-Xian Mai,Li-Qian Huang,Xiao-Jun Luo

doi:10.1038/srep36597

Abstract

Fertilized chicken eggs were injected with environmental doses of 4 chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 8 polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) to investigate their uptake, metabolism in the embryo, and distribution in the neonate chicken. PCB95 uptake was the most efficient (80%) whereas BDE209 was the least (56%). Embryos metabolized approximately 52% of the PCBs absorbed. Though some degree of metabolism in the first 18 days, most of the PCBs and PBDEs was metabolized in the last three days, when BDE85, 99, 153, and 209 decrease by 11–37%. Enantioselective metabolism of the (+) enantiomers of PCB95, 149, and 132 and the (−) enantiomer of PCB91 was observed. The enantioselective reactivity was higher with the two penta-PCBs than the two tetra-PCBs. Liver, exhibited high affinity for high lipophilic chemicals, enrich all chemicals that was deflected in other tissues except for some special chemicals in a given tissues. Lipid composition, time of organ formation, and metabolism contribute to the distribution of chemicals in the neonate chicken. The result of this study will improve our understanding on the fate and potential adverse effects of PCBs and PBDEs in the neonate chicken.

Highlights

Little is known so far about the enantioselective metabolism and tissue distribution of chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) even though chiral PCB alternation has been reported in many studies on the adult avian[15,16,17]
The uptake efficiencies of 12 target chemicals ranged from 57.5 ± 0.03% to 80.0 ± 0.03% (PCB95) (Supplementary Fig. S1)
No significant differences in uptake efficiencies were found among the chemicals except for PCB95 and BDE209

Summary

Introduction

Egg 0 day 18 day Chick Heart Stomach Liver Carcass ΣChick Yolk ShellN Weight (g) Lipid (%) PCB 95 PCB 91 PCB 149 PCB 132 BDE 47 BDE 100 3 43.6 ± 2.03 10.6 ± 0.75 2.84 ± 0.93 2.15 ± 0.89 1.27 ± 0.31 1.78 ± 0.38 0.32 ± 0.05 nd6 0.23 ± 0.05 2.1 ± 0.90 1.02 ± 0.12 0.16 ± 0.20 2.32 ± 0.19 2.92 ± 0.17 0.05 ± 0.07 0.71 ± 0.08 0.17 ± 0.07 0.25 ± 0.12 0.18 ± 0.09 nd nd nd0.63 ± 0.52 0.37 ± 0.28 nd 0.37 ± 0.29 1.1 ± 1.2 0.42 ± 0.39 0.47 ± 0.37 0.52 ± 0.44 1.5 ± 1.3 0.83 ± 0.59 1.0 ± 0.88. 47 ± 30reported PCB uptake from the yolk of the developing chicken embryo after Aroclor 1254 (a commercial mixture of PCBs) injection. The present study aimed to 1) explore the uptake efficiency, 2) examine the metabolic capability, and 3) investigate the tissue-specific distribution of four chiral PCBs and eight PBDE congeners in developing chicken embryos. The difference in chemical mass between the day-0 egg and the remaining yolk was taken as the uptake mass during embryo development.

Results

Conclusion