Liver Of Red Deer Research Articles

Brominated flame retardants and toxic elements in the meat and liver of red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and moose (Alces alces) from Latvian wildlife

In order to evaluate the contamination status of terrestrial biota in Latvia, muscle and liver tissues of red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), and moose (Alces alces) were analyzed for the content of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), as well as cadmium and lead. The highest mean concentrations of PBDEs (46.6pgg−1 wet weight (w.w.)), cadmium (0.95mgkg−1 w.w.), and lead (0.22mgkg−1 w.w.) were observed in the tissues of moose, while the wild boar samples contained the highest levels of HBCD, with the mean concentration equal to 264pgg−1 w.w. in muscle tissues. Generally low mean concentrations of TBBPA from 0.52 to 4.54pgg−1 w.w. were observed. The liver tissue of all analyzed specimens was found to contain higher concentrations of contaminants, compared to muscle tissue. The congener profile of PBDEs in the analyzed tissues indicated that the recently used “penta-BDE” formulation was a probable source, while components of HBCD, “octa-BDE”, and “deca-BDE” technical mixtures are likely to undergo congener-specific or diastereomer-specific bioaccumulation or metabolic degradation. Considering the reports from other regions, it can be concluded that the terrestrial biota in Latvia is less affected by the studied contaminants.

Geochemical landscapes as drivers of trace and toxic element profiles in wild red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Tissue concentrations of essential trace and toxic elements in red deer (Cervus elaphus) are associated with the plants, soil and water they ingest. As such, variation in tissue concentrations is associated with variation in local geochemistry and bioavailability of elements. Physiological factors such as liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) infection, breeding status, and in-tissue element interactions may also affect tissue concentrations, though their effects in red deer are not well understood. The primary objective of this study was therefore to survey wild red deer liver element concentrations across a range of geographically distinct populations during the Scottish red deer stalking season; and, in so doing, establishes element reference ranges while also exploring geographic and temporal variation and physiological factors. Livers were sampled from carcasses intended for human consumption on nine hunting estates during two seasons (2012–13, 2013–14). Samples were digested and analysed by ICP-OES for essential trace elements (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn) and for Cd. Data (n=787) were modelled against cull location, date, and F. hepatica diagnosis. Interactions between elements within liver, and differences in element profiles between estates, were explored by principal component analysis. Our results revealed marked geographic variation in Cd, Cu and Se, where up to four-fold differences in median element concentrations occurred between estates, and, in males, Mn, Mo and Zn declined as the breeding season approached. In both sexes, within-liver associations (Cd-Cu-Se and Mn-Mo-Zn) were found. In females, liver Zn was greater on average in individuals that were not infected with F. hepatica. This study is the first to quantify geographic variation in Scottish red deer liver element concentrations; the drivers of which remain to be explored (and may be management related), and, the consequence of which may affect sub-clinical health.

Expression of metallothionein in the liver and kidneys of the red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) from an industrial metal smelting area of Poland

The metallothionein 1 (MT1) coding sequence of red deer was identified and compared to orthologous sequences from other mammals. Over 90% identity was observed between red deer MT1 amino acid sequence and MT1 sequences of other ruminants. Liver and kidney samples of red deer were collected from the industrial zinc smelting site of Miasteczko Slaskie and from the Masuria Lake District serving as a pollution-free control site. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were analyzed by the atomic absorption spectrometry technique (AAS). The levels of Cd in the liver of red deer from the metal smelting region was about 8 times higher than for the reference control site. Next, the expression of MT1 mRNA in the liver of red deer was quantified by the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and the expression of MT1/2 protein in the liver and kidneys was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Positive correlations were found between expression levels for MT1 mRNA and the concentrations of Cu and Zn in liver of red deer, and with the age of animals. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the nuclear and cytoplasmatic expression in both liver and kidney tissues, but with no obvious relationship shown for the expression of MT1/2 protein and tissue metal levels. Our results showed that the analysis of MT expression levels in the red deer could not be used independently as a biomarker for identifying exposure to Cd, but could be co-analyzed with tissue metal levels to give better prognosis for environmental exposure to metals.

The Differences in the Level of Selenium in the Organs of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) from Various Regions of Poland

The aim of the study was to assess regional differences in selenium content in the environment based on analysis of the Se concentrations in liver and kidney of red deer from central, northern, south-eastern and south-western Poland. The level of selenium in organs was determined using spectrofluorometric methods. The mean concentration of selenium in the liver and kidney of red deer was 0.084 µg/g w.w. and 0.621 µg/g w.w., respectively. The highest mean concentration of selenium was found in the liver of red deer from the south-eastern region (0.120 µg/g w.w.), and it was significantly higher than the mean level of selenium in the liver of red deer from the northern (0.068 µg/g w.w.), central (0.070 µg/g w.w.) and south-western (0.079 µg/g w.w.) regions. The highest mean concentration of selenium in the kidney was also found in red deer from the south-eastern region (0.784 µg/g w.w.), and it was significantly higher than the mean level of selenium in the kidney of red deer from the northern (0.542 µg/g w.w.), central (0.561 µg/g w.w.) and south-western (0.606 µg/g w.w.) regions. Our results indicate that there are deficits of selenium in the environment in Poland.

Mercury speciation analysis in terrestrial animal tissues

No previous analytical procedures are available and validated for mercury speciation analysis in terrestrial animal tissues. This analysis is a difficult task both because the expected concentrations are low, since important accumulation process are not likely to occur, and also because there are not commercially available certified reference material. Thus, an analytical methodology has been developed and validated for mercury speciation for the specific case of terrestrial animal tissues. The proposed method is based on the quantitative extraction of the species by closed-vessel microwave assisted heating with an alkaline reagent, followed by ethylation. The ethylated derivatives were then submitted to head-space solid phase microextraction with a 100μm polidimethylsiloxane-coated fiber, and desorbed onto a gas chromatograph coupled to atomic fluorescence detection via pyrolysis unit (HS-SPME-GC-pyro-AFS). Procedural detection limits were 31.8ngg−1 and 52.5ngg−1 for CH3Hg+ and Hg2+, respectively, for liver and 35.3ngg−1 and 58.1ngg−1 for CH3Hg+ and Hg2+, respectively, for kidney. These limits of detection are 5.5 and 6 times better than the obtained without solid phase microextraction for CH3Hg+ and Hg2+, respectively. The methodology was found linear up to 120μgL−1 and reproducible from one day to the following. It was validated with certified reference materials NCS ZC 71001 (beef liver) and BCR No 186 (pig kidney) for total mercury, calculated as the sum of species, and with spiked red deer liver and kidney for speciation. Finally, it was applied to the analysis of samples of red deer liver, red deer kidney and wild boar kidney coming from the Almadén's mercury mining area (Ciudad Real, Spain), the longest and largest producer of mercury in the world until its closure in 2002.

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) residues in European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) from north-western Poland

The purpose of this study was to evaluate polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination levels in roe and red deer from north-western Poland and to assess environmental pollution in this area. A quantitative analysis was conducted using a capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method. The mean concentrations of ΣPCBs (sum of PCBs: 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, 180) in liver samples were 30.24±12.35 ng·g−1 of lipid weight (l.w.) in roe deer and 60.13±14.23 ng·g−1 l.w. in red deer, compared with 24.21±10.02 and 45.22±9.77 ng·g−1 in the lungs of roe and red deer, respectively. PCBs 138, 153 and 180 were the dominant congeners in the liver samples of the analysed animals, whereas PCB 138 and 153 in the lungs. TEQs levels calculated for only dioxin-like PCBs were low: 0.32 and 0.29 pg WHO-PCB-TEQ·g−1 fat in liver of red deer and roe deer, respectively. The mean PCB concentrations obtained in our study for organs of roe deer and red deer were several times lower than those reported elsewhere. These findings show that the investigated roe and red deer originated from an area with low levels of PCB contamination.

Glutathione Peroxidase (GSHPx) Activity in the Liver of Red Deer in Relation to Hepatic Selenium Concentrations, Sex, Body Weight and Season of the Year

The purpose of this study was to determine glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity in the liver of red deer in relation to selenium concentrations in the liver, as well as to evaluate changes in GSHPx activity according to sex, body weight and season of the year. Total selenium concentration in the liver of red deer averaged 0.095 ± 0.018μg/g of wet weight. GSHPx activity in the liver of red deer ranged widely from 4.4 to 45.8U/g of protein. Females were characterized by higher GSHPx activity compared to males (21.2 vs. 17.0U/g protein). The highest GSHPx activity was recorded in autumn and the lowest in summer. The lowest GSHPx activity in the liver was found in the heaviest animals (>100kg body weight), averaging 14.0U/g protein. Animals weighing <66kg and 66-100kg were characterized by similar activity of 25.1 and 24.5U/g, respectively. Despite the differences in GSHPx activity according to sex, body weight and season of the year, these factors had no significant effect on the activity of this enzyme. The main factor regulating GSHPx activity in the liver of examined red deer was selenium concentration.

Selenium concentration in liver and kidney of free living animals (roe and red deer) from West Pomerania (Poland)

The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of selenium in the liver and kidneys of roe deer and red deer from West Pomerania, depending on the season. Altogether, samples from 169 animals were collected (96 from roe deer and 73 from red deer) in 2003–2007. The mean concentration of selenium in the liver of red deer and roe deer was 0.37 μg/g and 0.62 μg/g dry weight, respectively. In kidneys, Se concentration was 2.72 μg/g d.w. in red deer and 2.99 μg/g d.w. in roe deer. In roe deer, liver selenium concentration in autumn was significantly higher than in winter (P < 0.05) and spring (P < 0.01) and significantly lower in spring than in summer (P < 0.05); likewise, kidney selenium concentration was higher in autumn than in summer. In deer, no statistically significant season-related differences were observed for liver selenium concentrations. In red deer kidneys, selenium concentration was the lowest in summer, significantly lower than in autumn and winter. Low selenium concentrations in the analyzed tissues show that the animals live in areas deficient in this element.

Heavy metal exposure in large game from a lead mining area: Effects on oxidative stress and fatty acid composition in liver

The Pb mining area of the valley of Alcudia and the Sierra Madrona mountains (S. Spain) has been exploited intermittently for over 2100 years, since Roman occupation and up until the late 1900s. Red deer ( n = 168) and wild boar ( n = 58) liver and bone (metacarpus) were analyzed for Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, As and Se. Lipid peroxidation, total and oxidized glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH peroxidase (GPX) and fatty acid composition were studied in liver of red deer. The concentrations of Pb in liver and bone of red deer and wild boar were higher in the mining area than in the control area, and higher in the wild boar than red deer, but well below the level associated with clinical signs of Pb poisoning. Liver levels of Cu, Cd and Se were also higher in red deer from the mining area. Red deer from the mining area had 39% less total GSH than in the control area. The percentage of docosahexaenoic acid in liver of red deer from the mining area was 16% lower than in the control area.

Der Quecksilbergehalt der Leber und Nieren von Wildschweinen (Sus scrofa) und Rotwild (Cervus elaphus)

The presence of mercury in human and animal tissues and organs is an indication of environmental mercury pollution from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Two game species, the wild boar and the red deer, were tested to ascertain their usefulness as bioindicators of environmental mercury pollution. The study analysed livers and kidneys of wild boar and red deer shot in Poland (in the District of Western Pomerania) during the 2000/2001 hunting season (October–January). Livers and kidneys were collected 14 wild boar and 6 red deer immediately after they had been shot. The liver mercury contents were found to exceed the allowed level (0.05 mg/kg wet weight) in three wild boars, the kidneys of 13 animals contained mercury at above the permitted levels. The mercury contents of the red deer liver and kidney were low. As both the wild boar and the red deer were shot in the same area, it is likely that mercury contamination of the body depends not only on the ambient pollution level, but is also species-specific. Therefore, not every animal species can be used as a mercury pollution bioindicator.

Expression of the prolactin receptor gene during the breeding and non-breeding seasons in red deer (Cervus elaphus): evidence for the expression of two forms in the testis.

The red deer is a seasonally breeding mammal with a circannual cycle of prolactin secretion which reaches its peak during the non-breeding season. This study investigated expression of the prolactin receptor gene in red deer tissues collected in the breeding and non-breeding seasons. A 562 bp fragment of the extracellular domain of the red deer prolactin receptor cDNA was amplified from red deer liver poly(A)+ RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers designed from the human sequence. Northern blots were prepared using 10-20 micrograms poly(A)+ RNA. The blots were hybridized to the 562 bp cDNA labelled by random priming with alpha 32P-dCTP. A main transcript of 3.5 kb was expressed in liver, heart, kidney and testis throughout the year and in epididymis during the breeding season only. In the testis an additional major transcript of 1.7 kb was present during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Competitive binding assays using 125I-ovine prolactin (125I-oPRL) were performed on microsomal membrane fractions prepared from liver. Scatchard analyses confirmed the presence of a single class of lactogen-binding receptor with a mean Ka of 0.87 +/- 0.12 x 10(9) M-1 and a Bmax of 73.6 +/- 9.8 fmol/mg protein (n = 5). Cross-linking of 125I-oPRL to liver microsomes with 0.5 mM disuccinimidyl suberate followed by SDS-PAGE revealed a major band of molecular mass 56 kDa which was displaced by ovine prolactin, suggesting a specific lactogen-binding entity of 33 kDa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)