Studies of the Molecular Basis of Gonadal Tumors in the Marine Bivalve, Mya arenaria

摘要

Epizootiological studies of gonadal tumors of Maine soft-shell clams (Mya are- naria) have shown prevalences of over 20/100 in certain populations in eastern Maine. The etiology of these tumors is unknown, and both environmental as well as genetic factors may play a role. In order to investigate the effect of exposure to environmental contaminants, we initiated a short-tem exposure study of M. arenaria to [~3H] tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin ([~3H]TCDD). Gill, digestive gland, foot and gonad were sampled up to two weeks after a 24-h exposure to a low dose (10 parts per trillion or pptr) or high dose (2000 pptr) of [~3H] TCDD in the water.