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Liu Z, Zhang Y, Jia X, Hoskins TD, Lu L, Han Y, Zhang X, Lin H, Shen L, Feng Y, Zheng Y, Hu C, Zhang H. Microcystin-LR Induces Estrogenic Effects at Environmentally Relevant Concentration in Black-Spotted Pond Frogs ( Pelophylax nigromaculatus): In Situ, In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Investigations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9559-9569. [PMID: 38710655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are frequent and intense worldwide, creating hazards for aquatic biodiversity. The potential estrogen-like effect of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a growing concern. In this study, we assessed the estrogenic potency of MC-LR in black-spotted frogs through combined field and laboratory approaches. In 13 bloom areas of Zhejiang province, China, the MC-LR concentrations in water ranged from 0.87 to 8.77 μg/L and were correlated with sex hormone profiles in frogs, suggesting possible estrogenic activity of MC-LR. Tadpoles exposed to 1 μg/L, an environmentally relevant concentration, displayed a female-biased sex ratio relative to controls. Transcriptomic results revealed that MC-LR induces numerous and complex effects on gene expression across multiple endocrine axes. In addition, exposure of male adults significantly increased the estradiol (E2)/testosterone (T) ratio by 3.5-fold relative to controls. Downregulation of genes related to male reproductive endocrine function was also identified. We also showed how MC-LR enhances the expression of specific estrogen receptor (ER) proteins, which induce estrogenic effects by activating the ER pathway and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In aggregate, our results reveal multiple lines of evidence demonstrating that, for amphibians, MC-LR is an estrogenic endocrine disruptor at environmentally relevant concentrations. The data presented here support the need for a shift in the MC-LR risk assessment. While hepatoxicity has historically been the focus of MC-LR risk assessments, our data clearly demonstrate that estrogenicity is a major mode of toxicity at environmental levels and that estrogenic effects should be considered for risk assessments on MC-LR going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiquan Liu
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yinan Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Xiuying Jia
- Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China
| | - Tyler D Hoskins
- Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Liping Lu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yu Han
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Xiaofang Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Huikang Lin
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Lilai Shen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yixuan Feng
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yueyue Zheng
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Chao Hu
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Hangjun Zhang
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Hangzhou International Urbanology Research Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
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2
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He Y, Ouyang K, Yang H, Wang L, Wang X, Li D, Li L. The impact of ammonia and microcystin-LR on neurobehavior and glutamate/gamma-aminobutyric acid balance in female zebrafish (Danio rerio): ROS and inflammation as key pathways. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170914. [PMID: 38354808 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170914] [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: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Ammonia and microcystin-LR (MC-LR) are both toxins that can be in eutrophic waters during cyanobacterial blooms. While previous studies have focused on the effects of ammonia exposure on fish neurobehavioral toxicity, little attention has been given to the effects of MC-LR and combined exposures to both. This study exposed adult female zebrafish to ammonia (30 mg/L) and MC-LR (10 μg/L) alone and in combination for 30 days to investigate their neurotoxic effects and underlying mechanisms. Behavioral results showed that exposure to ammonia and MC-LR, both alone and in combination, led to decreased locomotor activity and increased anxiety in fish. Histomorphological analysis revealed the formation of thrombi and vacuolization in the brain across all exposure groups. Exposure to ammonia and MC-LR resulted in significant increases in MDA contents, decreases in Mn-SOD activities, and alterations in GSH contents compared to the control. Single and combined exposure to ammonia and MC-LR also induced the release of inflammatory factors (IL-1β and TNF-α) by activating the NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, both ammonia and MC-LR significantly changed the expression of genes related to the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems, elevated Glu and GABA contents, as well as increased the Glu/GABA ratio, indicating that a shift towards increased Glu levels. Overall, these findings suggested that exposure to MC-LR and ammonia, individually and in combination, could decrease locomotor activity and increase anxiety of female zebrafish. This was likely due to brain damage from over-activated ROS and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which led to a disruption in the balance of glutamatergic and GABAergic systems. However, there was no significant interaction between MC-LR and ammonia in fish neurobehavioral toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya He
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Kang Ouyang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hui Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Liangmou Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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Harshaw K, Fahim A, Zi J, Chandrasekera PC, Chang X, Dixon B, MacIsaac HJ. Non-microcystin extracellular metabolites of Microcystis aeruginosa impair viability and reproductive gene expression in rainbow trout cell lines. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 919:170747. [PMID: 38340819 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170747] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Microcystis aeruginosa is a ubiquitous freshwater cyanobacterium best known for producing hepatotoxic microcystins; however, this common bloom-forming species also produces myriad biologically active and potentially deleterious other metabolites. Our understanding of the effects of these non-microcystin metabolites on fish is limited. In this study, we evaluated cytotoxicity of extracellular metabolites harvested from both microcystin-producing (MC+) and non-producing (MC-) strains of M. aeruginosa on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cell lines derived from tissues of the brain, pituitary, heart, gonads, gills, skin, liver, and milt. We also examined the influence of M. aeruginosa exudates (MaE) on the expression of critical reproduction-related genes using the same cell lines. We found that exudates of the MC- M. aeruginosa strain significantly reduced viability in RTBrain, RTgill-W1, and RT-milt5 cell lines and induced significant cellular stress and/or injury in six of the eight cell lines-highlighting potential target tissues of cyanobacterial cytotoxic effects. Observed sublethal consequences of Microcystis bloom exposure occurred with both MC+ and MC- strains' exudates and significantly altered expression of developmental and sex steroidogenic genes. Collectively, our results emphasize the contributions of non-MC metabolites to toxicity of Microcystis-dominated algal blooms and the need to integrate the full diversity of M. aeruginosa compounds-beyond microcystins-into ecotoxicological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keira Harshaw
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Ambreen Fahim
- Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Jinmei Zi
- Yunnan Collaborative Innovation Center for Plateau Lake Ecology and Environmental Health, College of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | | | - Xuexiu Chang
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; Yunnan Collaborative Innovation Center for Plateau Lake Ecology and Environmental Health, College of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | - Brian Dixon
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Hugh J MacIsaac
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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4
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Luo Y, Xu D, Ma Y, Yu W, Chen Y, Han X. Mediation of association between semen microcystin exposure and semen quality by sex hormones in Chinese men. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 124:108529. [PMID: 38159577 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2023.108529] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown microcystins (MCs) inducing male reproductive toxicity, but the underlying mechanisms in humans are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of serum sex hormones in the association between MC exposure and semen quality. In this study, we measured the levels of semen MCs and serum sex hormones in Chinese men [sample 1 (n = 649); sample 2 (n = 924)]. The results showed that there was a non-significant dose-dependent relationship between semen MCs and semen volume reduction (p for trend = 0.079) in sample 1, and semen MCs were significantly negatively associated with total motility, progressive motility, curvilinear velocity, mean angular displacement and acrosome integrity (p < 0.05) in sample 2. We also found that semen MCs were significantly positively associated with serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (β = 0.151; 95% CI: 0.065, 0.236), but negatively associated with serum inhibin B (INHB) (β = -0.605; 95% CI: -0.944, -0.265), and these linear associations were confirmed in restricted cubic spline (RCS) models (all pnon-linearity > 0.1). Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that serum INHB mediated 19.86% of the adverse effect of MC exposure on acrosome integrity. In conclusion, this study reveals the mediating roles of serum sex hormones in the relationship between MC exposure and decreased semen quality in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Luo
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Dihui Xu
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yuhan Ma
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Wen Yu
- Department of Andrology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yabing Chen
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Xiaodong Han
- Immunology and Reproduction Biology Laboratory & State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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5
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Ou-Yang K, Zhang Q, Wang L, Yang H, He Y, Li D, Li L. New insights into endocrine reproductive toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa combined with ammonia exposure in zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123021. [PMID: 37995953 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123021] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The ecological risk posed by MCs-producing M. aeruginosa and elevated ammonia to fish in actual aquatic environments remains uncertain. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted simulations to investigate the endocrine-reproductive toxicity of prolonged exposure (45 d) to Microcystis aeruginosa (2 × 10^6 cells/mL) and 30 mg/L total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in zebrafish under environmentally relevant conditions. Our results showed that exposure to M. aeruginosa significantly inhibited the body weight, increased gonadosomatic index (GSI), delayed oocyte development, and disrupted endocrine hormonal balance (reduced gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and increased estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T)). Mechanistically, it should be attributed to the over-expression of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver (HPGL) axis-related genes (cyp11a and cyp17) induced by M. aeruginosa. On the other hand, TAN exposure caused mild damage to zebrafish ovarian tissue and promoted an increase of T levels by inducing the upregulation of steroid hormone synthesis gene (3βhsd) expression in the ovary. It is worth noting that the dysregulation of E2/T ratio in zebrafish ovaries may be attributed to the inhibition of cyp19a1a by both M. aeruginosa and TAN. These results were further confirmed by changes in steroidogenic enzymes activities in the M. aeruginosa or TAN treated groups. Our findings indicated that exposure to M. aeruginosa and TAN had adverse impacts on the reproductive system of zebrafish. And the combined exposure of M. aeruginosa and TAN had more severe effects on the body weight, GSI, pathological changes, hormone levels and HPGL-axis related gene expression in female zebrafish. These results provide compelling evidence regarding the potential risks for reproductive health associated with M. aeruginosa and TAN in eutrophic water bodies experiencing M. aeruginosa blooms, and contribute to the development of effective strategies for monitoring and managing these toxins in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Ou-Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Qian Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Liangmou Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Hui Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Ya He
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430070, PR China.
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Ou-Yang K, Kuang Y, Yang H, He Y, Wang L, Wang X, Li D, Li L. Multi-omics analysis reveals the toxic mechanism of ammonia-enhanced Microcystis aeruginosa exposure causing liver fat deposition and muscle nutrient loss in zebrafish. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132631. [PMID: 37816294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132631] [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: 07/02/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Microcystis aeruginosa and ammonia pollution are two important environmental stress factors in water eutrophication. Herein, we simulated environmental conditions to investigate the effects of chronic exposure (single and combined) to M. aeruginosa and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) on lipid metabolism and muscle quality in zebrafish. Our results showed that M. aeruginosa and TAN significantly induced lipid deposition and tissue damage in the liver of zebrafish. Liver transcriptomic analysis revealed that M. aeruginosa and TAN disrupted the balance in lipid synthesis, decomposition, and transport, ultimately leading to hepatic lipid accumulation. Moreover, exposure to M. aeruginosa or TAN alone resulted in decreased crude protein content and increased lipid content in muscle, as well as disrupted muscle fatty acid composition. Metabolomic analysis of muscle revealed significant alterations in metabolites such as glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids and fatty acids. The co-exposure of M. aeruginosa and TAN had a more significant effect on liver lipid dysfunction and muscle quality deterioration in zebrafish. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential risks and hazards of M. aeruginosa and TAN in eutrophic water bodies subject to Microcystis blooms, and can help inform effective strategies for monitoring and managing these toxins in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Ou-Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Yu Kuang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hui Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Ya He
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Liangmou Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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7
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Lin W, Ouyang K, He Y, Yang H, Kuang Y, Li D, Li L. Combined effects of microcystin-LR and rice straw-derived biochar on the hepatic antioxidant capacity of zebrafish: Insights from LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166830. [PMID: 37673272 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166830] [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: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) produced by cyanobacteria blooms poses a serious risk to aquatic organisms. Rice straw-derived biochar (BC) is gradually being utilized as an effective adsorbent to remove water pollutants. In the present study, the combined toxicity of MC-LR and BC on hepatic antioxidant capacity and metabolic phenotype of zebrafish (Danio rerio) were conducted due to the increasing concern of eutrophication in aquatic environments. Female zebrafish were exposed to solutions of MC-LR (10 μg/L) and BC (100 μg/L) individually and in combination for 30 days. The results indicated that sub-chronic MC-LR exposure induced oxidative stress and metabolic disorders, with a significant elevation of several amino acids, glucose as well as unsaturated fatty acids. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the ascorbate and aldarate metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were affected under MC-LR stress. Significantly increased MDA levels along with significantly decreased CAT and GPx activities were observed in the MC-LR group. Nevertheless, MDA levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the relevant gene expressions (cat1, nrf2a, HO-1, keap1a) returned to baseline in the co-exposure group. These findings revealed that MC-LR resulted in metabolic disorders of protein, sugar, and lipid related to energy production, and BC could relieve MC-LR-induced metabolic disorder and oxidative stress in the liver of zebrafish. However, the potential risk of BC-induced metabolic disorder should not be neglected. Our present results highlight the potential of BC as a tool for mitigating the negative impacts of MC-LR on aquatic organisms in blooms-contaminated water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Kang Ouyang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ya He
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hui Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yu Kuang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Engineering Research Center of Green Development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, China.
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8
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Lin W, Luo H, Wu J, Liu X, Cao B, Liu Y, Yang P, Yang J. Polystyrene microplastics enhance the microcystin-LR-induced gonadal damage and reproductive endocrine disruption in zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162664. [PMID: 36894083 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The coexistence of eutrophication and plastic pollution in the aquatic environment is becoming a realistic water pollution problem worldwide. To investigate the microcystin-LR (MC-LR) bioavailability and the underlying reproductive interferences in the presence of polystyrene microplastic (PSMPs), zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to individual MC-LR (0, 1, 5, and 25 μg/L) and combined MC-LR + PSMPs (100 μg/L) for 60 d. Our results showed that the existence of PSMPs increased the accumulation of MC-LR in zebrafish gonads compared to the MC-LR-only group. In the MC-LR-only exposure group, seminiferous epithelium deterioration and widened intercellular spaces were observed in the testis, and basal membrane disintegration and zona pellucida invagination were noticed in the ovary. Moreover, the existence of PSMPs exacerbated these injuries. The results of sex hormone levels showed that PSMPs enhanced MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity, which is tightly related to the abnormal increase of 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) levels. The changes of gnrh2, gnrh3, cyp19a1b, cyp11a, and lhr mRNA levels in the HPG axis further proved that MC-LR combined with PSMPs aggravated reproductive dysfunction. Our results revealed that PSMPs could increase the MC-LR bioaccumulation by serving as a carrier and exaggerate the MC-LR-induced gonadal damage and reproductive endocrine disruption in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Lin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Organism Resources and Environmental Ecology, Changde 415000, China
| | - Huimin Luo
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China
| | - Jingyi Wu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China
| | - Xiangli Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China
| | - Beibei Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China
| | - Yuqing Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde 415000, China
| | - Pinhong Yang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China; Hunan Engineering Research Center of Aquatic Organism Resources and Environmental Ecology, Changde 415000, China.
| | - Jifeng Yang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China.
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9
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He Y, Hou J, Qiu Y, Ouyang K, Li D, Li L. Microcystin-LR immersion caused sequential endocrine disruption and growth inhibition in zebrafish (Danio rerio) from fertilization to sexual differentiation completion. Toxicology 2023:153569. [PMID: 37295766 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153569] [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: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a highly toxic congener and is also one of the most commonly found. Recent studies have demonstrated that MC-LR can disrupt growth and endocrine in fish, but how it works at the stage of the sex differentiation period had not been determined to date. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were exposed to MC-LR (0 and 10μg/L), and sampled at 14, 28, and 42 days post fertilization (dpf), respectively. The results demonstrated that MC-LR caused the growth inhibition of zebrafish at 42 dpf. The expression levels of genes related to the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes, as well as the levels of hormone 3,5,3'- Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), were significantly decreased at all time points. A Significant decrease in the ratio of testosterone and estradiol (T/E2) were detected at 28 and 42 dpf in MC-LR group along with changes in genes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The result of sex ratio showed that the percentage of females was up to 61.84%, indicating a estrogenic effect induced by MC-LR. The significant changes on hormone levels and gene transcripts occurred mainly in the stage of sex differentiation. The correlation analysis further suggested that key cross-talks among three endocrine axes may be the growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), Transthyretin (TTR) and gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling molecules. Overall, our findings provide a new insight for understanding the mechanisms by which MC-LR affects fish growth and reproduction during gonadal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya He
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China
| | - Jie Hou
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P.R. China
| | - Yuming Qiu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China
| | - Kang Ouyang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, P.R. China.
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10
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Falfushynska H, Kasianchuk N, Siemens E, Henao E, Rzymski P. A Review of Common Cyanotoxins and Their Effects on Fish. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11020118. [PMID: 36850993 PMCID: PMC9961407 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Global warming and human-induced eutrophication drive the occurrence of various cyanotoxins in aquatic environments. These metabolites reveal diversified mechanisms of action, encompassing cyto-, neuro-, hepato-, nephro-, and neurotoxicity, and pose a threat to aquatic biota and human health. In the present paper, we review data on the occurrence of the most studied cyanotoxins, microcystins, nodularins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxins, and saxitoxins, in the aquatic environment, as well as their potential bioaccumulation and toxicity in fish. Microcystins are the most studied among all known cyanotoxins, although other toxic cyanobacterial metabolites are also commonly identified in aquatic environments and can reveal high toxicity in fish. Except for primary toxicity signs, cyanotoxins adversely affect the antioxidant system and anti-/pro-oxidant balance. Cyanotoxins also negatively impact the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, fish exposed to microcystins and cylindrospermopsin exhibit various immunomodulatory, inflammatory, and endocrine responses. Even though cyanotoxins exert a complex pressure on fish, numerous aspects are yet to be the subject of in-depth investigation. Metabolites other than microcystins should be studied more thoroughly to understand the long-term effects in fish and provide a robust background for monitoring and management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Falfushynska
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
- Faculty of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Anhalt University for Applied Sciences, 06366 Köthen, Germany
| | - Nadiia Kasianchuk
- Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61712 Poznan, Poland
| | - Eduard Siemens
- Faculty of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Anhalt University for Applied Sciences, 06366 Köthen, Germany
| | - Eliana Henao
- Research Group Integrated Management of Ecosystems and Biodiversity XIUÂ, School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61701 Poznan, Poland
- Integrated Science Association (ISA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 61701 Poznań, Poland
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11
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Yang P, Zhang P, Deng Y, Liao Y, Guo X, Sun M, Yin L, Liu R. Comprehensive proteomic and phosphoproteomic reveal that Microcystin-LR contributed to the malignant progression of gastric cancer by estrogenic potency. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 317:120744. [PMID: 36436660 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The widespread cyanotoxins in drinking water pose a threat to public health induced by Microcystins (MCs). MC-LR, a predominant toxic form of MCs, has been found to play critical roles in cancer progression. The role of MC-LR in hepatocarcinogenesis has attracted extensive attention. However, as a critical digestive organ, the precise mechanism of MC-LR-induced gastric cancer is still unclear. We found that 100 nM MC-LR promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and anti-apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells. Quantitative proteome and phosphoproteome analysis identified differential expression patterns and aberrant pathways of SGC-7901 cells exposed to MC-LR. The results indicated that 48,109 unique peptides from 6320 proteins and 1375 phosphoproteins with 3473 phosphorylation sites were detected after 24 h treatment of MC-LR. Proteome and phosphoproteome conjoint analysis indicated estrogen signaling pathway might play an essential step in MC-LR-treated molecular events. The mechanism underlying these changes may involve MC-LR excessively activating the estrogen signaling pathway by reducing Hsp90 phosphorylation, which results in nucleus translocation of activated ERα and Krt16 overexpression in gastric cells. In general, our results indicate multiple crucial signals triggered by MC-LR, among which MC-LR may promote the development of gastric cancer by exerting estrogenic potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Huzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yali Deng
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yinghao Liao
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xinxin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mingjun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lihong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ran Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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12
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Casas-Rodriguez A, Cameán AM, Jos A. Potential Endocrine Disruption of Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin: A Review. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120882. [PMID: 36548779 PMCID: PMC9785827 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN), although classified as hepatotoxins and cytotoxins, respectively, have been shown to also induce toxic effects in many other systems and organs. Among them, their potential endocrine disruption (ED) activity has been scarcely investigated. Considering the increasing relevance of ED on humans, mammals, and aquatic organisms, this work aimed to review the state-of-the-art regarding the toxic effects of MCs and CYN at this level. It has been evidenced that MCs have been more extensively investigated than CYN. Reported results are contradictory, with the presence or absence of effects, but experimental conditions also vary to a great extent. In general, both toxins have shown ED activity mediated by very different mechanisms, such as estrogenic responses via a binding estrogen receptor (ER), pathological changes in several organs and cells (testis, ovarian cells), and a decreased gonad-somatic index. Moreover, toxic effects mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), changes in transcriptional responses on several endocrine axes and steroidogenesis-related genes, and changes in hormone levels have also been reported. Further research is required in a risk assessment frame because official protocols for assessment of endocrine disrupters have not been used. Moreover, the use of advanced techniques would aid in deciphering cyanotoxins dose-response relationships in relation to their ED potential.
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13
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Zhang S, Liu H, Du X, Chen X, Petlulu P, Tian Z, Shi L, Zhang B, Yuan S, Guo X, Wang Y, Guo H, Zhang H. A new identity of microcystins: Environmental endocrine disruptors? An evidence-based review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158262. [PMID: 36029820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) are widely distributed cyanobacterial toxins in eutrophic waters. At present, the endocrine-disrupting effects of MCs have been extensively studied, but whether MCs can be classified as environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) is still unclear. This review is aimed to evaluate the rationality for MCs as to be classified as EDCs based on the available evidence. It has been identified that MCs meet eight of ten key characteristics of chemicals that can be classified as EDCs. MCs interfere with the six processes, including synthesis, release, circulation, metabolism, binding and action of natural hormones in the body. Also, they are fit two other characteristics of EDC: altering the fate of producing/responding cells and epigenetic modification. Further evidence indicates that the endocrine-disrupting effect of MCs may be an important cause of adverse health outcomes such as metabolic disorders, reproductive disorders and effects on the growth and development of offspring. Generally, MCs have endocrine-disrupting properties, suggesting that it is reasonable for them to be considered EDCs. This is of great importance in understanding and evaluating the harm done by MCs on humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; Quality Control Department, Ninth Hospital of Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xinghai Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Zhihui Tian
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Linjia Shi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bingyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shumeng Yuan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xing Guo
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yongshui Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hongxiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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14
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Mesquita FMD, de Oliveira DF, Caldeira DDAF, de Albuquerque JPC, Matta L, Faria CCD, Souza IIAD, Takiya CM, Fortunato RS, Nascimento JHM, de Oliveira Azevedo SMF, Zin WA, Maciel L. Subacute and sublethal ingestion of microcystin-LR impairs lung mitochondrial function by an oligomycin-like effect. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2022; 93:103887. [PMID: 35598755 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2022.103887] [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: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a potent cyanotoxin that can reach several organs. However subacute exposure to sublethal doses of MC-LR has not yet well been studied. Herein, we evaluated the outcomes of subacute and sublethal MC-LR exposure on lungs. Male BALB/c mice were exposed to MC-LR by gavage (30 µg/kg) for 20 consecutive days, whereas CTRL mice received filtered water. Respiratory mechanics was not altered in MC-LR group, but histopathology disclosed increased collagen deposition, immunological cell infiltration, and higher percentage of collapsed alveoli. Mitochondrial function was extensively affected in MC-LR animals. Additionally, a direct in vitro titration of MC-LR revealed impaired mitochondrial function. In conclusion, MC-LR presented an intense deleterious effect on lung mitochondrial function and histology. Furthermore, MC-LR seems to exert an oligomycin-like effect in lung mitochondria. This study opens new perspectives for the understanding of the putative pulmonary initial mechanisms of damage resulting from oral MC-LR intoxication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Muniz de Mesquita
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Leonardo Matta
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Caroline Coelho de Faria
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Itanna Isis Araujo de Souza
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christina Maeda Takiya
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Soares Fortunato
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Walter Araujo Zin
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Maciel
- Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Campus Professor Geraldo Cidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil.
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15
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Shu Y, Jiang H, Yuen CNT, Wang W, He J, Zhang H, Liu G, Wei L, Chen L, Wu H. Microcystin-leucine arginine induces skin barrier damage and reduces resistance to pathogenic bacteria in Lithobates catesbeianus tadpoles. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 238:113584. [PMID: 35512477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of the skin mucosal barrier and commensal microbiota for the health of amphibians, the potential of environmental contaminants to disrupt the skin mucosal barrier and microbiota have rarely been studied in toxicology. In this study, tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) were exposed to 0, 0.5, and 2 μg/L of microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) for 30 days to explore the impacts of environmentally realistic MC-LR concentrations on the physical skin barrier, immune barrier, commensal microbiota, and skin resistance to pathogenic bacterial invasion. MC-LR exposure significantly reduced the collagen fibrils in the dermis of skin tissues and down-regulated tight junction and stratum corneum-related gene transcriptions, suggesting the damage caused by MC-LR to the physical barrier of the skin. Increased skin eosinophils and upregulated transcriptions of inflammation-related genes in the exposed tadpoles underline the development of skin inflammation resulting from MC-LR exposure even at environmentally realistic concentrations. Comparative transcriptome and immunobiochemical analyses found that antimicrobial peptides (Brevinin-1PLc, Brevinin-2GHc, and Ranatuerin-2PLa) and lysozyme were down-regulated in the exposed groups, while complement, pattern recognition receptor, and specific immune processes were up-regulated. However, the content of endotoxin lipopolysaccharide produced by bacteria increased in a dose-dependent pattern. The disc diffusion test showed a reduced ability of skin supernatant to inhibit pathogenic bacteria in the exposed groups. Analysis of microbial 16 S rRNA gene by high-throughput sequencing revealed that MC-LR interfered with the abundance, composition, and diversity of the skin commensal microbiota, which favored the growth of pathogen-containing genera Rhodococcus, Acinetobacter, and Gordonibacter. In summary, the current study provides the first clues about the impact of MC-LR on the integrity and function of skin barrier of amphibians. These new toxicological evidences can facilitate a more comprehensive evaluation of the ecological risk of MC-LR to amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Shu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Huiling Jiang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Calista N T Yuen
- State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wenchao Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Jun He
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Huijuan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Guangxuan Liu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Luting Wei
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Lianguo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Hailong Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China.
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16
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Xu G, Luo Y, Xu D, Ma Y, Chen Y, Han X. Male reproductive toxicity induced by Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR). Toxicon 2022; 210:78-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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17
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Chen L, Shi T, Wang YT, He J, Zhao X, Wang YK, Giesy JP, Chen F, Chen Y, Tuo X, Chen J, Xie P. Effects of acute exposure to microcystins on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), -gonad (HPG) and -thyroid (HPT) axes of female rats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:145196. [PMID: 34030373 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) are common, well-known cyanobacterial toxins that can affect health of humans. Recently, it has been reported that MCs affect endocrine functions. In the present study, for the first time, histopathology, concentrations of hormones and transcription of genes along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes were examined in rats exposed to microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Female, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed acutely to MC-LR by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection at doses of 0.5, 0.75, or 1 median lethal dose (LD50), i.e. 36.5, 54.75, or 73 μg MC-LR/kg body mass (bm) then euthanized 24 hours after exposure. Acute exposure to MC-LR significantly increased relative mass of adrenal in a dose-dependent manner, but relative mass of hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary and thyroid were not significantly different from respective mass in controls. However, damage to all these tissues was observed by histology. Along the HPA axis, lesser concentrations of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) were observed in blood serum of exposed individuals, relative to controls. For the HPG axis, concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and estradiol (E2) were significantly less in rats treated with MC-LR, but greater concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T) were observed. Along the HPT axis, MC-LR caused greater concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), but lesser concentrations of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), free tetra-iodothyronine (fT4) and tri-iodothyronine (fT3). Significant positive/negative correlations of concentrations of hormones were observed among the HPA, HPG and HPT axes. In addition, profiles of transcription of genes for synthesis of hormones along the endocrine axes and nuclear hormone receptors in adrenal, ovary and thyroid were significantly altered. Therefore, these results suggested that MC-LR affected HPA, HPG and HPT axes and exerted endocrine-disrupting effects. Effects of MC-LR on crosstalk among these three axes need further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ting Shi
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Ting Wang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Jun He
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu Zhao
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Ye-Ke Wang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada; Zoology Department, Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1129 Farm Lane Road, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Feng Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xun Tuo
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China; College of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ping Xie
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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18
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Zhang S, Du X, Liu H, Losiewic MD, Chen X, Ma Y, Wang R, Tian Z, Shi L, Guo H, Zhang H. The latest advances in the reproductive toxicity of microcystin-LR. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 192:110254. [PMID: 32991922 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is an emerging environmental pollutant produced by cyanobacteria that poses a threat to wild life and human health. In recent years, the reproductive toxicity of MC-LR has gained widespread attention, a large number of toxicological studies have filled the gaps in past research and more molecular mechanisms have been elucidated. Hence, this paper reviews the latest research advances on MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity. MC-LR can damage the structure and function of the testis, ovary, prostate, placenta and other organs of animals and then reduce their fertility. Meanwhile, MC-LR can also be transmitted through the placenta to the offspring causing trans-generational and developmental toxicity including death, malformation, growth retardation, and organ dysfunction in embryos and juveniles. The mechanisms of MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity mainly include the inhibition of protein phosphatase 1/2 A (PP1/2 A) activity and the induction of oxidative stress. On the one hand, MC-LR triggers the hyperphosphorylation of certain proteins by inhibiting intracellular PP1/2 A activity, thereby activating multiple signaling pathways that cause inflammation and blood-testis barrier destruction, etc. On the other hand, MC-LR-induced oxidative stress can result in cell programmed death via the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum pathways. It is worth noting that epigenetic modifications are also involved in reproductive cell apoptosis, which may be an important direction for future research. Furthermore, this paper proposes for the first time that MC-LR can produce estrogenic effects in animals as an environmental estrogen. New findings and suggestions in this review could be areas of interest for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Michael D Losiewic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Xinghai Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ya Ma
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhihui Tian
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Linjia Shi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hongxiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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Wang L, Lin W, Zha Q, Guo H, Zhang D, Yang L, Li L, Li D, Tang R. Persistent Exposure to Environmental Levels of Microcystin-LR Disturbs Cortisol Production via Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Interrenal (HPI) Axis and Subsequently Liver Glucose Metabolism in Adult Male Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12050282. [PMID: 32353954 PMCID: PMC7290660 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12050282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a new endocrine disruptor, whereas the impacts of persistent exposure to MC-LR on the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis and health hazards thereafter have not been investigated. In this work, adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) were immersed into MC-LR solutions at concentrations of 0, 1, 5 and 25 μg/L for 30 d, respectively. The results showed that persistent MC-LR exposure caused an extensive upregulation of HPI-axis genes but an inhibition of brain nuclear receptors (gr and mr), which finally increased serum cortisol levels. Furthermore, the decreased expression of hepatic gr might partly be responsible for the strong inhibition on the expression of downstream genes involved in glucose metabolic enzymes, including gluconeogenesis-related genes (pepck, fbp1a, g6pca), glycogenolysis-related gene (pyg), glycolysis-related genes (gk, pfk1b, pk) and glycogenesis-related gene (gys2). These findings are in accordance with the decline in serum glucose, indicating that long-term MC-LR exposure caused a lower production of glucose relative to glucose lysis. Our above results firstly establish the link between persistent MC-LR exposure and impaired glucose metabolism, suggesting that long-term MC-LR-mediated stress might threaten fish’s health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingkai Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qingji Zha
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
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20
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Zhang D, Lin W, Liu Y, Guo H, Wang L, Yang L, Li L, Li D, Tang R. Chronic Microcystin-LR Exposure Induces Abnormal Lipid Metabolism via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Male Zebrafish. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12020107. [PMID: 32046144 PMCID: PMC7076763 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12020107] [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: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to explore effects of low levels of continuous microcystin-LR (MC-LR) (a cyanotoxin) exposure on hepatic lipid metabolism on the basis of the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway, we exposed adult male zebrafish to MC-LR (0, 1, 5, and 25 μg/L) for 60 days, and hepatic histopathology as well as lipid metabolic parameters were determined with mRNA levels of ERS signal molecules and downstream factors, along with genes associated with lipid metabolism in zebrafish liver. The results revealed that prolonged exposure to MC-LR remarkably altered the levels of hepatic total cholesterol and triglyceride and led to hepatic steatosis, which was also confirmed by hepatic cytoplasmic vacuolization in Hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) stain and lipid droplet accumulation in Oil Red O stain. The severity of hepatic damage and lipidation was increased in a dose-related manner. MC-LR exposure significantly upregulated transcriptional levels of ERS markers including hspa5, mapk8, and chop, indicating the occurrence of ERS in the liver of zebrafish. Concurrently, MC-LR significantly improved mRNA expression of unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway-related genes including atf6, eif2ak3, ern1, and xbp1s, suggesting that all of the three UPR branches were activated by MC-LR. MC-LR also induced significant upregulation of downstream lipid metabolism-related factors and genes including srebf1, srebf2, fatty acid synthase (fasn), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (acaca), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (scd), HMG CoA reductase (hmgcra), and HMG CoA synthase (hmgcs1), and downregulation of genes associated with lipolysis such as triglyceride hydrolase gene (atgl), hormone-sensitive enzyme gene (hsla), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase gene (cpt1aa). Our present results indicated that the cause of hepatic lipid accumulation by MC-LR was mainly by upregulating lipogenic and cholesterol genes but downregulating the expression of lipolytic genes through the induction of srebf1 and srebf2, which were involved in the activation of ERS signal pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Yinjie Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Lingkai Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; (D.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (H.G.); (L.W.); (L.Y.); (D.L.); (R.T.)
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
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Lin W, Guo H, Wang L, Zhang D, Wu X, Li L, Qiu Y, Yang L, Li D, Tang R. Waterborne microcystin-LR exposure induced chronic inflammatory response via MyD88-dependent toll-like receptor signaling pathway in male zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 702:134969. [PMID: 31710851 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 09/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Waterborne microcystin-LR (MC-LR) released by cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic water bodies have caused serious risk to aquatic animal and human health. In the present study, we for the first time conducted a comprehensive in vivo investigation on chronic inflammatory responses and its molecular pathways of different environmental relevant levels of MC-LR (0, 0.4, 2 and 10 μg/L) in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). The results showed that chronic MC-LR exposure caused splenic inflammatory changes including the formation of melano-macrophage centers, remarkable elevation of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 1 beta (IL1β) levels as well as significant upregulated expression of MyD88-dependent toll-like receptor (TLR/MyD88) signaling pathway genes (tlr4a, myd88, erk2, p38a, il1β and tnfα). The immunohistochemical and western blot results further validated that higher MC-LR concentrations tended to enhance the MyD88 signal. Moreover, significant decreases of serum C3 levels along with splenic c3b expression in the 10 μg/L exposure group proved that chronic MC-LR exposure could ultimately decrease the innate immunity of fish. Our findings revealed that chronic exposure of MC-LR could cause chronic inflammation through TLR/MyD88 signaling pathway and subsequently induce immune disorders in male zebrafish, which also urge us to pay more attention on the potential immunotoxicity of long-term exposure to low concentration of MC-LR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Lingkai Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Xueyang Wu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China.
| | - Yuming Qiu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
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22
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Xu R, Jiang Y, MacIsaac HJ, Chen L, Li J, Xu J, Wang T, Zi Y, Chang X. Blooming cyanobacteria alter water flea reproduction via exudates of estrogen analogues. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 696:133909. [PMID: 31454606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria blooms are increasing globally, with further increases predicted in association with climate change. Recently, some cyanobacteria species have been identified as a source of estrogenic effects in aquatic animals. To explore possible estrogenic effects of Microcystis aeruginosa (an often-dominant cyanobacteria species) on zooplankton, we examined effects of cyanobacteria exudates (MaE, 2 × 104 and 4 × 105 cells/ml) on reproduction in Daphnia magna. We analyzed physiological, biochemical and molecular characteristics of exposed Daphnia via both chronic and acute exposures. MaE at both low and high cell density enhanced egg number (15.4% and 23.3%, respectively) and reproduction (37.7% and 52.4%, respectively) in D. magna similar to 10 μg/L estradiol exposure. In addition, both MaE of low and high cell densities increased population growth rate (15.8% and 19.6%, respectively) and reproductive potential (60% and 83%, respectively) of D. magna. These exudates promoted D. magna reproduction by stimulating 17β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activity and production of ecdysone and juvenile hormone, and by enhancing vitellogenin biosynthesis via up-regulating expression of Vtg1 and Vtg2. However, increased expression (6.6 times higher than controls) of a detoxification gene (CYP360A8) indicated that MaE might also induce toxicity in D. magna. Reproductive interference of zooplankton by blooming cyanobacteria might negatively affect foodwebs because MaE-induced zooplankton population increase would enhance grazing and reduce abundance of edible algae, thereby adding to the list of known disruptive properties of cyanobacterial blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runbing Xu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Yao Jiang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China; Xi'an Institute for Innovative Earth Environment Research, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Hugh J MacIsaac
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China; Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Liqiang Chen
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan Key Laboratory of International Rivers and Trans-boundary Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China.
| | - Jingjing Li
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Jun Xu
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Yuanyan Zi
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China
| | - Xuexiu Chang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, PR China; Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada.
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23
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Liu W, Zhan C, Zhang T, Zhang X. Microcystin-LR influences the in vitro oocyte maturation of zebrafish by activating the MAPK pathway. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 215:105261. [PMID: 31419757 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacteria and their production of microcystins (MCs) exert significant toxicity on reproduction of fish, especially the process of oogenesis. Our previous studies demonstrated that MCs have negative impacts on the quantity and quality of mature oocytes in female zebrafish. However, the underlying mechanisms of MCs disrupting oocyte maturation (OM) have been rarely reported. In the present study, in vitro oocytes (immature) were separated from zebrafish and treated with 1, 10, 100 μg/L MC-LR. The serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity was downregulated significantly in oocytes exposed to 10 and 100 μg/L MC-LR for both 2 and 4 h. The phosphorylation levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were detected without noticeable change in all oocytes treated with MC-LR for 2 h, whereas the activated levels of MAPK subtypes (ERK, p38 and JNK) increased remarkably in the 100 μg/L MC-LR treatment of 4 h. In the oocytes exposed to 100 μg/L MC-LR for 4 h, germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) rates changed abnormally and maturation-promoting factor (MPF) activity increased significantly, in accordance with the upregulation of Cyclin B protein levels. Moreover, the MAPK inhibitors (10 μM) were applied to explore the role of MAPK subtypes during MC-LR influencing OM and results showed that ERK inhibitor U0126 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 mitigated the effects of 100 μg/L MC-LR-induced MAPK hyper-phosphorylation and elevated GVBD in the oocytes. In conclusion, the present study indicates that microcystins disrupt the meiotic maturation by the pathway of MC-PP2A-MAPK-OM due to the phosphorylation disorder in oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjing Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chunhua Zhan
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Tongzhou Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xuezhen Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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