Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Standard

Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). / Gustavson, Lisa; Jenssen, Bjorn Munro; Bytingsvik, Jenny; Styrishave, Bjarne; Hansen, Martin; Aars, Jon; Eggen, Grethe S.; Ciesielski, Tomasz M.

In: Polar Biology, Vol. 38, No. 8, 08.2015, p. 1183-1194.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Gustavson, L, Jenssen, BM, Bytingsvik, J, Styrishave, B, Hansen, M, Aars, J, Eggen, GS & Ciesielski, TM 2015, 'Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus)', Polar Biology, vol. 38, no. 8, pp. 1183-1194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3

APA

Gustavson, L., Jenssen, B. M., Bytingsvik, J., Styrishave, B., Hansen, M., Aars, J., Eggen, G. S., & Ciesielski, T. M. (2015). Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Polar Biology, 38(8), 1183-1194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3

Vancouver

Gustavson L, Jenssen BM, Bytingsvik J, Styrishave B, Hansen M, Aars J et al. Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Polar Biology. 2015 Aug;38(8):1183-1194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3

Author

Gustavson, Lisa ; Jenssen, Bjorn Munro ; Bytingsvik, Jenny ; Styrishave, Bjarne ; Hansen, Martin ; Aars, Jon ; Eggen, Grethe S. ; Ciesielski, Tomasz M. / Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). In: Polar Biology. 2015 ; Vol. 38, No. 8. pp. 1183-1194.

Bibtex

@article{5e65eb8b0ee843fcab7f9937442072cf,
title = "Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus)",
abstract = "The polar bear is an iconic Arctic species, threatened by anthropogenic impacts such as pollution and climate change. Successful reproduction of polar bears depends on a functioning steroid hormone system, which is susceptible to effects of persistent organic pollutants. The present study is the first study to report circulating concentrations of nine steroid hormones (i.e., estrogens, androgens and progestagens) in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age, condition, location and reproductive status on steroid profile in female polar bears. Levels of pregnenolone (PRE), progesterone, androstenedione (AN), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (αE2) and 17β-estradiol (βE2) were quantified in blood (serum) of free-living female polar bears (n = 15) from Svalbard, Norway, by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Concentrations of androgens, estrogens and progestagens were in the range of 0.02–166, 0.01–1.49 and 0.16–17.1 nmol/L, respectively. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between E1 and DHEA, and a positive correlation between E1 and βE2. Additionally, negative relationships were found between body mass and cholesterol, contour body length and cholesterol, and head length and PRE, while a positive relationship was found between PRE and cholesterol. The steroid profile suggests that AN and the sex steroids are primarily synthesized through the Δ-4 pathway in polar bears, similar to rodents. The large individual variability in steroid levels reported here most likely reflects the differences in reproductive status of the female polar bears during mating season. The steroid data establish reference values of steroid hormones and may be applied in further studies on polar bears endocrine system and anthropogenic threats to polar bear reproduction.",
keywords = "Steroid hormones, Steroidogenesis, Androgens, Estrogens, Progestagens, Polar bears, GC-MS/MS, Svalbard",
author = "Lisa Gustavson and Jenssen, {Bjorn Munro} and Jenny Bytingsvik and Bjarne Styrishave and Martin Hansen and Jon Aars and Eggen, {Grethe S.} and Ciesielski, {Tomasz M.}",
year = "2015",
month = aug,
doi = "10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3",
language = "English",
volume = "38",
pages = "1183--1194",
journal = "Polar Biology",
issn = "0722-4060",
publisher = "Springer",
number = "8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Steroid hormone profile in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

AU - Gustavson, Lisa

AU - Jenssen, Bjorn Munro

AU - Bytingsvik, Jenny

AU - Styrishave, Bjarne

AU - Hansen, Martin

AU - Aars, Jon

AU - Eggen, Grethe S.

AU - Ciesielski, Tomasz M.

PY - 2015/8

Y1 - 2015/8

N2 - The polar bear is an iconic Arctic species, threatened by anthropogenic impacts such as pollution and climate change. Successful reproduction of polar bears depends on a functioning steroid hormone system, which is susceptible to effects of persistent organic pollutants. The present study is the first study to report circulating concentrations of nine steroid hormones (i.e., estrogens, androgens and progestagens) in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age, condition, location and reproductive status on steroid profile in female polar bears. Levels of pregnenolone (PRE), progesterone, androstenedione (AN), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (αE2) and 17β-estradiol (βE2) were quantified in blood (serum) of free-living female polar bears (n = 15) from Svalbard, Norway, by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Concentrations of androgens, estrogens and progestagens were in the range of 0.02–166, 0.01–1.49 and 0.16–17.1 nmol/L, respectively. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between E1 and DHEA, and a positive correlation between E1 and βE2. Additionally, negative relationships were found between body mass and cholesterol, contour body length and cholesterol, and head length and PRE, while a positive relationship was found between PRE and cholesterol. The steroid profile suggests that AN and the sex steroids are primarily synthesized through the Δ-4 pathway in polar bears, similar to rodents. The large individual variability in steroid levels reported here most likely reflects the differences in reproductive status of the female polar bears during mating season. The steroid data establish reference values of steroid hormones and may be applied in further studies on polar bears endocrine system and anthropogenic threats to polar bear reproduction.

AB - The polar bear is an iconic Arctic species, threatened by anthropogenic impacts such as pollution and climate change. Successful reproduction of polar bears depends on a functioning steroid hormone system, which is susceptible to effects of persistent organic pollutants. The present study is the first study to report circulating concentrations of nine steroid hormones (i.e., estrogens, androgens and progestagens) in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age, condition, location and reproductive status on steroid profile in female polar bears. Levels of pregnenolone (PRE), progesterone, androstenedione (AN), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (αE2) and 17β-estradiol (βE2) were quantified in blood (serum) of free-living female polar bears (n = 15) from Svalbard, Norway, by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Concentrations of androgens, estrogens and progestagens were in the range of 0.02–166, 0.01–1.49 and 0.16–17.1 nmol/L, respectively. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between E1 and DHEA, and a positive correlation between E1 and βE2. Additionally, negative relationships were found between body mass and cholesterol, contour body length and cholesterol, and head length and PRE, while a positive relationship was found between PRE and cholesterol. The steroid profile suggests that AN and the sex steroids are primarily synthesized through the Δ-4 pathway in polar bears, similar to rodents. The large individual variability in steroid levels reported here most likely reflects the differences in reproductive status of the female polar bears during mating season. The steroid data establish reference values of steroid hormones and may be applied in further studies on polar bears endocrine system and anthropogenic threats to polar bear reproduction.

KW - Steroid hormones

KW - Steroidogenesis

KW - Androgens

KW - Estrogens

KW - Progestagens

KW - Polar bears

KW - GC-MS/MS

KW - Svalbard

U2 - 10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3

DO - 10.1007/s00300-015-1682-3

M3 - Journal article

VL - 38

SP - 1183

EP - 1194

JO - Polar Biology

JF - Polar Biology

SN - 0722-4060

IS - 8

ER -

ID: 161662247