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Nsuala BN, Enslin G, Chen W, Veale C, Viljoen A. Chemical profiling, anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects of the smoke constituents isolated from Leonotis leonurus (L.) R.Br. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 331:118271. [PMID: 38688356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The use of medicinal plants for central nervous system (CNS)-related ailments, such as epilepsy and anxiety, is prevalent in South Africa. Plants from the Lamiaceae family are commonly used for their therapeutic benefits. Leonotis leonurus (L.) R.Br. has been reported in ethnobotanical literature to have anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects through the inhalation of pyrolysis products obtained by combustion of the aerial parts. AIM AND OBJECTIVES To explore the chemical profiles and CNS activity of the smoke extract and isolated constituents of L. leonurus in zebrafish larvae, through anticonvulsive and anxiolytic activity assays. MATERIALS AND METHODS The smoke extract of L. leonurus was obtained through the combustion of the aerial parts of the plant using a custom-built smoke recovery apparatus. The chemical profile of the smoke constituents was determined using Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Targeted compounds were subjected to preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography for separation before structure elucidation using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). The maximum tolerated concentrations, as well as the anxiolytic activity of the smoke extract were determined in five days post fertilisation zebrafish larvae. Reverse-thigmotaxis and locomotor activity of larvae in the light/dark transition assay were used to determine anxiolytic activity. Zebrafish larvae at six days post fertilisation (dpf) were subjected to several concentrations of the smoke constituents of L. leonurus. The baseline locomotor activity of the larvae was tracked for 30 min, prior to addition of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) to induce seizure-like behaviour in the larvae, after which the locomotor activity of the larvae was once again tracked for an additional 30 min. RESULTS The UPLC-MS profiles of the smoke extract revealed the presence of two main compounds, leoleorin A and leoleorin B, which were targeted and isolated. Upon subjection to NMR spectroscopy for structure elucidation, the compounds were confirmed to be labdane diterpenoids. Both leoleorin A and leoleorin B, and the smoke extract displayed suppression of the PTZ induced seizure-like behaviour in zebrafish larvae. Under light and dark conditions, the smoke extract and compounds displayed potential anxiolytic activity at different concentrations. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the smoke constituents of L. leonurus may exert anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects which align with the traditional indications and the mode of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baudry N Nsuala
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Gill Enslin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Weiyang Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Clinton Veale
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Alvaro Viljoen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
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Caioni G, Merola C, Perugini M, Angelozzi G, Amorena M, Benedetti E, Lucon-Xiccato T, Bertolucci C. Sodium valproate effects on the morphological and neurobehavioral phenotype of zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 110:104500. [PMID: 38977114 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2024.104500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The anticonvulsant sodium valproate (SV) is frequently administered as a medicament but bears several negative effects in case of exposure during development. We analyzed extensively these early development effects of using the zebrafish model. Zebrafish embryos were exposed as eggs to two sublethal concentrations of SV, 10 and 25 mg/L. A general embryo toxicity analysis revealed extended anomalies in the cardiovascular system, and in the craniofacial and the spinal skeleton, as well as high mortality, in the embryos exposed to SV. The teratogenic potential of SV was confirmed in hacthed larvae by morphometric and cartilage profile analysis. Last, neurobehavioral impairments due to SV were highlighted in subjects' activity, anxiety, response to stimulations, habituation learning, and daily synchronization of locomotor activity, overall mirroring typical phenotypes associated with autistic spectrum disorders. In conclusion, our results confirmed the presence of extended and multifaced impacts of exposure to SV during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Caioni
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, Italy; Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | - Carmine Merola
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | - Monia Perugini
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy.
| | - Giovanni Angelozzi
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | - Michele Amorena
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Benedetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila 67100, Italy
| | - Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristiano Bertolucci
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Ihn Y, Cho Y, Lee I, Oh JS, Moon HB, Choi K. Thyroid and neurobehavioral effects of DiNP on GH3 cells and larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 362:142593. [PMID: 38866335 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) has been used to replace bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and is frequently found in the environment and humans. DiNP is reported for its anti-androgenic activity; however, little is known about its effects on thyroid function and neurodevelopment. In the present study, the thyroid disruption and neurobehavioral alteration potential of DiNP and its major metabolites were assessed in a rat pituitary carcinoma cell line (GH3) and embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). In GH3 cells, exposure to DiNP and its metabolites not only increased proliferation but also induced transcriptional changes in several target genes, which were different from those observed with DEHP exposure. In larval fish, a 5-day exposure to DiNP caused significant increases in thyroid hormone levels, following a similar pattern to that reported for DEHP exposure. Following exposure to DiNP, the activity of the larval fish decreased, and neurodevelopment-related genes, such as c-fos, elavl3, and mbp, were down-regulated. These changes are generally similar to those observed for DEHP. Up-regulation of gap43 and down-regulation of elavl3 gene, which are important for both thyroid hormone production and neurodevelopment, respectively, support the potential for both thyroid and behavioral disruption of DiNP. Overall, these results emphasize the need to consider the adverse thyroid and neurodevelopmental effects in developing regulations for DEHP-replacing phthalates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchul Ihn
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoojin Cho
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Inae Lee
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Su Oh
- Department of Marine Sciences and Convergence Engineering, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Bang Moon
- Department of Marine Sciences and Convergence Engineering, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungho Choi
- Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Firdous SM, Pal S, Khanam S, Zakir F. Behavioral neuroscience in zebrafish: unravelling the complexity of brain-behavior relationships. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03275-5. [PMID: 38970686 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03275-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
This paper reviews the utility of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system for exploring neurobehavioral phenomena in preclinical research, focusing on physiological processes, disorders, and neurotoxicity biomarkers. A comprehensive review of the current literature was conducted to summarize the various behavioral characteristics of zebrafish. The study examined the etiological agents used to induce neurotoxicity and the biomarkers involved, including Aβ42, tau, MMP-13, MAO, NF-Кβ, and GFAP. Additionally, the different zebrafish study models and their responses to neurobehavioral analysis were discussed. The review identified several key biomarkers of neurotoxicity in zebrafish, each impacting different aspects of neurogenesis, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Aβ42 was found to alter neuronal growth and stem cell function. Tau's interaction with tubulin affected microtubule stability and led to tauopathies under pathological conditions. MMP-13 was linked to oxidative assault and sensory neuron degeneration. MAO plays a role in neurotransmitter metabolism and neurotoxicity conversion. NF-Кβ was involved in pro-inflammatory pathways, and GFAP was indicative of neuroinflammation and astroglial activation. Zebrafish provide a valuable model for neurobehavioral research, adhering to the "3Rs" philosophy. Their neurotoxicity biomarkers offer insights into the mechanisms of neurogenesis, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. This model system aids in evaluating physiological and pathological conditions, enhancing our understanding of neurobehavioral phenomena and potential therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Mohammed Firdous
- Department of Pharmacology, Calcutta Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology & AHS, Uluberia, Howrah, 711316, West Bengal, India.
| | - Sourav Pal
- P.G. Institute of Medical Sciences, Dhurabila, Dhamkuria, Paschim Medinipur: 72:1201, Chandrakona Town, West Bengal, India
| | - Sofia Khanam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Foziyah Zakir
- Department of B.Pharm (Ayurveda), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, 110017, India
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Alam MR, Dobhal V, Singh S. Neuroprotective potential of solanesol against tramadol induced zebrafish model of Parkinson's disease: insights from neurobehavioral, molecular, and neurochemical evidence. Drug Chem Toxicol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38938099 DOI: 10.1080/01480545.2024.2355542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and subsequent depletion of dopamine in the striatum. Solanesol, an alcohol that acts as a precursor to coenzyme Q10, possesses potential applications in managing neurological disorders with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuromodulatory potential. In this study, a zebrafish model was employed to investigate the effects of solanesol in tramadol induced PD like symptoms. Zebrafish were administered tramadol injections (50 mg/kg) over a 20-day period. Solanesol was administered at doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, three hours prior to tramadol administration from day 11 to day 20. Behavioral tests assessing motor coordination were conducted on a weekly basis using open field and novel diving tank apparatus. On day 21, the zebrafish were euthanized, and brain tissues were examined for markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and neurotransmitters level. Chronic tramadol treatment resulted in motor impairment, reduced antioxidant enzyme levels, enhanced release of proinflammatory cytokines in the striatum, and disrupted neurotransmitter balance. However, solanesol administration mitigated these effects and exhibited a neuroprotective effect against neurodegenerative alterations in the zebrafish model of PD. This was evident through improvements in behavior, modulation of biochemical markers, attenuation of neuroinflammation, restoration of neurotransmitters level, and enhancement of mitochondrial activity. The histopathological study also confirmed that solanesol dose dependently restored neuronal cell density which confirmed its neuroprotective potential. Further investigations are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of solanesol neuroprotective effects and evaluate its efficacy in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Reyaz Alam
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropharmacology Division, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, India
| | - Vaishali Dobhal
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropharmacology Division, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, India
| | - Shamsher Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuropharmacology Division, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, India
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Zhang L, Li X, Yuan Q, Sun S, Liu F, Liao X, Lu H, Chen J, Cao Z. Isavuconazole Induces Neurodevelopment Defects and Motor Behaviour Impairment in Zebrafish Larvae. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04245-x. [PMID: 38787492 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04245-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Isavuconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug used for the treatment of serious infections caused by invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis in adults. With the continuous use of this drug, its safety and environmental impact have received increasing attention. However, information on the adverse effects of the drug is very limited. Fish is a particularly important model for assessing environmental risks. In this study, the aquatic vertebrate zebrafish was used as a model to study the toxic effects and mechanisms of isavuconazole. We exposed zebrafish embryos to 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/L of isavuconazole 6 h after fertilization. The results showed that at 72 hpf, isavuconazole exposure reduced heart rate, body length, and survival of zebrafish embryos compared to controls. Secondly, when isavuconazole reached a certain dose level (0.25 mg/L), it caused morphological changes in the Tg(elavl3:eGFP) transgenic fish line, with the head shrunk, the body bent, the fluorescence intensity becoming weaker, the abnormal motor behaviour, etc. At the same time, exposure of zebrafish embryos to isavuconazole downregulated acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and adenosine triphosphate (ATPase) activities but upregulated oxidative stress, thereby disrupting neural development and gene expression of neurotransmitter pathways. In addition, astaxanthin partially rescued the neurodevelopmental defects of zebrafish embryos by downregulating oxidative stress. Thus, our study suggests that isavuconazole exposure may induce neurodevelopment defects and behavioural disturbances in larval zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Xue Li
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Qiang Yuan
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Sujie Sun
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China
| | - Fasheng Liu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Xinjun Liao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200434, China.
| | - Zigang Cao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs and Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences, Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Clinical Research Center of Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, China.
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Chen S, Qin Y, Ye X, Liu J, Yan X, Zhou L, Wang X, Martyniuk CJ, Yan B. Neurotoxicity of the Cu(OH) 2 Nanopesticide through Perturbing Multiple Neurotransmitter Pathways in Developing Zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19407-19418. [PMID: 37988762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The copper hydroxide [Cu(OH)2] nanopesticide is an emerging agricultural chemical that can negatively impact aquatic organisms. This study evaluated the behavioral changes of zebrafish larvae exposed to the Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide and assessed its potential to induce neurotoxicity. Metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling was also conducted to uncover the molecular mechanisms related to potential neurotoxicity. The Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide at 100 μg/L induced zebrafish hypoactivity, dark avoidance, and response to the light stimulus, suggestive of neurotoxic effects. Altered neurotransmitter-related pathways (serotoninergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic) and reduction of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), glutamate (GLU), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and several of their precursors and metabolites were noted following metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were associated with the synthesis, transport, receptor binding, and metabolism of 5-HT, DA, GLU, and GABA. Transcripts (or protein levels) related to neurotransmitter receptors for 5-HT, DA, GLU, and GABA and enzymes for the synthesis of GLU and GABA were downregulated. Effects on both the glutamatergic and GABAergic pathways in zebrafish were specific to the nanopesticide and differed from those in fish exposed to copper ions. Taken together, the Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide induced developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish by inhibiting several neurotransmitter-related pathways. This study presented a model for Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide-induced neurotoxicity in developing zebrafish that can inform ecological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siying Chen
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yingju Qin
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaolin Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiliang Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, UF Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences in Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Bing Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Chitolina R, Gallas-Lopes M, Reis CG, Benvenutti R, Stahlhofer-Buss T, Calcagnotto ME, Herrmann AP, Piato A. Chemically-induced epileptic seizures in zebrafish: A systematic review. Epilepsy Res 2023; 197:107236. [PMID: 37801749 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The use of zebrafish as a model organism is gaining evidence in the field of epilepsy as it may help to understand the mechanisms underlying epileptic seizures. As zebrafish assays became popular, the heterogeneity between protocols increased, making it hard to choose a standard protocol to conduct research while also impairing the comparison of results between studies. We conducted a systematic review to comprehensively profile the chemically-induced seizure models in zebrafish. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, followed by a two-step screening process based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Qualitative data were extracted, and a sample of 100 studies was randomly selected for risk of bias assessment. Out of the 1058 studies identified after removing duplicates, 201 met the inclusion criteria. We found that the most common chemoconvulsants used in the reviewed studies were pentylenetetrazole (n = 180), kainic acid (n = 11), and pilocarpine (n = 10), which increase seizure severity in a dose-dependent manner. The main outcomes assessed were seizure scores and locomotion. Significant variability between the protocols was observed for administration route, duration of exposure, and dose/concentration. Of the studies subjected to risk of bias assessment, most were rated as low risk of bias for selective reporting (94%), baseline characteristics of the animals (67%), and blinded outcome assessment (54%). Randomization procedures and incomplete data were rated unclear in 81% and 68% of the studies, respectively. None of the studies reported the sample size calculation. Overall, these findings underscore the need for improved methodological and reporting practices to enhance the reproducibility and reliability of zebrafish models for studying epilepsy. Our study offers a comprehensive overview of the current state of chemically-induced seizure models in zebrafish, highlighting the common chemoconvulsants used and the variability in protocol parameters. This may be particularly valuable to researchers interested in understanding the underlying mechanisms of epileptic seizures and screening potential drug candidates in zebrafish models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Chitolina
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia e Comportamento (LAPCOM), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Matheus Gallas-Lopes
- Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative in Preclinical Systematic Review and meta-Analysis (BRISA) Collaboration, Brazil; Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Psicofarmacologia Experimental (PsychoLab), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos G Reis
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia e Comportamento (LAPCOM), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Radharani Benvenutti
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Thailana Stahlhofer-Buss
- Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia e Comportamento (LAPCOM), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Neuroquímica da Excitabilidade Neuronal e Plasticidade Sináptica (NNNESP Lab), Departamento de bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana P Herrmann
- Brazilian Reproducibility Initiative in Preclinical Systematic Review and meta-Analysis (BRISA) Collaboration, Brazil; Laboratório de Neurobiologia e Psicofarmacologia Experimental (PsychoLab), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Angelo Piato
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Psicofarmacologia e Comportamento (LAPCOM), Departamento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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9
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Saleh Hodin NA, Chong SG, Bakar NA, Fahmi MSAM, Ramlan NF, Hamid NNAZZ, Fadzar MSIM, Zulkifli AR, Norazhar AI, Mastuki SN, Faudzi SMM, Ibrahim WNW, Azmai MNA. Toxicity and teratogenicity effects of valproic acid on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos in relation to autism spectrum disorder. Birth Defects Res 2023; 115:1475-1485. [PMID: 37507847 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely prescribed antiepileptic drug with various medicinal efficacies. Accumulated evidence implied that prenatal exposure to VPA is highly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, the zebrafish were exposed to a set of VPA concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, and 2560 μM) at 5 h post fertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf. The adverse effects of VPA were extensively studied through the evaluations on the mortality, heartbeats, spontaneous tail coiling, and hatching rate. Morphological observations were conducted at 120 hpf, following the exposure termination. Basic locomotor responses and anxiety-like behavioral alterations evaluated for behavioral impairments are the hallmark feature of ASD. The exposure to VPA at teratogenic concentrations reduced the aforementioned parameters in a dose-dependent manner (p ≤ .05). At the selected non-teratogenic concentrations of VPA, the treated larvae demonstrated profound alterations of basic locomotor responses. No significant changes of anxiety and thigmotactic behaviors were observed on the VPA-treated fish compared to the control (p ≥ .005). This study depicted that embryonic zebrafish exposure to VPA produced significant toxicity and teratogenicity effects as well as the alterations of basic behavioral responses. Overall, this study provides a fundamental insight of the toxicity effects at morphological and behavioral levels to facilitate the understanding of ASD mechanisms at different molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Atikah Saleh Hodin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Centre of Foundation Studies for Agricultural Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Siok Geok Chong
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Noraini Abu Bakar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | | | - Nurul Farhana Ramlan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Abdul Rahman Zulkifli
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Anis Irfan Norazhar
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nurulhuda Mastuki
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norhamidah Wan Ibrahim
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Mohammad Noor Amal Azmai
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
- Aquatic Animal Health and Therapeutics Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
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10
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Marszalek-Grabska M, Gawel K, Kosheva N, Kocki T, Turski WA. Developmental Exposure to Kynurenine Affects Zebrafish and Rat Behavior. Cells 2023; 12:2224. [PMID: 37759447 PMCID: PMC10526278 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper nutrition and supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding are crucial for the development of offspring. Kynurenine (KYN) is the central metabolite of the kynurenine pathway and a direct precursor of other metabolites that possess immunoprotective or neuroactive properties, with the ultimate effect on fetal neurodevelopment. To date, no studies have evaluated the effects of KYN on early embryonic development. Thus, the aim of our study was to determine the effect of incubation of larvae with KYN in different developmental periods on the behavior of 5-day-old zebrafish. Additionally, the effects exerted by KYN administered on embryonic days 1-7 (ED 1-7) on the behavior of adult offspring of rats were elucidated. Our study revealed that the incubation with KYN induced changes in zebrafish behavior, especially when zebrafish embryos or larvae were incubated with KYN from 1 to 72 h post-fertilization (hpf) and from 49 to 72 hpf. KYN administered early during pregnancy induced subtle differences in the neurobehavioral development of adult offspring. Further research is required to understand the mechanism of these changes. The larval zebrafish model can be useful for studying disturbances in early brain development processes and their late behavioral consequences. The zebrafish-medium system may be applicable in monitoring drug metabolism in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Marszalek-Grabska
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University, Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; (K.G.); (N.K.); (T.K.); (W.A.T.)
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11
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Mathiron AGE, Rejo L, Chapeau F, Malgouyres JM, Silvestre F, Vignet C. Tools for photomotor response assay standardization in ecotoxicological studies: Example of exposure to gentamicin in the freshwater planaria Schmidtea mediterranea. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2023; 102:104242. [PMID: 37573897 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Photomotor response assay (PMR) is very useful in an ecotoxicological context because it allows evaluation of behavioral response to potential toxic compounds. However, a lack of procedure standardization makes results comparison difficult between labs and organisms. Here, we aimed to propose five different tools to standardize the PMR procedure so that it may be applied to all model species, regarding: (1) the minimum total sample size, (2) the acclimation period, (3) the number and duration of light and dark phases alternation, (4) the measured behavior, and (5) the statistical analysis. As an example of procedure application, we analyzed the effect of an exposure to the antibiotic gentamicin on the locomotion behavior during PMR in an invertebrate species: the asexual freshwater planaria Schmidtea mediterranea. We encourage future studies using PMR to follow these five tools to improve data analysis and results comparability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony G E Mathiron
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive Physiology, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Institute of Life, Earth, and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium.
| | - Lucia Rejo
- Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives (BTSB), EA7417, INU Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Florian Chapeau
- Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives (BTSB), EA7417, INU Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Jean-Michel Malgouyres
- Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives (BTSB), EA7417, INU Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Frédéric Silvestre
- Laboratory of Evolutionary and Adaptive Physiology, University of Namur, 61 Rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur, Belgium; Institute of Life, Earth, and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur, Belgium
| | - Caroline Vignet
- Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives (BTSB), EA7417, INU Champollion, Place de Verdun, 81000 Albi, France
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12
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Zhou J, Zhao Y, Dai J, Zhang K. Environmentally relevant concentrations of antidepressant mirtazapine impair the neurodevelopment of zebrafish (Danio rerio). ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 262:115335. [PMID: 37567106 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Mirtazapine is a commonly prescribed antidepressant and has been found widespread in aquatic environments. However, its toxicities to aquatic organisms has rarely been explored. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive study on the developmental effects of mirtazapine on early life stages of zebrafish at environmentally relevant concentrations (3.9 ng/L and 43.5 ng/L). Out of the endpoints measured, spontaneous contraction of embryos at 24 h post fertilization (hpf) and hatching rate and heart rate of embryos at 50 hpf and 56 hpf, respectively, were significantly affected. In light-dark transition behavior test, mirtazapine significantly reduced the swimming frequency and swimming speed of embryos at both concentrations of 3.9 ng/L and 43.5 ng/L. Furthermore, the total swimming distances in dark conditions were also significantly reduced. Transcriptomic analysis was further conducted. It demonstrated that the decreased neural activities in embryos may be associated with altered epinephrine and neuregulin signaling. The present results fill a data gap regarding the exposure of fish to mirtazapine at environmentally relevant concentrations and provide new insights into the neurotoxic mechanisms of mirtazapine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiayin Dai
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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13
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Szep D, Dittrich B, Gorbe A, Szentpeteri JL, Aly N, Jin M, Budan F, Sik A. A comparative study to optimize experimental conditions of pentylenetetrazol and pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in zebrafish larvae. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288904. [PMID: 37506089 PMCID: PMC10381053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A common way to investigate epilepsy and the effect of antiepileptic pharmaceuticals is to analyze the movement patterns of zebrafish larvae treated with different convulsants like pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), pilocarpine, etc. Many articles have been written on this topic, but the research methods and exact settings are not sufficiently defined in most. Here we designed and executed a series of experiments to optimize and standardize the zebrafish epilepsy model. We found that during the light and the dark trials, the zebrafish larvae moved significantly more in the light, independent of the treatment, both in PTZ and pilocarpine-treated and the control groups. As expected, zebrafish larvae treated with convulsants moved significantly more than the ones in the control group, although this difference was higher between the individuals treated with PTZ than pilocarpine. When examining the optimal observation time, we divided the half-hour period into 5-minute time intervals, and between these, the first 5 minutes were found to be the most different from the others. There were fewer significant differences in the total movement of larvae between the other time intervals. We also performed a linear regression analysis with the cumulative values of the distance moved during the time intervals that fit the straight line. In conclusion, we recommend 30 minutes of drug pretreatment followed by a 10-minute test in light conditions with a 5-minute accommodation time. Our result paves the way toward improved experimental designs using zebrafish to develop novel pharmaceutical approaches to treat epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Szep
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Bianka Dittrich
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Aniko Gorbe
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Jozsef L Szentpeteri
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Nour Aly
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Meng Jin
- Biology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan, Shandong Province, P.R. China
| | - Ferenc Budan
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Attila Sik
- Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
- College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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14
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Widelski J, Kasica N, Maciąg M, Luca SV, Budzyńska B, Fondai D, Podlasz P, Skalicka-Woźniak K. Simple Coumarins from Peucedanum luxurians Fruits: Evaluation of Anxiolytic Activity and Influence on Gene Expression Related to Anxiety in Zebrafish Model. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108693. [PMID: 37240050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety is one of the most common central nervous system disorders, affecting at least one-quarter of the worldwide population. The medications routinely used for the treatment of anxiety (mainly benzodiazepines) are a cause of addiction and are characterized by many undesirable side effects. Thus, there is an important and urgent need for screening and finding novel drug candidates that can be used in the prevention or treatment of anxiety. Simple coumarins usually do not show side effects, or these effects are much lower than in the case of synthetic drugs acting on the central nervous system (CNS). This study aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic activity of three simple coumarins from Peucedanum luxurians Tamamsch, namely officinalin, stenocarpin isobutyrate, and officinalin isobutyrate, in a 5 dpf larval zebrafish model. Moreover, the influence of the tested coumarins on the expression of genes involved in the neural activity (c-fos, bdnf) or dopaminergic (th1), serotoninergic (htr1Aa, htr1b, htr2b), GABA-ergic (gabarapa, gabarapb), enkephalinergic (penka, penkb), and galaninergic (galn) neurotransmission was assessed by quantitative PCR. All tested coumarins showed significant anxiolytic activity, with officinalin as the most potent compound. The presence of a free hydroxyl group at position C-7 and the lack of methoxy moiety at position C-8 might be key structural features responsible for the observed effects. In addition, officinalin and its isobutyrate upregulated the expression of genes involved in neurotransmission and decreased the expression of genes connected with neural activity. Therefore, the coumarins from P. luxurians might be considered as promising drug candidates for the therapy of anxiety and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarosław Widelski
- Medicinal Plant Unit, Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Natalia Kasica
- Department of Animal Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Monika Maciąg
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Simon Vlad Luca
- Biothermodynamics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, 700115 Iasi, Romania
| | - Barbara Budzyńska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Dafina Fondai
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo
| | - Piotr Podlasz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Forensic Veterinary Medicine and Administration, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
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15
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Abu Bakar N, Wan Ibrahim WN, Zulkiflli AR, Saleh Hodin NA, Kim TY, Ling YS, Md Ajat MM, Shaari K, Shohaimi S, Nasruddin NS, Mohd Faudzi SM, Kim CH. Embryonic mercury exposure in zebrafish: Alteration of metabolites and gene expression, related to visual and behavioral impairments. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 256:114862. [PMID: 37004432 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The widespread presence of mercury, a heavy metal found in the environment and used in numerous industries and domestic, raises concerns about its potential impact on human health. Nevertheless, the adverse effects of this environmental toxicant at low concentrations are often underestimated. There are emerging studies showing that accumulation of mercury in the eye may contribute to visual impairment and a comorbidity between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) trait and visual impairment. However, the underlying mechanism of visual impairment in humans and rodents is challenging. In response to this issue, zebrafish larvae with a cone-dominated retinal visual system were exposed to 100 nM mercury chloride (HgCl2), according to our previous study, followed by light-dark stimulation, a social assay, and color preference to examine the functionality of the visual system in relation to ASD-like behavior. Exposure of embryos to HgCl2 from gastrulation to hatching increased locomotor activity in the dark, reduced shoaling and exploratory behavior, and impaired color preference. Defects in microridges as the first barrier may serve as primary tools for HgCl2 toxicity affecting vision. Depletion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid, arachidonic acid (ARA), alpha-linoleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), stearic acid, L-phenylalanine, isoleucine, L-lysine, and N-acetylputrescine, along with the increase of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), sphingosine-1-phosphate, and citrulline assayed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) suggest that these metabolites serve as biomarkers of retinal impairments that affect vision and behavior. Although suppression of adsl, shank3a, tsc1b, and nrxn1a gene expression was observed, among these tsc1b showed more positive correlation with ASD. Collectively, these results contribute new insights into the possible mechanism of mercury toxicity give rise to visual, cognitive, and social deficits in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noraini Abu Bakar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norhamidah Wan Ibrahim
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Natural Medicines and Product Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Rahman Zulkiflli
- Natural Medicines and Product Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nur Atikah Saleh Hodin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Tae-Yoon Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Yee Soon Ling
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Mokrish Md Ajat
- Natural Medicines and Product Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Malaysia
| | - Khozirah Shaari
- Natural Medicines and Product Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shamarina Shohaimi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurrul Shaqinah Nasruddin
- Centre for Craniofacial Diagnostics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
- Natural Medicines and Product Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Chae H, Kwon BR, Lee S, Moon HB, Choi K. Adverse thyroid hormone and behavioral alterations induced by three frequently used synthetic musk compounds in embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 324:138273. [PMID: 36868414 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) have been extensively used in numerous consumer products, such as perfumes, cosmetics, soap, and fabric softener. Due to their bioaccumulative nature, these compounds have often been detected in the aquatic ecosystem. However, their effects on endocrine and behavioral effects in freshwater fish have rarely been investigated. In the present study, thyroid disruption and neurobehavioral toxicity of SMCs were investigated using embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). Three frequently used SMCs, i.e., musk ketone (MK), 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethyl-cyclopenta [g]- benzopyran (HHCB), and 6-acetyl-1,1,2,4,4,7-hexamethyltetralin (AHTN), were chosen. Experimental concentrations for HHCB and AHTN were selected to include the maximum levels reported in the ambient water. The 5-day exposure to either MK or HHCB led to significant decrease of T4 concentration in the larval fish at the levels as low as 0.13 μg/L, even though compensatory transcriptional changes, e.g., up-regulation of hypothalamic crhβ gene and/or down-regulation of ugt1ab gene, were taken place. In contrast, AHTN exposure resulted in up-regulation of crhβ, nis, ugt1ab, and dio2 genes but did not alter T4 level, suggesting its lesser thyroid disrupting potential. All tested SMCs caused hypoactivity of the larval fish. Several genes related to neurogenesis or development, e.g., mbp and syn2a, were down-regulated, but the patterns of transcriptional changes were different among the tested SMCs. The present observations demonstrate that MK and HHCB can decrease T4 levels and cause hypoactivity of the larval zebrafish. It requires attention that HHCB and AHTN could influence thyroid hormone or behavior of the larval fish even at the levels close to those observed in the ambient environment. Further studies on potential ecological consequences of these SMCs in freshwater environment are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heeyeon Chae
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ba Reum Kwon
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sunggyu Lee
- Marine Environment Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo-Bang Moon
- Department of Marine Science and Convergence Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungho Choi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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17
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In silico studies, X-ray diffraction analysis and biological investigation of fluorinated pyrrolylated-chalcones in zebrafish epilepsy models. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13685. [PMID: 36852036 PMCID: PMC9958447 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the third most common known brain disease worldwide. Several antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are available to improve seizure control. However, the associated side effects limit their practical use and highlight the ongoing search for safer and effective AEDs. Eighteen newly designed fluorine-containing pyrrolylated chalcones were extensively studied in silico, synthesized, structurally analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and biologically and toxicologically tested as potential new AEDs in zebrafish epilepsy in vivo models. The results predicted that 3-(3,5-difluorophenyl)-1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (compound 8) had a good drug-like profile with binding affinity to γ-aminobutyric acid receptor type-A (GABAA, -8.0 kcal/mol). This predicted active compound 8 was effective in reducing convulsive behaviour in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced larvae and hyperactive movements in zc4h2 knockout (KO) zebrafish, experimentally. Moreover, no cardiotoxic effect of compound 8 was observed in zebrafish. Overall, pyrrolylated chalcones could serve as alternative AEDs and warrant further in-depth pharmacological studies to uncover their mechanism of action.
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Wang B, Chen J, Sheng Z, Lian W, Wu Y, Liu M. Embryonic exposure to fentanyl induces behavioral changes and neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14524. [PMID: 36540796 PMCID: PMC9760023 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of fentanyl during pregnancy, whether by prescription or illicit use, may result in high blood levels that pose an early risk to fetal development. However, little is known regarding the neurotoxicity that might arise from excessive fentanyl exposure in growing organisms, particularly drug-related withdrawal symptoms. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to fentanyl solutions (0.1, 1, and 5 mg/L) for 5 days post fertilization (dpf), followed by a 5-day recovery period, and then the larvae were evaluated for photomotor response, anxiety behavior, shoaling behavior, aggression, social preference, and sensitization behavior. Fentanyl solutions at 1 and 5 mg/L induced elevated anxiety, decreased social preference and aggressiveness, and behavioral sensitization in zebrafish larvae. The expression of genes revealed that embryonic exposure to fentanyl caused substantial alterations in neural activity (bdnf, c-fos) and neuronal development and plasticity (npas4a, egr1, btg2, ier2a, vgf). These results suggest that fentanyl exposure during embryonic development is neurotoxic, highlighting the importance of zebrafish as an aquatic species in research on the neurobehavioral effects of opioids in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binjie Wang
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiale Chen
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhong Sheng
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanting Lian
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuanzhao Wu
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Meng Liu
- The Department of Criminal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Police College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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19
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Kumar V, Singh C, Singh A. Neuroprotective Potential of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Centella asiatica Against 3-Nitropropionic Acid-Induced Huntington's Like Symptoms in Adult Zebrafish. Rejuvenation Res 2022; 25:260-274. [PMID: 36150031 DOI: 10.1089/rej.2022.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease. 3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) causes increased reactive oxygen species production and neuroinflammation. Centella asiatica (CA) is a strong antioxidant. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of C. asiatica (HA-CA) on 3-NP-induced HD in adult zebrafish. Adult zebrafish (∼5-6 months old) weighing 470 to 530 mg was used and treated with 3-NP (5 mg/kg intraperitoneal [i.p.]). The animals received HA-CA (80 and 100 mg/L) daily for up to 28 days in water. Tetrabenazine (3 mg/kg i.p.) was used as a standard drug. We have done an open field test (for locomotor activity), a novel tank diving test (for anxiety), and a light and dark tank test (for memory), followed by biochemical analysis (acetyl-cholinesterase [AchEs], nitrite, lipid peroxidation [LPO], and glutathione [GSH]) and histopathology to further confirm memory dysfunctions. 3-NP-treated zebrafish exhibit reductions in body weight, progressive neuronal damage, cognition, and locomotor activity. The HA-CA group significantly reduced the 3-NP-induced increase in LPO, AchEs, and nitrite levels while decreasing GSH levels. Oral administration of HA-CA (80 or 100 mg/L) significantly reduces 3-NP-induced changes in body weight and behaviors, in addition to neuroinflammation in the brain by lowering tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β levels. Moreover, HA-CA significantly decreases the 3-NP-induced neuronal damage in the brain. HA-CA ameliorates neurotoxicity and neurobehavioral deficits in 3-NP-induced HD-like symptoms in adult zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, India
| | - Charan Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, India
| | - Arti Singh
- Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, India
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20
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Seizurogenic effect of perfluorooctane sulfonate in zebrafish larvae. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:257-264. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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21
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Abu Bakar N, Wan Ibrahim WN, Che Abdullah CA, Ramlan NF, Shaari K, Shohaimi S, Mediani A, Nasruddin NS, Kim CH, Mohd Faudzi SM. Embryonic Arsenic Exposure Triggers Long-Term Behavioral Impairment with Metabolite Alterations in Zebrafish. TOXICS 2022; 10:493. [PMID: 36136458 PMCID: PMC9502072 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10090493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) is a ubiquitous heavy metal in the environment. Exposure to this toxin at low concentrations is unremarkable in developing organisms. Nevertheless, understanding the underlying mechanism of its long-term adverse effects remains a challenge. In this study, embryos were initially exposed to As2O3 from gastrulation to hatching under semi-static conditions. Results showed dose-dependent increased mortality, with exposure to 30-40 µM As2O3 significantly reducing tail-coiling and heart rate at early larval stages. Surviving larvae after 30 µM As2O3 exposure showed deficits in motor behavior without impairment of anxiety-like responses at 6 dpf and a slight impairment in color preference behavior at 11 dpf, which was later evident in adulthood. As2O3 also altered locomotor function, with a loss of directional and color preference in adult zebrafish, which correlated with changes in transcriptional regulation of adsl, shank3a, and tsc1b genes. During these processes, As2O3 mainly induced metabolic changes in lipids, particularly arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, prostaglandin, and sphinganine-1-phosphate in the post-hatching period of zebrafish. Overall, this study provides new insight into the potential mechanism of arsenic toxicity leading to long-term learning impairment in zebrafish and may benefit future risk assessments of other environmental toxins of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noraini Abu Bakar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Wan Norhamidah Wan Ibrahim
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- The Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Farhana Ramlan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Khozirah Shaari
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Shamarina Shohaimi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
| | - Ahmed Mediani
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Malaysia
| | - Nurrul Shaqinah Nasruddin
- Centre for Craniofacial Diagnostics, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Siti Munirah Mohd Faudzi
- Natural Medicines and Products Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia
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22
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Shi Z, Liang X, Zhao Y, Liu W, Martyniuk CJ. Neurotoxic effects of synthetic phenolic antioxidants on dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and GABAergic signaling in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 830:154688. [PMID: 35318061 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are an environmental concern because they are widely detected in aquatic ecosystems and can pose potential threats to organisms. Studies have reported developmental deficits and behavioral changes in response to SPAs, indicating possible neurotoxic effects. However, their neuroactive potency as well as their mode of action (MoA) remain unclear. As such, this study evaluated the potential neurotoxicity of three SPAs [butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), and 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP)] at three concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1 μM) to zebrafish larvae. Both 2,4-DTBP and BHT decreased spontaneous tail coiling (STC) at 28 hpf (hours post fertilization) whereas 4-t-OP increased STC. Locomotor activity, based on the velocity and distance of larvae (144 hpf) travelled, was promoted by 2,4-DTBP while it decreased in larvae with exposure to 4-t-OP and BHT. In the light-dark preference assay, exposure to either 2,4-DTBP or BHT resulted in variability in the visiting frequency to the dark zone, and larvae (144 hpf) spent less time in the dark, suggesting anxiety-like behavior. Conversely, zebrafish exposed to 4-t-OP, especially at 1 μM concentration, were hypoactive and spent more time in dark, suggestive of anxiolytic-like responses. RNA-seq was conducted to discern mechanisms underlying behavioral responses. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that gene networks related to neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction as well as neurotransmitter-related pathways were altered by all three SPAs based on gene set and subnetwork enrichment analysis. Modulation of dopaminergic, serotoninergic, and/or GABAergic signaling at the transcript level was noted for each of the three SPAs, but different expression patterns were observed, indicating SPA- and dose-specific responses of the transcriptome. The present study provides novel insight into potential mechanisms associated with neurotoxicity of SPAs congeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyue Shi
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Waste Resource Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Xuefang Liang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Waste Resource Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China.
| | - Yaqian Zhao
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Waste Resource Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Wang Liu
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control & Waste Resource Reuse, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Deng J, Wang Y, Hu M, Lin J, Li Q, Liu C, Xu X. Deleterious Variation in BR Serine/Threonine Kinase 2 Classified a Subtype of Autism. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:904935. [PMID: 35754711 PMCID: PMC9231588 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.904935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, deleterious variants in the BR serine/threonine kinase 2 (BRSK2) gene have been reported in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), suggesting that BRSK2 is a new high-confidence ASD risk gene, which presents an opportunity to understand the underlying neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. In this study, we performed clinical and neurobehavioral evaluations of a proband with a de novo non-sense variant in BRSK2 (p.R222X) with other reported BRSK2 mutant patients. To validate BRSK2 as an ASD risk gene, we generated a novel brsk2b-deficient zebrafish line through CRISPR/Cas9 and characterized its morphological and neurobehavioral features as well as performed molecular analysis of neurogenesis-related markers. The proband displayed typical ASD behaviors and language and motor delay, which were similar to other published BRSK2 mutant patients. Morphologically, brsk2b–/– larvae exhibited a higher embryonic mortality and rate of pericardium edema, severe developmental delay, and depigmentation as well as growth retardation in the early developmental stage. Behaviorally, brsk2b–/– zebrafish displayed significantly decreased activity in open field tests and enhanced anxiety levels in light/dark tests and thigmotaxis analysis. Specifically, brsk2b–/– zebrafish showed a prominent reduction of social interaction with peers and disrupted social cohesion among homogeneous groups. Molecularly, the mRNA expression levels of homer1b (a postsynaptic density scaffolding protein), and mbpa, mpz, and plp1b (molecular markers of oligodendrocytes and myelination) were increased in the brain tissues of adult brsk2b–/– zebrafish, while the expression level of isl1a, a marker of motor neurons, was decreased. Taken together, for the first time, we established a novel brsk2b-deficient zebrafish model that showed prominent ASD-like behaviors. In addition, the disturbed mRNA expression levels of neurogenesis-related markers implied that the processes of postsynaptic signaling as well as oligodendrocytes and myelination may be involved. This discovery may suggest a path for further research to identify the underlying neuropathological mechanisms between BRSK2 and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxin Deng
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meixin Hu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, NHC Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, National Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, NHC Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, National Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunxue Liu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu Xu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Maphanga VB, Skalicka-Wozniak K, Budzynska B, Skiba A, Chen W, Agoni C, Enslin GM, Viljoen AM. Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L. alkaloids modify anxiety-like behaviour in a zebrafish model. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 290:115068. [PMID: 35134486 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Mesembryanthemum tortuosum L. (previously known as Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E. Br.) is indigenous to South Africa and traditionally used to alleviate anxiety, stress and depression. Mesembrine and its alkaloid analogues such as mesembrenone, mesembrenol and mesembranol have been identified as the key compounds responsible for the reported effects on the central nervous system. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate M. tortuosum alkaloids for possible anxiolytic-like effects in the 5-dpf in vivo zebrafish model by assessing thigmotaxis and locomotor activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Locomotor activity and reverse-thigmotaxis, recognised anxiety-related behaviours in 5-days post fertilization zebrafish larvae, were analysed under simulated stressful conditions of alternating light-dark challenges. Cheminformatics screening and molecular docking were also performed to rationalize the inhibitory activity of the alkaloids on the serotonin reuptake transporter, the accepted primary mechanism of action of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Mesembrine has been reported to have inhibitory effects on serotonin reuptake, with consequential anti-depressant and anxiolytic effects. RESULTS All four alkaloids assessed decreased the anxiety-related behaviour of zebrafish larvae exposed to the light-dark challenge. Significant increases in the percentage of time spent in the central arena during the dark phase were also observed when larvae were exposed to the pure alkaloids (mesembrenone, mesembrenol, mesembrine and mesembrenol) compared to the control. However, mesembrenone and mesembranol demonstrated a greater anxiolytic-like effect than the other alkaloids. In addition to favourable pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties revealed via in silico predictions, high-affinity interactions characterized the binding of the alkaloids with the serotonin transporter. CONCLUSIONS M. tortuosum alkaloids demonstrated an anxiolytic-like effect in zebrafish larvae providing evidence for its traditional and modern day use as an anxiolytic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica B Maphanga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Krystyna Skalicka-Wozniak
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Barbara Budzynska
- Behavioral Studies Laboratory, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Andriana Skiba
- Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Weiyang Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Clement Agoni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Gill M Enslin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Alvaro M Viljoen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
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25
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Kwon V, Cai P, Dixon CT, Hamlin V, Spencer CG, Rojas AM, Hamilton M, Shiau CE. Peripheral NOD-like receptor deficient inflammatory macrophages trigger neutrophil infiltration into the brain disrupting daytime locomotion. Commun Biol 2022; 5:464. [PMID: 35577844 PMCID: PMC9110401 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is known to disrupt normal behavior, yet the underlying neuroimmune interactions remain elusive. Here, we investigated whether inappropriate macrophage-evoked inflammation alters CNS control of daily-life animal locomotion using a set of zebrafish mutants selected for specific macrophage dysfunction and microglia deficiency. Large-scale genetic and computational analyses revealed that NOD-like receptor nlrc3l mutants are capable of normal motility and visuomotor response, but preferentially swim less in the daytime, suggesting possible low motivation rather than physical impairment. Examining their brain activities and structures implicates impaired dopaminergic descending circuits, where neutrophils abnormally infiltrate. Furthermore, neutrophil depletion recovered daytime locomotion. Restoring wild-type macrophages reversed behavioral and neutrophil aberrations, while three other microglia-lacking mutants failed to phenocopy nlrc3l mutants. Overall, we reveal how peripheral inflammatory macrophages with elevated pro-inflammatory cues (including il1β, tnfα, cxcl8a) in the absence of microglia co-opt neutrophils to infiltrate the brain, thereby potentially enabling local circuitry modulation affecting daytime locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Kwon
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Peiwen Cai
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cameron T Dixon
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Victoria Hamlin
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Caroline G Spencer
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alison M Rojas
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew Hamilton
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Celia E Shiau
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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26
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Rock S, Rodenburg F, Schaaf MJM, Tudorache C. Detailed Analysis of Zebrafish Larval Behaviour in the Light Dark Challenge Assay Shows That Diel Hatching Time Determines Individual Variation. Front Physiol 2022; 13:827282. [PMID: 35480044 PMCID: PMC9036179 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.827282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on stress coping style, i.e., the response of an organism to adverse conditions, which is constant over time and context, gained momentum in recent years, to better understand behavioural patterns in animal welfare. However, knowledge about the ontogeny of stress coping style is still limited. Here, we performed a detailed analysis of the light dark challenge behavioural assay in zebrafish larvae, where after acclimation in ambient light sudden alternating dark and light phases elicit an anxiety-like response. A principal component analysis on parameters related to locomotion (distance moved, swimming velocity, acceleration, mobility) and directionality (angular velocity, meandering of swimming path) revealed independence between the parameters determined in the light and the dark phases of the assay, indicating unrelated generalised behaviours per phase. However, high collinearity was observed between behavioural parameters within the same phase, indicating a robust response to the stimulus within behavioural phenotypes. Subsequently, this assay was used to determine the correlation between individual hatching time and the behavioural phenotype. The results show that fish that had hatched during daytime have a stronger behavioural response to the dark phase at 5 days post-fertilisation in locomotion related parameters and a weaker response in directionality related parameters, than fish that had hatched during nighttime. These results show that behavioural responses to the light dark challenge assay are robust and can be generalised for the light and the dark phase, and that diel hatching time may determine the behavioural phenotype of an individual.
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Impacts of Cetylpyridinium Chloride on the Survival, Development, Behavior, and Oxidative Stress of Early-Life-Stage Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11040676. [PMID: 35453362 PMCID: PMC9032156 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11040676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a widely used surfactant that has been detected in various water ecosystems. However, knowledge on the toxicity of CPC to fish remains scarce. Here, we examined the survival, development, behavior, and oxidative stress in the early life stages of zebrafish exposed to CPC (0, 4, 40, 400, and 1200 μg/L) until 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). Results showed that CPC induced significant mortality at 400 and 1200 μg/L, with a 120 h-EC50 value of 175.9 μg/L. CPC significantly decreased the heart rate of embryos (48 hpf; 4–400 μg/L) and larvae (72 hpf; 40 and 400 μg/L). At 120 hpf, CPC exhibited a dual effect on the locomotion activity (decreased at 400 μg/L and increased at 4 and 40 μg/L) and elevated the reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels in zebrafish larvae at 400 µg/L. In addition, a correlation analysis revealed that CPC-induced oxidative stress might play a critical role in mediating the cardiac and behavioral toxicity of CPC to zebrafish larvae. Our findings suggest that CPC may disturb the fish’s development, behavior, and oxidative status at environmentally relevant concentrations, which should not be ignored when assessing its potential risks to aquatic ecosystems.
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Crouzier L, Danese A, Yasui Y, Richard EM, Liévens JC, Patergnani S, Couly S, Diez C, Denus M, Cubedo N, Rossel M, Thiry M, Su TP, Pinton P, Maurice T, Delprat B. Activation of the sigma-1 receptor chaperone alleviates symptoms of Wolfram syndrome in preclinical models. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabh3763. [PMID: 35138910 PMCID: PMC9516885 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abh3763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease affecting many organs with life-threatening consequences; currently, no treatment is available. The disease is caused by mutations in the WSF1 gene, coding for the protein wolframin, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) transmembrane protein involved in contacts between ER and mitochondria termed as mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs). Inherited mutations usually reduce the protein's stability, altering its homeostasis and ultimately reducing ER to mitochondria calcium ion transfer, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. In this study, we found that activation of the sigma-1 receptor (S1R), an ER-resident protein involved in calcium ion transfer, could counteract the functional alterations of MAMs due to wolframin deficiency. The S1R agonist PRE-084 restored calcium ion transfer and mitochondrial respiration in vitro, corrected the associated increased autophagy and mitophagy, and was able to alleviate the behavioral symptoms observed in zebrafish and mouse models of the disease. Our findings provide a potential therapeutic strategy for treating Wolfram syndrome by efficiently boosting MAM function using the ligand-operated S1R chaperone. Moreover, such strategy might also be relevant for other degenerative and mitochondrial diseases involving MAM dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Crouzier
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Alberto Danese
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Yuko Yasui
- Cellular Pathobiology Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | | | | | - Simone Patergnani
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Simon Couly
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
- Cellular Pathobiology Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Camille Diez
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Morgane Denus
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Cubedo
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Marc Thiry
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire, Université de Liège, GIGA-Neurosciences, Quartier Hopital, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liege 1, Belgium
| | - Tsung-Ping Su
- Cellular Pathobiology Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Paolo Pinton
- Department of Medical Sciences, Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA), University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Tangui Maurice
- MMDN, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
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Road Runoff Characterization: Ecotoxicological Assessment Combined with (Non-)Target Screenings of Micropollutants for the Identification of Relevant Toxicants in the Dissolved Phase. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14040511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Road runoff (RR) is an important vector of micropollutants towards groundwater and soils, threatening the environment and ecosystems. Through combined chemical and biological approaches, the purpose of this study was to get insights on specific toxicants present in RR from two sites differing by their traffic intensity and their toxicological risk assessment. Non-target screening was performed by HRMS on RR dissolved phase. Ecotoxicological risk was evaluated in a zebrafish embryos model and on rat liver mitochondrial respiratory chain. Specific HRMS fingerprints were obtained for each site, reflecting their respective traffic intensities. Several micropollutants, including 1,3-diphenylguanidine (DPG) and benzotriazole (BZT) were identified in greater concentrations at the high-traffic site. The origin of DPG was confirmed by analyzing HRMS fingerprints from shredded tires. RR samples from each site, DPG and BZT were of relatively low toxicity (no mortality) to zebrafish embryos, but all generated distinct and marked stress responses in the light–dark transition test, while DPG/BZT mixes abolished this effect. The moderate-traffic RR and DPG inhibited mitochondrial complex I. Our study highlights (i) the unpredictability of pollutants cocktail effect and (ii) the importance of a multi-approaches strategy to characterize environmental matrices, essential for their management at the source and optimization of depollution devices.
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30
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Singh S, Sahu K, Kapil L, Singh C, Singh A. Quercetin ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in adult zebrafish. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:3247-3258. [DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07161-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Cueto-Escobedo J, German-Ponciano LJ, Guillén-Ruiz G, Soria-Fregozo C, Herrera-Huerta EV. Zebrafish as a Useful Tool in the Research of Natural Products With Potential Anxiolytic Effects. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:795285. [PMID: 35095438 PMCID: PMC8789748 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.795285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a popular and valuable species used in many different biomedical research areas. The complex behavior that fish exhibit in response to different stimuli allows researchers to explore the biological and pharmacological basis of affective and mood disorders. In this sense, anxiety is commonly studied in preclinical research with animal models in rodents. During the last decade, those models have been successfully adapted to zebrafish. Stressful stimuli, such as novel environments, chemical substances, light conditions, and predator images, can trigger defensive behaviors considered indicators of an anxiety-like state. In the first stage, models were adapted and validated with different stressors and anxiolytic drugs with promising results and are now successfully used to generate scientific knowledge. In that sense, zebrafish allows several routes of administration and other methodological advantages to explore the anxiolytic effects of natural products in behavioral tests as novel tank, light-dark chamber, and black/white maze, among others. The present work will review the main findings on preclinical research using adult zebrafish to explore anxiolytics effects of natural products as plant secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenes or standardized extracts of plants, among others. Scientific literature confirms the utility of zebrafish tests to explore anxiety-like states and anxiolytic-like effects of plant secondary metabolites, which represent a useful and ethical tool in the first stages of behavioral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Cueto-Escobedo
- Departamento de Investigación Clínica y Traslacional, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | | | - Gabriel Guillén-Ruiz
- Investigador por México, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) – Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Cesar Soria-Fregozo
- Laboratorio Ciencias Biomédicas/Área Histología y Psicobiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y de la Vida, Centro Universitario de Los Lagos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Lagos de Moreno, Mexico
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Behavioral Effects of Buspirone in Juvenile Zebrafish of Two Different Genetic Backgrounds. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10010022. [PMID: 35051064 PMCID: PMC8777658 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety continues to represent a major unmet medical need. Despite the availability of numerous anxiolytic drugs, a large proportion of patients do not respond well to current pharmacotherapy, or their response diminishes with chronic drug application. To discover novel compounds and to investigate the mode of action of anxiolytic drugs, animal models have been proposed. The zebrafish is a novel animal model in this research. It is particularly appropriate, as it has evolutionarily conserved features, and drug administration can be employed in a non-invasive manner by immersing the fish into the drug solution. The first step in the analysis of anxiolytic drugs with zebrafish is to test reference compounds. Here, we investigate the effects of buspirone hydrochloride, an anxiolytic drug often employed in the human clinic. We utilize two genetically distinct populations of zebrafish, ABSK, derived from the quasi-inbred AB strain, and WT, a genetically heterogeneous wild-type population. We placed juvenile (10–13-day, post-fertilization, old) zebrafish singly in petri dishes containing one of four buspirone concentrations (0 mg/L control, 5 mg/L, 20 mg/L or 80 mg/L) for 1 h, with each fish receiving a single exposure to one concentration, a between subject experimental design. Subsequently, we recorded the behavior of the zebrafish for 30 min using video-tracking. Buspirone decreased distance moved, number of immobility episodes and thigmotaxis, and it increased immobility duration and turn angle in a quasi-linear dose dependent but genotype independent manner. Although it is unclear whether these changes represent anxiolysis in zebrafish, the results demonstrate that behavioral analysis of juvenile zebrafish may be a sensitive and simple way to quantify the effects of human anxiolytic drugs.
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Watanabe K, Konno N, Nakamachi T, Matsuda K. Intracerebroventricular administration of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) enhances thigmotaxis and induces anxiety-like behavior in the goldfish Carassius auratus. Peptides 2021; 145:170623. [PMID: 34375685 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) is a body pigmentation-regulating hormone secreted from the intermediate lobe of the pituitary in vertebrates. It is also produced in the brain, and acts as an anorexigenic neuropeptide involved in feeding regulation. In rodents, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of α-MSH has been shown to affect not only feeding behavior, but also psychomotor activity. However, there is still no information regarding the psychophysiological effects of α-MSH on behavior in fish. Therefore, we examined the effect of synthetic α-MSH on psychomotor activity in goldfish. Since this species prefers the edge to the central area of a tank, we used this as a preference test for assessing psychomotor activity. When α-MSH was administered ICV at 1 and 10 pmol g-1 body weight (BW), the time spent in the edge area of a tank was prolonged at 10 pmol g-1 BW. However, α-MSH at these doses did not affect locomotor activity. The action of α-MSH mimicked those of FG-7142 (a central-type benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) inverse agonist with an anxiogenic effect) at 10 pmol g-1 BW and melanotan II (a melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) agonist) at 50 pmol g-1 BW, whereas ICV administration of tofisopam (a CBR agonist with an anxiolytic effect) at 10 pmol g-1 BW prolonged the time spent in the central area. The anxiogenic-like effect of α-MSH was abolished by treatment with the MC4R antagonist HS024 at 50 pmol g-1 BW. These data indicate that α-MSH affects psychomotor activity in goldfish, and exerts an anxiogenic-like effect via the MC4R-signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Watanabe
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Innovative Life Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
| | - Norifumi Konno
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
| | - Tomoya Nakamachi
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan
| | - Kouhei Matsuda
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Innovative Life Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Faculty of Science, Academic Assembly, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-8555, Japan.
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Glazer L, Brennan CH. Developmental Exposure to Low Concentrations of Methylmercury Causes Increase in Anxiety-Related Behaviour and Locomotor Impairments in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10961. [PMID: 34681620 PMCID: PMC8535691 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222010961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a ubiquitous pollutant shown to cause developmental neurotoxicity, even at low levels. However, there is still a large gap in our understanding of the mechanisms linking early-life exposure to life-long behavioural impairments. Our aim was to characterise the short- and long-term effects of developmental exposure to low doses of MeHg on anxiety-related behaviours in zebrafish, and to test the involvement of neurological pathways related to stress-response. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to sub-acute doses of MeHg (0, 5, 10, 15, 30 nM) throughout embryo-development, and tested for anxiety-related behaviours and locomotor activity at larval (light/dark locomotor activity) and adult (novel tank and tap assays) life-stages. Exposure to all doses of MeHg caused increased anxiety-related responses; heightened response to the transition from light to dark in larvae, and a stronger dive response in adults. In addition, impairment in locomotor activity was observed in the higher doses in both larvae and adults. Finally, the expressions of several neural stress-response genes from the HPI-axis and dopaminergic system were found to be disrupted in both life-stages. Our results provide important insights into dose-dependent differences in exposure outcomes, the development of delayed effects over the life-time of exposed individuals and the potential mechanisms underlying these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilah Glazer
- Nanchang Joint Programme, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Caroline H. Brennan
- Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK;
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Wang X, Cheng E, Burnett IS. MSBOTS: a multiple small biological organism tracking system robust against non-ideal detection and segmentation conditions. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11750. [PMID: 34395069 PMCID: PMC8323605 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurately tracking a group of small biological organisms using algorithms to obtain their movement trajectories is essential to biomedical and pharmaceutical research. However, object mis-detection, segmentation errors and overlapped individual trajectories are particularly common issues that restrict the development of automatic multiple small organism tracking research. Extending on previous work, this paper presents an accurate and generalised Multiple Small Biological Organism Tracking System (MSBOTS), whose general feasibility is tested on three types of organisms. Evaluated on zebrafish, Artemia and Daphnia video datasets with a wide variety of imaging conditions, the proposed system exhibited decreased overall Multiple Object Tracking Precision (MOTP) errors of up to 77.59%. Moreover, MSBOTS obtained more reliable tracking trajectories with a decreased standard deviation of up to 47.68 pixels compared with the state-of-the-art idTracker system. This paper also presents a behaviour analysis module to study the locomotive characteristics of individual organisms from the obtained tracking trajectories. The developed MSBOTS with the locomotive analysis module and the tested video datasets are made freely available online for public research use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Wang
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Eva Cheng
- Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian S Burnett
- Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Douek AM, Amiri Khabooshan M, Henry J, Stamatis SA, Kreuder F, Ramm G, Änkö ML, Wlodkowic D, Kaslin J. An Engineered sgsh Mutant Zebrafish Recapitulates Molecular and Behavioural Pathobiology of Sanfilippo Syndrome A/MPS IIIA. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115948. [PMID: 34073041 PMCID: PMC8197930 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA (MPS IIIA, Sanfilippo syndrome type A), a paediatric neurological lysosomal storage disease, is caused by impaired function of the enzyme N-sulfoglucosamine sulfohydrolase (SGSH) resulting in impaired catabolism of heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (HS GAG) and its accumulation in tissues. MPS IIIA represents a significant proportion of childhood dementias. This condition generally leads to patient death in the teenage years, yet no effective therapy exists for MPS IIIA and a complete understanding of the mechanisms of MPS IIIA pathogenesis is lacking. Here, we employ targeted CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis to generate a model of MPS IIIA in the zebrafish, a model organism with strong genetic tractability and amenity for high-throughput screening. The sgshΔex5-6 zebrafish mutant exhibits a complete absence of Sgsh enzymatic activity, leading to progressive accumulation of HS degradation products with age. sgshΔex5-6 zebrafish faithfully recapitulate diverse CNS-specific features of MPS IIIA, including neuronal lysosomal overabundance, complex behavioural phenotypes, and profound, lifelong neuroinflammation. We further demonstrate that neuroinflammation in sgshΔex5-6 zebrafish is largely dependent on interleukin-1β and can be attenuated via the pharmacological inhibition of Caspase-1, which partially rescues behavioural abnormalities in sgshΔex5-6 mutant larvae in a context-dependent manner. We expect the sgshΔex5-6 zebrafish mutant to be a valuable resource in gaining a better understanding of MPS IIIA pathobiology towards the development of timely and effective therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon M. Douek
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.M.D.); (M.A.K.); (S.-A.S.); (F.K.)
| | - Mitra Amiri Khabooshan
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.M.D.); (M.A.K.); (S.-A.S.); (F.K.)
| | - Jason Henry
- Neurotoxicology Lab, School of Science (Biosciences), RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (J.H.); (D.W.)
| | - Sebastian-Alexander Stamatis
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.M.D.); (M.A.K.); (S.-A.S.); (F.K.)
| | - Florian Kreuder
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.M.D.); (M.A.K.); (S.-A.S.); (F.K.)
| | - Georg Ramm
- Ramaciotti Centre for Cryo-Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Minna-Liisa Änkö
- Centre for Reproductive Health and Centre for Cancer Research, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia;
- Department of Molecular and Translational Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Donald Wlodkowic
- Neurotoxicology Lab, School of Science (Biosciences), RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (J.H.); (D.W.)
| | - Jan Kaslin
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (A.M.D.); (M.A.K.); (S.-A.S.); (F.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-3-9902-9613; Fax: +61-3-9902-9729
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37
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Lara RA, Vasconcelos RO. Impact of noise on development, physiological stress and behavioural patterns in larval zebrafish. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6615. [PMID: 33758247 PMCID: PMC7988139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85296-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Noise pollution is increasingly present in aquatic ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on growth, physiology and behaviour of organisms. However, limited information exists on how this stressor affects animals in early ontogeny, a critical period for development and establishment of phenotypic traits. We tested the effects of chronic noise exposure to increasing levels (130 and 150 dB re 1 μPa, continuous white noise) and different temporal regimes on larval zebrafish (Danio rerio), an important vertebrate model in ecotoxicology. The acoustic treatments did not affect general development or hatching but higher noise levels led to increased mortality. The cardiac rate, yolk sac consumption and cortisol levels increased significantly with increasing noise level at both 3 and 5 dpf (days post fertilization). Variation in noise temporal patterns (different random noise periods to simulate shipping activity) suggested that the time regime is more important than the total duration of noise exposure to down-regulate physiological stress. Moreover, 5 dpf larvae exposed to 150 dB continuous noise displayed increased dark avoidance in anxiety-related dark/light preference test and impaired spontaneous alternation behaviour. We provide first evidence of noise-induced physiological stress and behavioural disturbance in larval zebrafish, showing that both noise amplitude and timing negatively impact key developmental endpoints in early ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael A Lara
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China.
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain.
| | - Raquel O Vasconcelos
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China.
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38
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de Oliveira JPJ, Estrela FN, Rodrigues ASDL, Guimarães ATB, Rocha TL, Malafaia G. Behavioral and biochemical consequences of Danio rerio larvae exposure to polylactic acid bioplastic. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 404:124152. [PMID: 33068943 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The literature has largely shown the toxicity of petroleum-based PLA biomicroplastics (PLABioMPs) and encouraged the production of alternative materials to replace their use, such as biopolymers. However, knowledge concerning the effects of biopolymers on aquatic organisms remains under development. The hypothesis that the acute exposure (five days) to polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers may lead to behavioral and biochemical changes and to their accumulation in Danio rerio larvae was tested. Based on the results, PLA biomicroplastics (PLA BioMPs) at concentration of 3 and 9 mg/L decreased swimming distance and speed of larvae in the open field test. This outcome suggests effects on animals' locomotor and exploration activities. Larvae's longer immobility time and greater permanence in the peripheral zone of the apparatus is indicative of anxiety-like behavior caused by the exposure to PLA BioMPs. Zebrafish larvae accumulated PLA BioMPs and their acetylcholinesterase activity was inhibited by their presence, which reinforces the accumulative potential of biopolymers and their direct or indirect role as anxiogenic agents, even at sublethal concentrations. The decreased activity of acetylcholinesterase reinforces the neurotoxic action in groups exposed to PLA BioMPs. The current study has confirmed the initial hypothesis and is an insight about the toxicity of these biopolymers in D. rerio larvae, since it deepens the discussion about the environmental risk of these substances in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernanda Neves Estrela
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Goiânia, Brazil
| | | | - Abraão Tiago Batista Guimarães
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Thiago Lopes Rocha
- Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology, Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Malafaia
- Biological Research Laboratory, Goiano Federal Institute - Urutaí Campus, Goiás, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Instituto de Patologia Tropical e Saúde Pública, Goiânia, Brazil.
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39
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Knoll-Gellida A, Dubrana LE, Bourcier LM, Mercé T, Gruel G, Soares M, Babin PJ. Hyperactivity and Seizure Induced by Tricresyl Phosphate Are Isomer Specific and Not Linked to Phenyl Valerate-Neuropathy Target Esterase Activity Inhibition in Zebrafish. Toxicol Sci 2021; 180:160-174. [DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Environmental exposure to tricresyl phosphate (TCP) may lead to severe neurotoxic effects, including organophosphate (OP)-induced delayed neuropathy. TCP has three symmetric isomers, distinguished by the methyl group position on the aromatic ring system. One of these isomers, tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (ToCP), has been reported for years as a neuropathic OP, targeting neuropathic target esterase (NTE/PNPLA6), but its mode of toxic action had not been fully elucidated. Zebrafish eleuthero-embryo and larva were used to characterize the differential action of the TCP isomers. The symmetric isomers inhibited phenyl valerate (PV)-NTE enzymatic activity in vivo with different IC50, while no effect was observed on acetylcholinesterase activity. Moreover, the locomotor behavior was also affected by tri-para-cresyl phosphate and tri-meta-cresyl phosphate, only ToCP exposure led to locomotor hyperactivity lasting several hours, associated with defects in the postural control system and an impaired phototactic response, as revealed by the visual motor response test. The electric field pulse motor response test demonstrated that a seizure-like, multiple C-bend-spaghetti phenotype may be significantly induced by ToCP only, independently of any inhibition of PV-NTE activity. Eleuthero-embryos exposed to picrotoxin, a known gamma-aminobutyric acid type-A receptor inhibitor, exhibited similar adverse outcomes to ToCP exposure. Thus, our results demonstrated that the TCP mode of toxic action was isomer specific and not initially related to modulation of PV-NTE activity. Furthermore, it was suggested that the molecular events involved were linked to an impairment of the balance between excitation and inhibition in neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Knoll-Gellida
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Leslie E Dubrana
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Laure M Bourcier
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Théo Mercé
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Gaëlle Gruel
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Magalie Soares
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
| | - Patrick J Babin
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, INSERM, Maladies Rares: Génétique et Métabolisme (MRGM), U1211, Université de Bordeaux, F-33615 Pessac, France
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Davis R, Luchtenburg F, Richardson M, Schaaf M, Tudorache C, Slabbekoorn H. The importance of individual variation for the interpretation of behavioural studies: ethanol effects vary with basal activity level in zebrafish larvae. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:3155-3166. [PMID: 34510233 PMCID: PMC8605963 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05932-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Standardization and reduction of variation is key to behavioural screening of animal models in toxicological and pharmacological studies. However, individual variation in behavioural and physiological phenotypes remains in each laboratory population and can undermine the understanding of toxicological and pharmaceutical effects and their underlying mechanisms. Here, we used zebrafish (ABTL-strain) larvae to explore individual consistency in activity level and emergence time, across subsequent days of early development (6-8 dpf). We also explored the correlation between these two behavioural parameters. We found inter-individual consistency over time in activity level and emergence time, but we did not find a consistent correlation between these parameters. Subsequently, we investigated the impact of variation in activity level on the effect of a 1% ethanol treatment, suitable for our proof-of-concept case study about whether impact from pharmacological treatments might be affected by inter-individual variation in basal locomotion. The inter-individual consistency over time in activity level did not persist in this test. This was due to the velocity change from before to after exposure, which turned out to be a dynamic individual trait related to basal activity level: low-activity individuals raised their swimming velocity, while high-activity individuals slowed down, yielding diametrically opposite response patterns to ethanol exposure. We therefore argue that inter-individual consistency in basal activity level, already from 6 dpf, is an important factor to take into account and provides a practical measure to improve the power of statistical analyses and the scope for data interpretation from behavioural screening studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raissa Davis
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Marcel Schaaf
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Hans Slabbekoorn
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Zindler F, Stoll S, Baumann L, Knoll S, Huhn C, Braunbeck T. Do environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine and citalopram impair stress-related behavior in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos? CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 261:127753. [PMID: 32745739 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been shown to interfere with various physiological functions of aquatic organisms, yet the neuroactive potential of low concentrations of SSRIs in the aquatic environment is unclear. The current study investigated the effects of fluoxetine and citalopram on the visual motor response (VMR) of 107 h old zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Results document a reduction in stress-related swimming activity of zebrafish embryos at environmentally relevant concentration levels, with fluoxetine being more effective than citalopram. Further experiments were designed to elucidate (1) if the lower neuroactive potential of citalopram is due to differences in uptake kinetics, (2) if the metabolite of fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, contributes to the neuroactive potential of fluoxetine, (3) and how SSRIs and their metabolites interact in equimolar mixtures. At the stage of 120 h, zebrafish embryos accumulate citalopram at significantly lower rates (up to 127 times) than fluoxetine. Moreover, it was demonstrated that norfluoxetine reduces the embryonic VMR similarly to fluoxetine resulting in additive effects of these substances on stress-related behavior in zebrafish embryos. In contrast, the interaction of fluoxetine, norfluoxetine and citalopram varied with test concentrations of the equimolar mixtures. Findings provide evidence that environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine reduce stress-related behavior of zebrafish embryos, while these effects may be enhanced by the interaction of multiple SSRIs and their metabolites in environmental exposure scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Zindler
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
| | - Saskia Stoll
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany
| | - Lisa Baumann
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany
| | - Sarah Knoll
- Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Carolin Huhn
- Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Thomas Braunbeck
- Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 504, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany
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Maphanga VB, Skalicka-Woźniak K, Budzynska B, Enslin GM, Viljoen AM. Screening selected medicinal plants for potential anxiolytic activity using an in vivo zebrafish model. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3641-3652. [PMID: 32840669 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05642-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Medicinal plants are used extensively in many countries to treat conditions related to the central nervous system (CNS), and there is renewed interest to explore natural products, which may exhibit CNS activity. OBJECTIVE In this study, seven plants were selected based on literature reports of their ethnopharmacological use in treating anxiety-related conditions and assayed in a zebrafish model. METHODS Crude extracts were prepared with solvents of different polarities, and the maximum tolerated concentration (MTC) of these crude extracts was established. The anxiolytic activity of the crude extracts was determined using 5-day post-fertilization (dpf) zebrafish larvae. General locomotor activity and reverse-thigmotaxis behavior (indicative of anxiolytic activity) were analyzed under continuous illumination and alternating light-dark challenges, which induced anxiety in the zebrafish larvae. RESULTS Of the 28 extracts tested, 13 were toxic according to the MTC values obtained. Larvae were subsequently treated with the 15 non-toxic extracts, at a dose determined in the MTC assay or with 1% DMSO as control. The anxiolytic activity (reverse-thigmotaxis) was demonstrated by an increase in the percentage time spent by the larvae in the central arena of the well. Of the 15 non-toxic extracts tested, the Sceletium tortuosum water extract exhibited the most promising anxiolytic activity. CONCLUSIONS The zebrafish model was effective in studying anxiety-related behavior. Thus, the study confirmed that S. tortuosum mitigates anxiety in zebrafish larvae, a step towards the full in vivo validation of the traditional use of the plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica B Maphanga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Unit, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Barbara Budzynska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 4, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
| | - Gill M Enslin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Alvaro M Viljoen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa. .,SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
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Maciąg M, Michalak A, Skalicka-Woźniak K, Zykubek M, Ciszewski A, Budzyńska B. Zebrafish and mouse models for anxiety evaluation - A comparative study with xanthotoxin as a model compound. Brain Res Bull 2020; 165:139-145. [PMID: 33049351 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2020.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ever-present trend for introducing new drugs of natural origin with anxiolytic properties meets healthcare needs of the population, whose almost 34 % struggles with anxiety-related disorders. At the same time, animal assays that could serve as fast and reliable models of anxiety-like behaviors are of great interest to scientists. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of the zebrafish model for assessing the influence of natural compounds on anxiety in comparison with the well-known mouse model. Secondly, this study is also the first attempt to investigate the influence of a naturally occurring metabolite, i.e. xanthotoxin, on anxiety-related behaviors. The anxiety level in zebrafish was assessed by measuring thigmotaxis, a specific animal behavior to move closer to the boundaries of an open area and to avoid its center. In mice, the elevated plus maze test was chosen to study anxiety-related behaviors. Our results show that xanthotoxin exerted reversed U-shape effect on anxiety behaviors in both models. The similar pattern of xanthotoxin-induced anxiety-related behaviors in both animal models not only confirms the pharmacological properties of xanthotoxin but also proves the predictive power of the zebrafish model for behavioral research of natural compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Maciąg
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Michalak
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak
- Independent Laboratory of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Maria Zykubek
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Andrzej Ciszewski
- Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Lublin, 6 Gębali Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Barbara Budzyńska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
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Biran J, Gliksberg M, Shirat I, Swaminathan A, Levitas-Djerbi T, Appelbaum L, Levkowitz G. Splice-specific deficiency of the PTSD-associated gene PAC1 leads to a paradoxical age-dependent stress behavior. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9559. [PMID: 32533011 PMCID: PMC7292827 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66447-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide receptor (PAC1, also known as ADCYAP1R1) is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and modulation of stress response in general. Alternative splicing of PAC1 results in multiple gene products, which differ in their mode of signalling and tissue distribution. However, the roles of distinct splice variants in the regulation of stress behavior is poorly understood. Alternative splicing of a short exon, which is known as the "hop cassette", occurs during brain development and in response to stressful challenges. To examine the function of this variant, we generated a splice-specific zebrafish mutant lacking the hop cassette, which we designated 'hopless'. We show that hopless mutant larvae display increased anxiety-like behavior, including reduced dark exploration and impaired habituation to dark exposure. Conversely, adult hopless mutants displayed superior ability to rebound from an acute stressor, as they exhibited reduced anxiety-like responses to an ensuing novelty stress. We propose that the developmental loss of a specific PAC1 splice variant mimics prolonged mild stress exposure, which in the long term, predisposes the organism's stress response towards a resilient phenotype. Our study presents a unique genetic model demonstrating how early-life state of anxiety paradoxically correlates with reduced stress susceptibility in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Biran
- Department of Poultry and Aquaculture, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon, Letziyon, 7528809, Israel.
| | - Michael Gliksberg
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, PO Box 26, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Ido Shirat
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, PO Box 26, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Amrutha Swaminathan
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, PO Box 26, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel
| | - Talia Levitas-Djerbi
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and the Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Lior Appelbaum
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and the Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, PO Box 26, Rehovot, 7610001, Israel.
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Shi C, Lu Y, Zhai G, Huang J, Shang G, Lou Q, Li D, Jin X, He J, Du Z, Gui J, Yin Z. Hyperandrogenism in POMCa-deficient zebrafish enhances somatic growth without increasing adiposity. J Mol Cell Biol 2020; 12:291-304. [PMID: 31237951 PMCID: PMC7232124 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjz053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocrine regulatory roles of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis on anxiety-like behavior and metabolic status have been found throughout animal taxa. However, the precise effects of the balancing adrenal corticosteroid biosynthesis under the influence of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), a pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptide, on animal energy expenditure and somatic growth remain unknown. POMC has also been identified as one of the candidate loci for polycystic ovary syndrome, which features hyperandrogenism and some prevalence of obesity in patients. Here we show that zebrafish lacking functional POMCa exhibit similar phenotypes of stress response and body weight gain but not obesity as observed in mammalian models. In contrast with the impaired anorexigenic signaling cascade of melanocyte-stimulating hormones and leptin, which are responsible for their obesity-prone weight gain observed in various pomc mutant mammals, analyses with our pomca mutant series indicate that ACTH is the key regulator for the phenotype with enhanced somatic growth without obesity in pomca-deficient zebrafish. Hypocortisolism associated with hyperandrogenism has been observed in the pomca-deficient zebrafish, with enhanced activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1; reutilization of amino acids and fatty acid β-oxidation are observed in the muscle tissue of the pomca-deficient fish. After reducing hyperandrogenism by crossing our pomca mutant fish with a cyp17a1-deficient background, the phenotype of enhanced somatic growth in pomca-deficient fish was no longer observed. Thus, our work also demonstrated that the role of POMCa in stress response seems to be conserved in vertebrates, whereas its effect on adipostasis is unique to teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gang Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jianfei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guohui Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiyong Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Dongliang Li
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Xia Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jiangyan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhenyu Du
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jianfang Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
- The Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, China
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46
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Reyes-Nava NG, Yu HC, Coughlin CR, Shaikh TH, Quintana AM. Abnormal expression of GABA A receptor subunits and hypomotility upon loss of gabra1 in zebrafish. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio051367. [PMID: 32205311 PMCID: PMC7197724 DOI: 10.1242/bio.051367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We used whole-exome sequencing (WES) to determine the genetic etiology of a patient with a multi-system disorder characterized by a seizure phenotype. WES identified a heterozygous de novo missense mutation in the GABRA1 gene (c.875C>T). GABRA1 encodes the alpha subunit of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor A (GABAAR). The GABAAR is a ligand gated ion channel that mediates the fast inhibitory signals of the nervous system, and mutations in the subunits that compose the GABAAR have been previously associated with human disease. To understand the mechanisms by which GABRA1 regulates brain development, we developed a zebrafish model of gabra1 deficiency. gabra1 expression is restricted to the nervous system and behavioral analysis of morpholino injected larvae suggests that the knockdown of gabra1 results in hypoactivity and defects in the expression of other subunits of the GABAAR. Expression of the human GABRA1 protein in morphants partially restored the hypomotility phenotype. In contrast, the expression of the c.875C>T variant did not restore these behavioral deficits. Collectively, these results represent a functional approach to understand the mechanisms by which loss-of-function alleles cause disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayeli G Reyes-Nava
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Hung-Chun Yu
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Curtis R Coughlin
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Tamim H Shaikh
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Anita M Quintana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
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47
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Cassar S, Adatto I, Freeman JL, Gamse JT, Iturria I, Lawrence C, Muriana A, Peterson RT, Van Cruchten S, Zon LI. Use of Zebrafish in Drug Discovery Toxicology. Chem Res Toxicol 2019; 33:95-118. [PMID: 31625720 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.9b00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 296] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Unpredicted human safety events in clinical trials for new drugs are costly in terms of human health and money. The drug discovery industry attempts to minimize those events with diligent preclinical safety testing. Current standard practices are good at preventing toxic compounds from being tested in the clinic; however, false negative preclinical toxicity results are still a reality. Continual improvement must be pursued in the preclinical realm. Higher-quality therapies can be brought forward with more information about potential toxicities and associated mechanisms. The zebrafish model is a bridge between in vitro assays and mammalian in vivo studies. This model is powerful in its breadth of application and tractability for research. In the past two decades, our understanding of disease biology and drug toxicity has grown significantly owing to thousands of studies on this tiny vertebrate. This Review summarizes challenges and strengths of the model, discusses the 3Rs value that it can deliver, highlights translatable and untranslatable biology, and brings together reports from recent studies with zebrafish focusing on new drug discovery toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Cassar
- Preclinical Safety , AbbVie , North Chicago , Illinois 60064 , United States
| | - Isaac Adatto
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology , Harvard University , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
| | - Jennifer L Freeman
- School of Health Sciences , Purdue University , West Lafayette , Indiana 47907 , United States
| | - Joshua T Gamse
- Drug Safety Evaluation , Bristol-Myers Squibb , New Brunswick , New Jersey 08901 , United States
| | | | - Christian Lawrence
- Aquatic Resources Program , Boston Children's Hospital , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States
| | | | - Randall T Peterson
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , Utah 84112 , United States
| | | | - Leonard I Zon
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department , Harvard University , Boston , Massachusetts 02138 , United States
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48
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Acevedo-Canabal A, Colón-Cruz L, Rodriguez-Morales R, Varshney GK, Burgess S, González-Sepúlveda L, Yudowski G, Behra M. Altered Swimming Behaviors in Zebrafish Larvae Lacking Cannabinoid Receptor 2. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2019; 4:88-101. [PMID: 31236475 PMCID: PMC6590727 DOI: 10.1089/can.2018.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) was previously implicated in brain functions, including complex behaviors. Here, we assessed the role of CB2 in selected swimming behaviors in zebrafish larvae and developed an in vivo upscalable whole-organism approach for CB2 ligand screening. Experimental Approach: Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, we generated a novel null allele (cnr2upr1) and a stable homozygote-viable loss-of-function (CB2-KO) line. We measured in untreated wild-type and cnr2upr1/upr1 larvae, photo-dependent (swimming) responses (PDR) and center occupancy (CO) to establish quantifiable anxiety-like parameters. Next, we measured PDR alteration and CO variation while exposing wild-type and mutant animals to an anxiolytic drug (valproic acid [VPA]) or to an anxiogenic drug (pentylenetetrazol [PTZ]). Finally, we treated wild-type and mutant larvae with two CB2-specific agonists (JWH-133 and HU-308) and two CB2-specific antagonists, inverse agonists (AM-630 and SR-144528). Results: Untreated CB2-KO showed a different PDR than wild-type larvae as well as a decreased CO. VPA treatments diminished swimming activity in all animals but to a lesser extend in mutants. CO was strongly diminished and even more in mutants. PTZ-induced inverted PDR was significantly stronger in light and weaker in dark periods and the CO lower in PTZ-treated mutants. Finally, two of four tested CB2 ligands had a detectable activity in the assay. Conclusions: We showed that larvae lacking CB2 behave differently in complex behaviors that can be assimilated to anxiety-like behaviors. Mutant larvae responded differently to VPA and PTZ treatments, providing in vivo evidence of CB2 modulating complex behaviors. We also established an upscalable combined genetic/behavioral approach in a whole organism that could be further developed for high-throughput drug discovery platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Acevedo-Canabal
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Luis Colón-Cruz
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Roberto Rodriguez-Morales
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Shawn Burgess
- National Human Genome Research Institute, NHGRI/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lorena González-Sepúlveda
- Puerto Rico Clinical and Translational Research Consortium, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Guillermo Yudowski
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Martine Behra
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (MSC-UPR), San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Almeida AR, Tacão M, Machado AL, Golovko O, Zlabek V, Domingues I, Henriques I. Long-term effects of oxytetracycline exposure in zebrafish: A multi-level perspective. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 222:333-344. [PMID: 30708167 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Oxytetracycline (OTC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used in livestock production. Like many other pharmaceuticals, OTC is not completely metabolized by the organism and thus, increasing amounts of the compound are being detected in the aquatic environment. The assessment of the environmental risk of pharmaceuticals is hindered by their very low concentrations and specific modes of action and thus relevant exposure scenarios and sensitive endpoints are needed. Thus, this work aimed to study the long-term effect of OTC exposure in zebrafish (at behavior and biochemical levels) and associated bacterial communities (fish gut and water bacterial communities). Results revealed that at behavioral level, boldness increase (manifested by increased exploratory behavior of a new environment) was observed in fish exposed to low OTC concentrations. Moreover, changes in fish swimming pattern were observed in light periods (increased stress response: hyperactivity and freezing) probably due to photo-sensibility conferred by OTC exposure. Effects at biochemical level suggest that long-term exposure to OTC interfere with cellular energy allocation mainly by reducing lipids levels and increasing energy consumption. Moreover, evidences of oxidative damage were also observed (reduced levels of TG, GST and CAT). The analysis of water and gut microbiome revealed changes in the structure and diversity of bacterial communities potentially leading to changes in communities' biological function. Some of the effects were observed at the lowest concentration tested, 0.1 μg/L which is a concentration already detected in the environment and thus clearly demonstrating the need of a serious ecotoxicological assessment of OTC effects on non-target organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Almeida
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marta Tacão
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ana Luísa Machado
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Oksana Golovko
- University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zatisi 728/II, Vodnany 389 25, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Zlabek
- University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zatisi 728/II, Vodnany 389 25, Czech Republic
| | - Inês Domingues
- Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Isabel Henriques
- CESAM & Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martins de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
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50
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Basnet RM, Zizioli D, Taweedet S, Finazzi D, Memo M. Zebrafish Larvae as a Behavioral Model in Neuropharmacology. Biomedicines 2019; 7:biomedicines7010023. [PMID: 30917585 PMCID: PMC6465999 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7010023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish larvae show a clear and distinct pattern of swimming in response to light and dark conditions, following the development of a swim bladder at 4 days post fertilization. This swimming behavior is increasingly employed in the screening of neuroactive drugs. The recent emergence of high-throughput techniques for the automatic tracking of zebrafish larvae has further allowed an objective and efficient way of finding subtle behavioral changes that could go unnoticed during manual observations. This review highlights the use of zebrafish larvae as a high-throughput behavioral model for the screening of neuroactive compounds. We describe, in brief, the behavior repertoire of zebrafish larvae. Then, we focus on the utilization of light-dark locomotion test in identifying and screening of neuroactive compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Manohar Basnet
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Daniela Zizioli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Somrat Taweedet
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Dario Finazzi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
- Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, ASST-Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
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