Abstract:

To fully assess the impacts of Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil on the vertebrate stress response and the trajectory for recovery. Our research integrated molecular, cellular, gland/organ and whole animal physiological and behavioral studies using a benthic marine teleost, the Gulf toadfish, a resident of the Gulf of Mexico. These studies evaluated multiple pathways (e.g., pituitary fatigue, disruption or overstimulation of cortisol biosynthesis) and the consequence of these changes at the whole animal level (e.g., changes in carbohydrate metabolism and responses to natural stresses such as predation). In this series of experiments, tissue endpoints such as head kidney cortisol secretion rate and liver glycogen concentration were evaluated during long-term exposures to DWH oil. Each exposure was followed by a complementary recovery period (i.e., no oil or PAH exposure) to assess the recovery trajectory. Experiments were completed at RSMAS, University of Miami, MTLSS building room 211. Experiments began 2019-01-01 and were completed on 2019-12-31.

Suggested Citation:

Cartolano, Maria C., Matthew M. Alloy, Anna C. Barnard, Liza Merly, Rumya Sundaram, Jenna L. Shroyer, Natalia Ruiz-Huidobro, John Sebastiani, Anastasiya Plotnikova, and M. Danielle McDonald. 2021. Analysis of chronic exposure of physiological endpoints in benthic marine teleost, the Gulf toadfish, tissue. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-1qdc-fy22

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether chronic exposure to environmentally realistic concentrations of DWH oil. This study resulted in an impact in the ability of the kidney to secretion cortisol and then downstream effects on metabolic endpoints such as liver glycogen and cholesterol concentrations and osmoregulatory endpoints such as plasma osmolality.

Data Parameters and Units:

Replicate fish ID; Cortisol secretion rates (ng/ml) at time (t) = 15 min, 0 min, 30 min, 60 min, and 120 min; Kidney mass (g); Liver cholesterol (mg/g liver); Liver glycogen concentration (mg/g liver); Plasma osmolality (mosm/kg); Plasma Glucose (nmol/L); Pituitary corticotroph length

Methods:

The data was acquired using in vitro isolated kidney preparation, colorimetric assay, and a Wescor vapour pressure osmometer. The concentration of Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil sum total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) used in the experiment based on fluorescence analysis was Low 0.692 +/- 0.085, Medium 1.432 +/- 0.0116, and High 3.525 +/- 0.260 ug/L sum total PAHs and based on GC-MS(SIM)(US EPA Method 8270D) Low 0.041, Medium 0.158, and High 0.797 ug/L sum total PAHs. The oil used in this study was from extensively weathered surface slicks taken by the ship128 Juniper during the active phase of the DWH oil spill referred to as oil from surface (OFS).

Instruments:

Wescor vapour pressure osmometer

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