Dear Colleagues, I would like to bring to your attention the following paper, "Pacific Ocean-wide Profile of CYP1A1 Expression, Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Ratios, and Organic Contaminant Burden in Sperm Whale Skin Biopsies", published in the Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives 119, 337-343. A PDF copy can be downloaded free from the journal's website at http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/home.action or you can send me a direct request for the PDF at celine.godard-codding@tiehh.ttu.edu Abstract: -Background: Ocean pollution affects marine organisms and ecosystems as well as humans. The International Oceanographic Commission recommends for ocean health monitoring programs to investigate the presence of marine contaminants and the health of threatened species and to include multiple and early-warning biomarker approaches. -Objectives: We explored the hypothesis that biomarker and contaminant analyses in skin biopsies of the threatened sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) could reveal geographical trends in exposure on an ocean-wide scale. -Methods: We analyzed CYP1A1 expression (by immunohistochemistry), stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios (as general indicators of trophic position and latitude, respectively), and contaminant burdens in skin biopsies to explore regional trends in the Pacific Ocean. -Results: Biomarker analyses revealed significant regional differences within the Pacific Ocean. CYP1A1 expression was highest in whales from the Galapagos, a UNESCO World Heritage marine reserve, and lowest in the sampling sites furthest away from continents. The possible influence of the whales' sex, diet, or range and other parameters on regional variation in CYP1A1 expression was examined but found inconclusive. In general, CYP1A1 expression was not significantly correlated with contaminant burdens in blubber. However, small sample sizes precluded detailed chemical analyses and power to detect significant associations was limited. -Conclusions: Our large-scale monitoring study was successful at identifying regional differences in CYP1A1 expression, providing a baseline for this known biomarker of exposure to AHR agonists. However, we could not identify factors that explained this variation. Future ocean-wide CYP1A1 expression profiles in cetacean skin biopsies are warranted and could reveal whether globally distributed chemicals occur at biochemically-relevant concentrations on a global basis, which may provide a measure of ocean integrity. Céline ***************************************************************** Céline Godard-Codding, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Environmental Toxicology The Institute of Environmental and Human Health Texas Tech University and TTU Health Sciences Center Box 41163 Lubbock, Texas 79409-1163 Office: (806)-885-0337 Fax: (806)-885-4577 http://www.tiehh.ttu.edu/godard-codding/ http://www.tiehh.ttu.edu *****************************************************************