Hontela, Alice - University of Lethbridge - Department of Biological Sciences

研究领域

1. Impact of environmental exposures on adrenal function - ecophysiology and ecotoxicology Field studies and standardized stress challenges in vivo, or in vitro using ACTH/dbcAMP with head kidney fragments, test the functional integrity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis in wild species exposed to pollutants in the aquatic ecosystems. A suite of Biomarkers of exposure and effects are also measured to characterize the physiological status of the organisms (growth, reproductive status, metabolism, morphology of vital organs). These findings, together with data on exposure, are important for Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) in fish and amphibians exposed to pollutants in the wild. Gravel A. et al. 2005; Levesque H. et al. 2003; Campbell et al. 2003; Dorval et al. 2005; Levesque H. et al. 2002; Sherwood G. et al. 2000; Laflamme J.S. et al. 2000. 2. Mechanisms of action of adrenotoxicants in adrenal steroidogenic cells of teleosts The effects and mechanisms of toxicity of pollutants (pesticides, metals, pharmaceuticals) are investigated in vitro in adrenal cells of teleost fish. These studies aim to identify the intracellular sites of action of adrenotoxicants, determine the concentrations that are lethal to cells (LC50) and the effective concentrations that disrupt hormone synthesis (EC50), and provide quantitative data to compare endocrine toxicity of environmentally relevant pollutants. Gagnon et al. 2006; Bisson M.& Hontela A. 2002; Leblond V.S. et al. 2001; Benguira S.& Hontela A. 2000. 3. Oxidative stress as a mechanism of adrenotoxicity The role of oxidative stress in adrenotoxicity of model toxicants (e.g. endosulfan, selenium) is investigated both in vitro in fish head kidney cells and also in vivo in whole animals by measuring activities of enzymes that modulate the oxidative status of cells (glutathione peroxidase, catalase), antioxidants (GSH) and lipid peroxidation. Our studies provided new knowledge about the vulnerability to oxidative stress of the secretory pathways leading to cortisol synthesis. Dorval J.& Hontela A. 2003; Dorval et al. 2003; Miller et al. 2007. 4. Intracellular calcium homeostasis as a target of adrenotoxicants The interactions of calcium and specific adrenotoxicants (e.g. cadmium, endosulfan) are investigated in vitro using a pharmacological approach with agonists and antagonists of calcium channels in isolated head kidney cells. Lacroix A.&Hontela A. 2006; Raynal et al. 2005; Gagnon et al. 2007; Hontela et al. 2007. 5. Comparative Endocrine Toxicology and extrapolation between species Physiological mechanisms underlying the important differences in vulnerability of different animal species to pollutants are investigated in the laboratory and in the field using in vivo and in vitro approaches. These data are important for toxicological assessments and extrapolation between species. Goulet B.& Hontela A. 2003; Lacroix A.& Hontela A. 2004; Raynal et al. 2005.

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Habibi H.R., Hontela, A. 2013. Personal care products in the aquatic environment: a case study on the effects of Triclosan in fish, Organic Chemical Toxicology: Fish Physiology (33) 713-739, Elsevier, editors: Tierney K.B., Brauner C., Farell A.P. (in press) - Annett R., Habibi H.R., Hontela, A. 2013. Impact of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides on the aquatic environment, Journal of Applied Toxicology (accepted). - Miller, L.L., Rasmussen, J.B., Palace, V., Sterling, G., Hontela, A. 2013. Selenium bioaccumulation in stocked fish as an indicator of fishery potential in pit lakes on reclaimed coal mines in Alberta, Canada. Environmental Management 52: 72-84. See the full text in *.pdf - Pilgrim, N.L., Royer, R., Ripley, L., Underwood, J., Rasmussen, J.B., Hontela, A. 2012. Multi-compartment gravel bed flume to evaluate swim-up success of salmonid larvae. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 33: 71-78. See the full text in *.pdf - Rasmussen, J.B., Krimmer, A.N., Paul, A. J., Hontela, A. 2012. Empirical relationships between body tissue composition and bioelectrical impedance of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from a Rocky Mountain stream. Journal of Fish Biology 80: 2317-2327. See the full text in *.pdf - Rasmussen, J.B., Robinson, M.D., Hontela, A., Heath, D.D. 2012. Metabolic traits of westslope cutthroat trout, introduced rainbow trout and their hybrids in an ecotonal hybrid zone along an elevation gradient. Biol J of the Linnean Society 105: 56-72. See the full text in *.pdf - Krimmer, A. N., Paul, A. J., Hontela, A., Rasmussen, J. B. 2011. Behavioural and physiological responses of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis to midwinter flow reduction in a small ice-free mountain stream . Journal of Fish Biolology 79:707-725. See the full text in *.pdf - Dann, A.G. and Hontela, A. 2011. Triclosan: environmental exposure, toxicity, and mechanisms of action. Journal of Applied Toxicology 31: 285-311. See the full text in *.pdf - Miller L.L. and Hontela A. 2011. Species-specific sensitivity to selenium-induced impairment of cortisol secretion in adrenocortical cells of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) and brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ). Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 253: 137-144. See the full text in *.pdf - Quinn A. , Rasmussen, J.B., Hontela A. 2010. Physiological stress response of Mountain Whitefish ( Prosopium williamsoni ) and White Sucker ( Catostomus commersoni ) sampled along a gradient of temperature and agrichemicals in the Oldman river, Alberta. Environmental Biology of Fishes 88: 119-131. See the full text in *.pdf - Miller L.L. , Rasmussen J.B., Palace V.P., Hontela A. 2009. Physiological stress response and oxidative stress biomarkers in rainbow trout and brooktrout from selenium-impacted streams in a coal mining regionin. Journal of Applied Toxicology 29: 681-688. See the full text in *.pdf - Couillard Y., Masson S., Hontela A., Pinel-Alloul B., Olsen C., Martel L., Parent L., Campbell, P.G.C. 2009. Développment d'outils d'évaluation du milieu récepteur pour l'industrie minière. Déchets Sciences&Techniques - Revue francophone d'écologie industrielle 54: 41- 48. See the full text in *.pdf - Hontela A. and M.M. Vijayan. 2009. Adrenocortical Toxicology in Fishes, Chapter 10, In: Adrenal Toxicology, Target Organ Toxicology Series, eds: P.W. Harvey, D.J. Everett and C.J. Springall, Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. pp. 233-256. - - Miller, L.L., Rasmussen, J.B., Palace, V., Hontela, A. 2009. Physiological stress response in white suckers from agricultural drain waters containing pesticides and selenium. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 72: 1249-1256. See the full text in *.pdf - Campbell P.G.C., Kraemer L.D., Giguère A., Hare L., Hontela A. 2008. Subcellular distribution of cadmium and nickel in chronically exposed wild fish: inferences regarding metal detoxification strategies and implications for setting water quality guidelines for dissolved metals. Human Ecol. Risk Assessment 14: 290-316. See the full text in *.pdf - Rasmussen J.B., Gunn J.M., Sherwood G ., Iles A., Gagnon A. , Campbell P.G.C., Hontela A. 2008. Direct and indirect (foodweb mediated) effects of metal exposure on growth of yellow perch (Perca flavescens): implications for Ecological Risk Assessment. Human Ecol. Risk Assessment 14: 317-350. See the full text in *.pdf - Hontela A., Leblond V.S., Chang, J.P. 2008. Purification and isolation of corticosteroidogenic cells from head kidney of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) for testing cell-specific effects of a pesticide. Comp Biochem Physiol Part C 147: 52-60. See the full text in *.pdf - Miller L.L., Wang F., Palace V.P., Hontela A. 2007. Effects of acute and subchronic exposures to waterborne selenite on the physiological stress response and oxidative stress indicators in juvenile rainbow trout. Aquatic Toxicology 83: 263-271. See the full text in *.pdf - Gagnon E., Hontela A., Jumarie C. 2007. Reciprocal inhibition of Cd and Ca uptake in isolated head kidney cells of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss . Toxicology in vitro 21: 1077-1086.. See the full text in *.pdf - Lacroix A. , Hontela A. 2006. Role of calcium channels in cadmium-induced disruption of cortisol synthesis in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss . Comp Biochem Physiol Part C 144: 141-147. See the full text in *.pdf