Developmental Exposure to PCBs, MeHg, or Both: Long-term Effects on Auditory Function

Overview

Journal Environ Health Perspect

Date 2009 Aug 6

PMID 19654920

Citations 20

Authors

Brian E Powers

Emily Poon

Helen J K Sable

Susan L Schantz

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or methylmercury (MeHg) can result in a variety of neurotoxic effects, including long-term auditory deficits. However, little is known about the effects of combined exposure to PCBs and MeHg on auditory function.

Objective: We developmentally exposed rats to PCBs and/or MeHg and assessed auditory function in adulthood to determine the effects of exposure to these contaminants individually and in combination.

Methods: We exposed female Long-Evans rats to 1 or 3 mg/kg PCB in corn oil, 1.5 or 4.5 ppm MeHg in drinking water, or combined exposure to 1 mg/kg PCB + 1.5 ppm MeHg or 3 mg/kg PCB + 4.5 ppm MeHg. Controls received corn oil vehicle and unadulterated water. Dosing began 28 days before breeding and continued until weaning at postnatal day (PND) 21. Auditory function of the offspring was assessed at approximately PND 200 by measuring distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs).

Results: Groups exposed to PCBs alone had attenuated DPOAE amplitudes, elevated DPOAE thresholds, and elevated ABR thresholds compared with controls. Groups exposed to MeHg alone did not differ from controls. Unexpectedly, the effects of PCB exposure appeared to be attenuated by coexposure to MeHg.

Conclusion: Developmental exposure to PCBs can result in permanent hearing deficits, and the changes in DPOAE amplitudes and thresholds suggest a cochlear site of action. Coexposure to MeHg appeared to attenuate the PCB-related deficits, but the mechanism for this unexpected interaction remains to be determined.

Citing Articles

Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls Prevents Recovery from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Disrupts the Functional Organization of the Inferior Colliculus.

Ibrahim B, Louie J, Shinagawa Y, Xiao G, Asilador A, Sable H J Neurosci. 2023; 43(25):4580-4597.

PMID: 37147134 PMC: 10286948. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0030-23.2023.

The continued importance of comparative auditory research to modern scientific discovery.

Capshaw G, Brown A, Pena J, Carr C, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Tollin D Hear Res. 2023; 433:108766.

PMID: 37084504 PMC: 10321136. DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108766.

Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls prevents recovery from noise-induced hearing loss and disrupts the functional organization of the inferior colliculus.

Ibrahim B, Louie J, Shinagawa Y, Xiao G, Asilador A, Sable H bioRxiv. 2023; .

PMID: 36993666 PMC: 10055398. DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.23.534008.

Effects of ambient air pollution, fresh fruit and vegetable intakes as well as maternal psychosocial stress on the outcome of newborn otoacoustic emission hearing screening.

Chen B, Chen S, Duan L, Zhang M, Liu X, Duan Y BMC Pediatr. 2022; 22(1):269.

PMID: 35549697 PMC: 9097425. DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03328-9.

Developmental PCB Exposure Disrupts Synaptic Transmission and Connectivity in the Rat Auditory Cortex, Independent of Its Effects on Peripheral Hearing Threshold.

Lee C, Sadowski R, Schantz S, Llano D eNeuro. 2021; 8(1).

PMID: 33483323 PMC: 7901149. DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0321-20.2021.

References

Bemis J, Seegal R . Polychlorinated biphenyls and methylmercury act synergistically to reduce rat brain dopamine content in vitro. Environ Health Perspect. 1999; 107(11):879-85. PMC: 1566712. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.99107879. View

Grandjean P, Weihe P, Burse V, Needham L, Heinzow B, Debes F . Neurobehavioral deficits associated with PCB in 7-year-old children prenatally exposed to seafood neurotoxicants. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2001; 23(4):305-17. DOI: 10.1016/s0892-0362(01)00155-6. View

Widholm J, Villareal S, Seegal R, Schantz S . Spatial alternation deficits following developmental exposure to Aroclor 1254 and/or methylmercury in rats. Toxicol Sci. 2004; 82(2):577-89. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfh290. View

Crofton K, Ding D, Padich R, Taylor M, Henderson D . Hearing loss following exposure during development to polychlorinated biphenyls: a cochlear site of action. Hear Res. 2000; 144(1-2):196-204. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(00)00062-9. View

Uziel A, Rabie A, Marot M . The effect of hypothyroidism on the onset of cochlear potentials in developing rats. Brain Res. 1980; 182(1):172-5. DOI: 10.1016/0006-8993(80)90840-9. View

Rice D . Age-related increase in auditory impairment in monkeys exposed in utero plus postnatally to methylmercury. Toxicol Sci. 1998; 44(2):191-6. DOI: 10.1006/toxs.1998.2487. View

Watanabe C, Satoh H . Evolution of our understanding of methylmercury as a health threat. Environ Health Perspect. 1996; 104 Suppl 2:367-79. PMC: 1469590. DOI: 10.1289/ehp.96104s2367. View

Uziel A, Gabrion J, Ohresser M, LeGrand C . Effects of hypothyroidism on the structural development of the organ of Corti in the rat. Acta Otolaryngol. 1981; 92(5-6):469-80. DOI: 10.3109/00016488109133286. View

Roegge C, Wang V, Powers B, Klintsova A, Villareal S, Greenough W . Motor impairment in rats exposed to PCBs and methylmercury during early development. Toxicol Sci. 2003; 77(2):315-24. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfg252. View

10.

Wong P, Pessah I . Noncoplanar PCB 95 alters microsomal calcium transport by an immunophilin FKBP12-dependent mechanism. Mol Pharmacol. 1997; 51(5):693-702. DOI: 10.1124/mol.51.5.693. View

11.

Murata K, Weihe P, Budtz-Jorgensen E, Jorgensen P, Grandjean P . Delayed brainstem auditory evoked potential latencies in 14-year-old children exposed to methylmercury. J Pediatr. 2004; 144(2):177-83. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2003.10.059. View

12.

Huang C, Hsu C, Liu S, Lin-Shiau S . Neurotoxicological mechanism of methylmercury induced by low-dose and long-term exposure in mice: oxidative stress and down-regulated Na+/K(+)-ATPase involved. Toxicol Lett. 2008; 176(3):188-97. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2007.11.004. View

13.

Wigle D, Arbuckle T, Turner M, Berube A, Yang Q, Liu S . Epidemiologic evidence of relationships between reproductive and child health outcomes and environmental chemical contaminants. J Toxicol Environ Health B Crit Rev. 2008; 11(5-6):373-517. DOI: 10.1080/10937400801921320. View

14.

Ulbrich B, Stahlmann R . Developmental toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): a systematic review of experimental data. Arch Toxicol. 2004; 78(5):252-68. DOI: 10.1007/s00204-003-0519-y. View

15.

Herr D, Goldey E, Crofton K . Developmental exposure to Aroclor 1254 produces low-frequency alterations in adult rat brainstem auditory evoked responses. Fundam Appl Toxicol. 1996; 33(1):120-8. DOI: 10.1006/faat.1996.0149. View

16.

Bemis J, Seegal R . Polychlorinated biphenyls and methylmercury alter intracellular calcium concentrations in rat cerebellar granule cells. Neurotoxicology. 2001; 21(6):1123-34. View

17.

Knipper M, Zinn C, Maier H, Praetorius M, Rohbock K, Kopschall I . Thyroid hormone deficiency before the onset of hearing causes irreversible damage to peripheral and central auditory systems. J Neurophysiol. 2000; 83(5):3101-12. DOI: 10.1152/jn.2000.83.5.3101. View

18.

Lasky R, Widholm J, Crofton K, Schantz S . Perinatal exposure to Aroclor 1254 impairs distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in rats. Toxicol Sci. 2002; 68(2):458-64. DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/68.2.458. View

19.

Sable H, Eubig P, Powers B, Wang V, Schantz S . Developmental exposure to PCBs and/or MeHg: effects on a differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL) operant task before and after amphetamine drug challenge. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2009; 31(3):149-58. PMC: 2730353. DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2008.12.006. View

20.

Kenet T, Froemke R, Schreiner C, Pessah I, Merzenich M . Perinatal exposure to a noncoplanar polychlorinated biphenyl alters tonotopy, receptive fields, and plasticity in rat primary auditory cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104(18):7646-51. PMC: 1855918. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0701944104. View