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Karimi Z, Zarifkar A, Mirzaei E, Dianatpour M, Dara M, Aligholi H. Therapeutic effects of nanosilibinin in valproic acid-zebrafish model of autism spectrum disorder: Focusing on Wnt signaling pathway and autism spectrum disorder-related cytokines. Int J Dev Neurosci 2024; 84:454-468. [PMID: 38961588 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we delved into the intricate world of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its connection to the disturbance in the Wnt signaling pathway and immunological abnormalities. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of silibinin, a remarkable modulator of both the Wnt signaling pathway and the immune system, on the neurobehavioral and molecular patterns observed in a zebrafish model of ASD induced by valproic acid (VPA). Because silibinin is a hydrophobic molecule and highly insoluble in water, it was used in the form of silibinin nanoparticles (nanosilibinin, NS). After assessing survival, hatching rate, and morphology of zebrafish larvae exposed to different concentrations of NS, the appropriate concentrations were chosen. Then, zebrafish embryos were exposed to VPA (1 μM) and NS (100 and 200 μM) at the same time for 120 h. Next, anxiety and inattentive behaviors and the expression of CHD8, CTNNB, GSK3beta, LRP6, TNFalpha, IL1beta, and BDNF genes were assessed 7 days post fertilization. The results indicated that higher concentrations of NS had adverse effects on survival, hatching, and morphological development. The concentrations of 100 and 200 μM of NS could ameliorate the anxiety-like behavior and learning deficit and decrease ASD-related cytokines (IL1beta and TNFalpha) in VPA-treated larvae. In addition, only 100 μM of NS prevented raising the gene expression of Wnt signaling-related factors (CHD8, CTNNB, GSK3beta, and LRP6). In conclusion, NS treatment for the first 120 h showed therapeutic effect on an autism-like phenotype probably via reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines genes and changing the expression of Wnt signaling components genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Karimi
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Science and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Asadollah Zarifkar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Esmaeil Mirzaei
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Dianatpour
- Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mahintaj Dara
- Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hadi Aligholi
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Science and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Ricarte M, Tagkalidou N, Bellot M, Bedrossiantz J, Prats E, Gomez-Canela C, Garcia-Reyero N, Raldúa D. Short- and Long-Term Neurobehavioral Effects of Developmental Exposure to Valproic Acid in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7688. [PMID: 39062930 PMCID: PMC11277053 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, anxiety, hyperactivity, and interest restricted to specific subjects. In addition to the genetic factors, multiple environmental factors have been related to the development of ASD. Animal models can serve as crucial tools for understanding the complexity of ASD. In this study, a chemical model of ASD has been developed in zebrafish by exposing embryos to valproic acid (VPA) from 4 to 48 h post-fertilization, rearing them to the adult stage in fish water. For the first time, an integrative approach combining behavioral analysis and neurotransmitters profile has been used for determining the effects of early-life exposure to VPA both in the larval and adult stages. Larvae from VPA-treated embryos showed hyperactivity and decreased visual and vibrational escape responses, as well as an altered neurotransmitters profile, with increased glutamate and decreased acetylcholine and norepinephrine levels. Adults from VPA-treated embryos exhibited impaired social behavior characterized by larger shoal sizes and a decreased interest for their conspecifics. A neurotransmitter analysis revealed a significant decrease in dopamine and GABA levels in the brain. These results support the potential predictive validity of this model for ASD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Ricarte
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (M.R.); (N.T.); (J.B.)
- Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (C.G.-C.)
| | - Niki Tagkalidou
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (M.R.); (N.T.); (J.B.)
| | - Marina Bellot
- Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (C.G.-C.)
| | - Juliette Bedrossiantz
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (M.R.); (N.T.); (J.B.)
| | - Eva Prats
- Research and Development Center (CID-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Cristian Gomez-Canela
- Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Institut Químic de Sarrià, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain; (M.B.); (C.G.-C.)
| | - Natalia Garcia-Reyero
- Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing & Biotechnology (IGBB), Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA;
| | - Demetrio Raldúa
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (M.R.); (N.T.); (J.B.)
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3
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Messina A, Sovrano VA, Baratti G, Musa A, Gobbo A, Adiletta A, Sgadò P. Valproic acid exposure affects social visual lateralization and asymmetric gene expression in zebrafish larvae. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4474. [PMID: 38395997 PMCID: PMC10891151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54356-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cerebral asymmetry is critical for typical brain function and development; at the same time, altered brain lateralization seems to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Zebrafish are increasingly emerging as model species to study brain lateralization, using asymmetric development of the habenula, a phylogenetically old brain structure associated with social and emotional processing, to investigate the relationship between brain asymmetry and social behavior. We exposed 5-h post-fertilization zebrafish embryos to valproic acid (VPA), a compound used to model the core signs of ASD in many vertebrate species, and assessed social interaction, visual lateralization and gene expression in the thalamus and the telencephalon. VPA-exposed zebrafish exhibit social deficits and a deconstruction of social visual laterality to the mirror. We also observe changes in the asymmetric expression of the epithalamic marker leftover and in the size of the dorsolateral part of the habenula in adult zebrafish. Our data indicate that VPA exposure neutralizes the animals' visual field bias, with a complete loss of the left-eye use bias in front of their own mirror image, and alters brain asymmetric gene expression and morphology, opening new perspectives to investigate brain lateralization and its link to atypical social cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
| | - Greta Baratti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alessia Musa
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gobbo
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Alice Adiletta
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy
| | - Paola Sgadò
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Piazza della Manifattura 1, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy.
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Zarate-Lopez D, Torres-Chávez AL, Gálvez-Contreras AY, Gonzalez-Perez O. Three Decades of Valproate: A Current Model for Studying Autism Spectrum Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:260-289. [PMID: 37873949 PMCID: PMC10788883 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666231003121513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with increased prevalence and incidence in recent decades. Its etiology remains largely unclear, but it seems to involve a strong genetic component and environmental factors that, in turn, induce epigenetic changes during embryonic and postnatal brain development. In recent decades, clinical studies have shown that inutero exposure to valproic acid (VPA), a commonly prescribed antiepileptic drug, is an environmental factor associated with an increased risk of ASD. Subsequently, prenatal VPA exposure in rodents has been established as a reliable translational model to study the pathophysiology of ASD, which has helped demonstrate neurobiological changes in rodents, non-human primates, and brain organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. This evidence supports the notion that prenatal VPA exposure is a valid and current model to replicate an idiopathic ASD-like disorder in experimental animals. This review summarizes and describes the current features reported with this animal model of autism and the main neurobiological findings and correlates that help elucidate the pathophysiology of ASD. Finally, we discuss the general framework of the VPA model in comparison to other environmental and genetic ASD models.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zarate-Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Ana Laura Torres-Chávez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
- Physiological Science Ph.D. Program, School of Medicine, University of Colima, Colima 28040, Mexico
| | - Alma Yadira Gálvez-Contreras
- Department of Neuroscience, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, México
| | - Oscar Gonzalez-Perez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Colima, Colima 28040, México
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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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6
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Inge Schytz Andersen-Civil A, Anjan Sawale R, Claude Vanwalleghem G. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a translational model for neuro-immune interactions in the enteric nervous system in autism spectrum disorders. Brain Behav Immun 2023:S0889-1591(23)00142-3. [PMID: 37301234 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect about 1% of the population and are strongly associated with gastrointestinal diseases creating shortcomings in quality of life. Multiple factors contribute to the development of ASD and although neurodevelopmental deficits are central, the pathogenesis of the condition is complex and the high prevalence of intestinal disorders is poorly understood. In agreement with the prominent research establishing clear bidirectional interactions between the gut and the brain, several studies have made it evident that such a relation also exists in ASD. Thus, dysregulation of the gut microbiota and gut barrier integrity may play an important role in ASD. However, only limited research has investigated how the enteric nervous system (ENS) and intestinal mucosal immune factors may impact on the development of ASD-related intestinal disorders. This review focuses on the mechanistic studies that elucidate the regulation and interactions between enteric immune cells, residing gut microbiota and the ENS in models of ASD. Especially the multifaceted properties and applicability of zebrafish (Danio rerio) for the study of ASD pathogenesis are assessed in comparison to studies conducted in rodent models and humans. Advances in molecular techniques and in vivo imaging, combined with genetic manipulation and generation of germ-free animals in a controlled environment, appear to make zebrafish an underestimated model of choice for the study of ASD. Finally, we establish the research gaps that remain to be explored to further our understanding of the complexity of ASD pathogenesis and associated mechanisms that may lead to intestinal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Inge Schytz Andersen-Civil
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Rajlakshmi Anjan Sawale
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Gilles Claude Vanwalleghem
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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7
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Turrini L, Roschi L, de Vito G, Pavone FS, Vanzi F. Imaging Approaches to Investigate Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Brain Disease in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9833. [PMID: 37372981 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129833] [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: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish has become an essential model organism in modern biomedical research. Owing to its distinctive features and high grade of genomic homology with humans, it is increasingly employed to model diverse neurological disorders, both through genetic and pharmacological intervention. The use of this vertebrate model has recently enhanced research efforts, both in the optical technology and in the bioengineering fields, aiming at developing novel tools for high spatiotemporal resolution imaging. Indeed, the ever-increasing use of imaging methods, often combined with fluorescent reporters or tags, enable a unique chance for translational neuroscience research at different levels, ranging from behavior (whole-organism) to functional aspects (whole-brain) and down to structural features (cellular and subcellular). In this work, we present a review of the imaging approaches employed to investigate pathophysiological mechanisms underlying functional, structural, and behavioral alterations of human neurological diseases modeled in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lapo Turrini
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Roschi
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Giuseppe de Vito
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy
- Interdepartmental Centre for the Study of Complex Dynamics, University of Florence, Via Giovanni Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Francesco Saverio Pavone
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Via Giovanni Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Francesco Vanzi
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, Via Nello Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
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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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9
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Salahinejad A, Meuthen D, Attaran A, Chivers DP, Ferrari MCO. Effects of common antiepileptic drugs on teleost fishes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 866:161324. [PMID: 36608821 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161324] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are globally prescribed to treat epilepsy and many other psychiatric disorders in humans. Their high consumption, low metabolic rate in the human body and low efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in eliminating these chemicals results in the frequent occurrence of these pharmaceutical drugs in aquatic systems. Therefore, aquatic organisms, including ecologically and economically important teleost fishes, may be inadvertently exposed to these chemicals. Due to their physiological similarity with humans, fishes may be particularly vulnerable to AEDs. Almost all AED drugs are detectable in natural aquatic ecosystems, but diazepam (DZP) and carbamazepine (CBZ) are among the most widely detected AEDs to date. Recent studies suggest that these drugs have a substantial capacity to induce neurotoxicity and behavioral abnormality in fishes. Here we review the current state of knowledge regarding the potential mode of action of DZP and CBZ as well as that of some other AEDs on teleosts and put observable behavioral effects into a mechanistic context. We find that following their intended mode of action in humans, AEDs also disrupt the GABAergic, glutamatergic and serotonergic systems as well as parasympathetic neurotransmitters in fishes. Moreover, AEDs have non-specific modes of action in teleosts ranging from estrogenic activity to oxidative stress. These physiological changes are often accompanied by dose-dependent disruptions of anxiety, locomotor activity, social behaviors, food uptake, and learning and memory, but DZP and CBZ consistently induced anxiolytic effects. Thereby, AED exposure severely compromises individual fitness across teleost fish species, which may lead to population and ecosystem impairment. We also showcase promising avenues for future research by highlighting where we lack data when it comes to effects of certain AEDs, AED concentrations and behavioral endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Salahinejad
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada.
| | - Denis Meuthen
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Anoosha Attaran
- Robart Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A5K8, Canada
| | - Douglas P Chivers
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Maud C O Ferrari
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
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10
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Dixon SC, Calder BJ, Lilya SM, Davies BM, Martin A, Peterson M, Hansen JM, Suli A. Valproic acid affects neurogenesis during early optic tectum development in zebrafish. Biol Open 2023; 12:286129. [PMID: 36537579 PMCID: PMC9916031 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The mammalian superior colliculus and its non-mammalian homolog, the optic tectum (OT), are midbrain structures that integrate multimodal sensory inputs and guide non-voluntary movements in response to prevalent stimuli. Recent studies have implicated this structure as a possible site affected in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Interestingly, fetal exposure to valproic acid (VPA) has also been associated with an increased risk of ASD in humans and animal models. Therefore, we took the approach of determining the effects of VPA treatment on zebrafish OT development as a first step in identifying the mechanisms that allow its formation. We describe normal OT development during the first 5 days of development and show that in VPA-treated embryos, neuronal specification and neuropil formation was delayed. VPA treatment was most detrimental during the first 3 days of development and did not appear to be linked to oxidative stress. In conclusion, our work provides a foundation for research into mechanisms driving OT development, as well as the relationship between the OT, VPA, and ASD. This article has an associated First Person interview with one of the co-first authors of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra C. Dixon
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Bailey J. Calder
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Shane M. Lilya
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Brandon M. Davies
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Annalie Martin
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Maggie Peterson
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Jason M. Hansen
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Arminda Suli
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA,Author for correspondence ()
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11
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Wu J, Lin X, Wu D, Yan B, Bao M, Zheng P, Wang J, Yang C, Li Z, Jin X, Jiang K. Poly(I:C)-exposed zebrafish shows autism-like behaviors which are ameliorated by fabp2 gene knockout. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 15:1068019. [PMID: 36683854 PMCID: PMC9849760 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1068019] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders mainly representing impaired social communication. The etiology of ASD includes genetic and environmental risk factors. Rodent models containing ASD risk gene mutations or environmental risk factors, such as exposure to maternal inflammation, show abnormal behavior. Although zebrafish conserves many important brain structures of humans and has sophisticated and fine behaviors in social interaction, it is unknown whether the social behaviors of their offspring would be impaired due to exposure to maternal inflammation. Methods We exposed zebrafish to maternal immune activation (MIA) by injection with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], and screened their behaviors through social behavioral tests such as social preference and shoaling behavior tests. We compared phenotypes resulted from different ways of poly(I:C) exposure. RNA sequencing was performed to explore the differential expression genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed with the detected DEGs to find the concentrated pathways. Finally, we knocked out the fatty acid-binding protein 2 (fabp2), a key node of the concentrated PPI network, to find its rescues on the altered social behavior. Results We reported here that MIA offspring born to mothers injected with poly(I:C) exhibited impaired social approach and social cohesion that mimicked human ASD phenotypes. Both maternal exposure and direct embryo exposure to poly(I:C) resulted in activations of the innate immune system through toll-like receptors 3 and 4. RNA-sequencing results from MIA brain tissues illustrated that the numbers of overexpressed genes were significantly more than that of underexpressed genes. GO and KEGG analyses found that MIA-induced DEGs were mainly concentrated in complement and coagulation cascade pathways. PPI network analyses suggested that villin-1 (vil1) pathway might play a key role in MIA-induced ASD. Knockout of fabp2 in F0 zebrafish rescued the social behavior deficits in MIA offspring. Conclusions Overall, our work established an ASD model with assessable behavior phenotype in zebrafish and provided key insights into environmental risk factor in ASD etiology and the influence of fabp2 gene on ASD-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wu
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueting Lin
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dian Wu
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Binhong Yan
- Department of Biobank Center, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengyi Bao
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peilei Zheng
- Department of Biobank Center, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangping Wang
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cuiwei Yang
- Department of Neurology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhongxia Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Wuzhou GongRen Hospital), Wuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoming Jin
- Indiana Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Group, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States,Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Neurological Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Kewen Jiang
- Department of Child Psychology, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China,Department of Biobank Center, The Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Kewen Jiang,
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12
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Chowdhury S, Saikia SK. Use of Zebrafish as a Model Organism to Study Oxidative Stress: A Review. Zebrafish 2022; 19:165-176. [PMID: 36049069 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2021.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dioxygen is an integral part of every living organism, but its concentration varies from organ to organ. Production of metabolites from dioxygen may result in oxidative stress. Since oxidative stress has the potential to damage various biomolecules in the cell, therefore, it has presently become an active field of research. Oxidative stress has been studied in a wide range of model organisms from vertebrates to invertebrates, from rodents to piscine organisms, and from in vivo to in vitro models. But zebrafish (adults, larvae, or embryonic stage) emerged out to be the most promising vertebrate model organism to study oxidative stress because of its vast advantages (transparent embryo, cost-effectiveness, similarity to human genome, easy developmental processes, numerous offspring per spawning, and many more). This is evidenced by voluminous number of researches on oxidative stress in zebrafish exposed to chemicals, radiations, nanoparticles, pesticides, heavy metals, etc. On these backgrounds, this review attempts to highlight the potentiality of zebrafish as model of oxidative stress compared with other companion models. Several areas, from biomedical to environmental research, have been covered to explain it as a more convenient and reliable animal model for experimental research on oxidative mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabarna Chowdhury
- Aquatic Ecology and Fish Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
| | - Surjya Kumar Saikia
- Aquatic Ecology and Fish Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India
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13
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Ma X, Yuan X, Liu J, Shen L, Yu Y, Zhou W, Liu Z, Jiang Y. Gravity-Dependent Animacy Perception in Zebrafish. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2022; 2022:9829016. [PMID: 36128180 PMCID: PMC9470206 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9829016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Biological motion (BM), depicted by a handful of point lights attached to the major joints, conveys rich animacy information, which is significantly disrupted if BM is shown upside down. This well-known inversion effect in BM perception is conserved in terrestrial vertebrates and is presumably a manifestation of an evolutionarily endowed perceptual filter (i.e., life motion detector) tuned to gravity-compatible BM. However, it remains unknown whether aquatic animals, living in a completely different environment from terrestrial animals, perceive BM in a gravity-dependent manner. Here, taking advantage of their typical shoaling behaviors, we used zebrafish as a model animal to examine the ability of teleosts to discriminate between upright (gravity-compatible) and inverted (gravity-incompatible) BM signals. We recorded their swimming trajectories and quantified their preference based on dwelling time and head orientation. The results obtained from three experiments consistently showed that zebrafish spent significantly more time swimming in proximity to and orienting towards the upright BM relative to the inverted BM or other gravity-incompatible point-light stimuli (i.e., the non-BM). More intriguingly, when the recorded point-light video clips of fish were directly compared with those of human walkers and pigeons, we could identify a unique and consistent pattern of accelerating movements in the vertical (gravity) direction. These findings, to our knowledge, demonstrate for the first time the inversion effect in BM perception in simple aquatic vertebrates and suggest that the evolutionary origin of gravity-dependent BM processing may be traced back to ancient aquatic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Xiangyong Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Jiahuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Li Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Yiwen Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Zuxiang Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei 230088, China
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14
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A Mini-Review Regarding the Modalities to Study Neurodevelopmental Disorders-Like Impairments in Zebrafish—Focussing on Neurobehavioural and Psychological Responses. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12091147. [PMID: 36138883 PMCID: PMC9496774 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are complex disorders which can be associated with many comorbidities and exhibit multifactorial-dependent phenotypes. An important characteristic is represented by the early onset of the symptoms, during childhood or young adulthood, with a great impact on the socio-cognitive functioning of the affected individuals. Thus, the aim of our review is to describe and to argue the necessity of early developmental stages zebrafish models, focusing on NDDs, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and also on schizophrenia. The utility of the animal models in NDDs or schizophrenia research remains quite controversial. Relevant discussions can be opened regarding the specific characteristics of the animal models and the relationship with the etiologies, physiopathology, and development of these disorders. The zebrafish models behaviors displayed as early as during the pre-hatching embryo stage (locomotor activity prone to repetitive behavior), and post-hatching embryo stage, such as memory, perception, affective-like, and social behaviors can be relevant in ASD and schizophrenia research. The neurophysiological processes impaired in both ASD and schizophrenia are generally highly conserved across all vertebrates. However, the relatively late individual development and conscious social behavior exhibited later in the larval stage are some of the most important limitations of these model animal species.
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15
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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:toxics10090493. [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] [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
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.M.M.F.)
| | - 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
- Correspondence: (C.-H.K.); (S.M.M.F.)
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16
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Zebrafish Larvae Behavior Models as a Tool for Drug Screenings and Pre-Clinical Trials: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126647. [PMID: 35743088 PMCID: PMC9223633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
To discover new molecules or review the biological activity and toxicity of therapeutic substances, drug development, and research relies on robust biological systems to obtain reliable results. Phenotype-based screenings can transpose the organism’s compensatory pathways by adopting multi-target strategies for treating complex diseases, and zebrafish emerged as an important model for biomedical research and drug screenings. Zebrafish’s clear correlation between neuro-anatomical and physiological features and behavior is very similar to that verified in mammals, enabling the construction of reliable and relevant experimental models for neurological disorders research. Zebrafish presents highly conserved physiological pathways that are found in higher vertebrates, including mammals, along with a robust behavioral repertoire. Moreover, it is very sensitive to pharmacological/environmental manipulations, and these behavioral phenotypes are detected in both larvae and adults. These advantages align with the 3Rs concept and qualify the zebrafish as a powerful tool for drug screenings and pre-clinical trials. This review highlights important behavioral domains studied in zebrafish larvae and their neurotransmitter systems and summarizes currently used techniques to evaluate and quantify zebrafish larvae behavior in laboratory studies.
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17
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Zhang XZ, Huo HQ, Zhu YQ, Feng HY, Jiao J, Tan JX, Wang Y, Hu P, Xu ZF. Folic Acid Rescues Valproic Acid-Induced Morphogenesis Inhibition in Neural Rosettes Derived From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:888152. [PMID: 35651759 PMCID: PMC9148965 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.888152] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to specialize in neuroepithelial tissue makes them ideal candidates for use in the disease models of neural tube defects. In this study, we cultured hPSCs in suspension with modified neural induction method, and immunostaining was applied to detect important markers associated with cell fate and morphogenesis to verify the establishment of the neural tube model in vitro. We carried out the drug experiments to further investigate the toxicity of valproic acid (VPA) exposure and the potential protective effect of folic acid (FA). The results demonstrated that neural rosette undergoes cell fate speciation and lumen formation accompanied by a spatiotemporal shift in the expression patterns of cadherin, indicating the model was successfully established. The results showed that VPA caused morphogenesis inhibition of lumen formation by altering cytoskeletal function and cell polarization, which could be rescued by FA supplement.
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18
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Scaramella C, Alzagatiti JB, Creighton C, Mankatala S, Licea F, Winter GM, Emtage J, Wisnieski JR, Salazar L, Hussain A, Lee FM, Mammootty A, Mammootty N, Aldujaili A, Runnberg KA, Hernandez D, Zimmerman-Thompson T, Makwana R, Rouvere J, Tahmasebi Z, Zavradyan G, Campbell CS, Komaranchath M, Carmona J, Trevitt J, Glanzman D, Roberts AC. Bisphenol A Exposure Induces Sensory Processing Deficits in Larval Zebrafish during Neurodevelopment. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0020-22.2022. [PMID: 35508370 PMCID: PMC9116930 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0020-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Because of their ex utero development, relatively simple nervous system, translucency, and availability of tools to investigate neural function, larval zebrafish are an exceptional model for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders and the consequences of environmental toxins. Furthermore, early in development, zebrafish larvae easily absorb chemicals from water, a significant advantage over methods required to expose developing organisms to chemical agents in utero Bisphenol A (BPA) and BPA analogs are ubiquitous environmental toxins with known molecular consequences. All humans have measurable quantities of BPA in their bodies. Most concerning, the level of BPA exposure is correlated with neurodevelopmental difficulties in people. Given the importance of understanding the health-related effects of this common toxin, we have exploited the experimental advantages of the larval zebrafish model system to investigate the behavioral and anatomic effects of BPA exposure. We discovered that BPA exposure early in development leads to deficits in the processing of sensory information, as indicated by BPA's effects on prepulse inhibition (PPI) and short-term habituation (STH) of the C-start reflex. We observed no changes in locomotion, thigmotaxis, and repetitive behaviors (circling). Despite changes in sensory processing, we detected no regional or whole-brain volume changes. Our results show that early BPA exposure can induce sensory processing deficits, as revealed by alterations in simple behaviors that are mediated by a well-defined neural circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney Scaramella
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Joseph B Alzagatiti
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Christopher Creighton
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Samandeep Mankatala
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Fernando Licea
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Gabriel M Winter
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Jasmine Emtage
- Department of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
| | - Joseph R Wisnieski
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Luis Salazar
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Anjum Hussain
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - Faith M Lee
- Department of Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Asma Mammootty
- Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104
| | | | - Andrew Aldujaili
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Kristine A Runnberg
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Daniela Hernandez
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | | | - Rikhil Makwana
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Julien Rouvere
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Zahra Tahmasebi
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - Gohar Zavradyan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
| | | | - Meghna Komaranchath
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Javier Carmona
- Department of Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Jennifer Trevitt
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
| | - David Glanzman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Adam C Roberts
- Department of Psychology, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831
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19
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Sonawane A, Vadloori B, Poosala S, Kandarova H, Kulkarni M, Olayanju A, Dey T, Saxena U, Smirnova L, Kanda Y, Reddy J, Dravida S, Biswas S, Vinken M, Gettayacamin M, Ahluwalia A, Mondini F, Bhattacharya S, Kulkarni P, Jacobsen KR, Vangala S, Millás AL. Advances in Animal Models and Cutting-Edge Research in Alternatives: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress, Hyderabad, 2021. Altern Lab Anim 2022; 50:156-171. [PMID: 35410493 DOI: 10.1177/02611929221089216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The fact that animal models fail to replicate human disease faithfully is now being widely accepted by researchers across the globe. As a result, they are exploring the use of alternatives to animal models. The time has come to refine our experimental practices, reduce the numbers and eventually replace the animals used in research with human-derived and human-relevant 3-D disease models. Oncoseek Bio-Acasta Health, which is an innovative biotechnology start-up company based in Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam, India, organises an annual International Conference on 3Rs Research and Progress. In 2021, this conference was on 'Advances in Research Animal Models and Cutting-Edge Research in Alternatives'. This annual conference is a platform that brings together eminent scientists and researchers from various parts of the world, to share recent advances from their research in the field of alternatives to animals including new approach methodologies, and to promote practices to help refine animal experiments where alternatives are not available. This report presents the proceedings of the conference, which was held in hybrid mode (i.e. virtual and in-person) in November 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Helena Kandarova
- Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Science, Slovakia
| | | | | | - Tuli Dey
- Savitribai Phule Pune University, India
| | | | - Lena Smirnova
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Montip Gettayacamin
- Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC international), USA
| | - Arti Ahluwalia
- University of Pisa, and Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Italy
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Li F, Lin J, Li T, Jian J, Zhang Q, Zhang Y, Liu X, Li Q. Rrn3 gene knockout affects ethanol-induced locomotion in adult heterozygous zebrafish. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:621-630. [PMID: 35006303 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide analysis has identified the transcription factor, RRN3 (or TIF-1A), on human chromosome 16p13.11 as a candidate gene associated with mental disorders. Both genetic and biochemical experiments have demonstrated that RRN3 plays a major role in the transcriptional regulation of ribosomal DNA and cell growth. Previous research has suggested that loss of RRN3 from mature neurons reproduces the chronic nature of neurodegenerative processes. Here, we report the first generation and characterization of rrn3 mutant zebrafish in larval and adult stages using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technique. Homozygous knockout zebrafish exhibited morphological changes, such as pericardial oedema and deformed heads, and died at the larval stage of embryonic development. Behaviourally, the locomotion and shoaling behaviour of adult rrn3+/- zebrafish was not significantly different compared with rrn3+/+ zebrafish. Notably, rrn3+/- zebrafish demonstrated abnormal locomotor activity in response to ethanol. We found decreased norepinephrine expression in the brains of rrn3+/- zebrafish when treated with ethanol. In summary, our results indicated that rrn3 was closely associated with early embryonic development in zebrafish. Furthermore, behavioural and neurochemical research revealed the importance of genetic differences in drug sensitivity. The results suggest that caution should be taken when treating RRN3 heterozygous patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Li
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Lin
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingting Li
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Jian
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinglan Zhang
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiuyun Liu
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, Institute of Pediatrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
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Rai AR, Joy T, Rashmi KS, Rai R, Vinodini NA, Jiji PJ. Zebrafish as an experimental model for the simulation of neurological and craniofacial disorders. Vet World 2022; 15:22-29. [PMID: 35369579 PMCID: PMC8924399 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.22-29] [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: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish have gained momentum as a leading experimental model in recent years. At present, the zebrafish vertebrate model is increasingly used due to its multifactorial similarities to humans that include genetic, organ, and cellular factors. With the emergence of novel research techniques that are very expensive, it is necessary to develop affordable and valid experimental models. This review aimed to highlight some of the most important similarities between zebrafish and humans by emphasizing the relevance of the first in simulating neurological disorders and craniofacial deformity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Rohan Rai
- Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Teresa Joy
- Department of Anatomy, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, University Park, Coolidge, St. John's, Antigua
| | - K. S. Rashmi
- Department of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Rajalakshmi Rai
- Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - N. A. Vinodini
- Department of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - P. J. Jiji
- Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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Joseph TP, Zhou F, Sai LY, Chen H, Lin SL, Schachner M. Duloxetine ameliorates valproic acid-induced hyperactivity, anxiety-like behavior, and social interaction deficits in zebrafish. Autism Res 2022; 15:27-41. [PMID: 34605202 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Syndromic autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by impaired social communication and repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. Currently available therapeutic agents against ASD have limited efficacy. Thus, searching for novel and effective drugs ameliorating core symptoms, in particular social deficits, is of utmost importance. Duloxetine (DLX), an antidepressant that has been identified as an agonist mimetic for the cell adhesion molecule L1, exhibits beneficial functions in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, in this study, we focused on the rapid and persistent neuroprotective function of DLX following valproic acid (VPA)-triggered hyperactivity, anxiety-like behavior and social deficits in zebrafish. Embryonic exposure to VPA reduced survival in a dose- and time-dependent manner, delayed hatching, and also resulted in a significant number of malformed larvae. After initial dose-response experiments in zebrafish larvae, 10 μM VPA exposure between 0.33 and 4.5 days post fertilization (dpf) was identified as an effective concentration that led to an early and persistent ASD-like phenotype in zebrafish. ASD-like elevated acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity and reduced Akt-mTOR signaling was observed in zebrafish whole brain. Acute administration of DLX (4.5-6 dpf) reduced the VPA-induced ASD-like phenotype in zebrafish larvae. Additionally, such early-life acute DLX treatment had long-term effects in ameliorating social impairments, hyperactivity, and anxiety-like behaviors through adulthood. This was accompanied by reduced AChE activity and by normalized Akt-mTOR signaling. Overall, DLX treatment showed a long-term therapeutic effect on autistic-like behaviors, and alteration of AChE activity and Akt-mTOR signaling were identified as crucial in the VPA-induced ASD zebrafish model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fang Zhou
- Center of Neuroscience, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Liu Yang Sai
- Center of Neuroscience, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Hanyu Chen
- Center of Neuroscience, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Stanley Li Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Melitta Schachner
- Center of Neuroscience, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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Zebrafish, an In Vivo Platform to Screen Drugs and Proteins for Biomedical Use. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14060500. [PMID: 34073947 PMCID: PMC8225009 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The nearly simultaneous convergence of human genetics and advanced molecular technologies has led to an improved understanding of human diseases. At the same time, the demand for drug screening and gene function identification has also increased, albeit time- and labor-intensive. However, bridging the gap between in vitro evidence from cell lines and in vivo evidence, the lower vertebrate zebrafish possesses many advantages over higher vertebrates, such as low maintenance, high fecundity, light-induced spawning, transparent embryos, short generation interval, rapid embryonic development, fully sequenced genome, and some phenotypes similar to human diseases. Such merits have popularized the zebrafish as a model system for biomedical and pharmaceutical studies, including drug screening. Here, we reviewed the various ways in which zebrafish serve as an in vivo platform to perform drug and protein screening in the fields of rare human diseases, social behavior and cancer studies. Since zebrafish mutations faithfully phenocopy many human disorders, many compounds identified from zebrafish screening systems have advanced to early clinical trials, such as those for Adenoid cystic carcinoma, Dravet syndrome and Diamond-Blackfan anemia. We also reviewed and described how zebrafish are used to carry out environmental pollutant detection and assessment of nanoparticle biosafety and QT prolongation.
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Muhsen M, Youngs J, Riu A, Gustafsson JÅ, Kondamadugu VS, Garyfalidis E, Bondesson M. Folic acid supplementation rescues valproic acid-induced developmental neurotoxicity and behavioral alterations in zebrafish embryos. Epilepsia 2021; 62:1689-1700. [PMID: 33997963 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Fetal exposure to the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA), used to treat certain types of epilepsy, increases the risk for birth defects, including neural tube defects, as well as learning difficulties and behavioral problems. Here, we investigated neurotoxic effects of VPA exposure using zebrafish as a model organism. The capacity of folic acid (FA) supplementation to rescue the VPA-induced neuronal and behavioral perturbations was also examined. METHODS Zebrafish embryos of different transgenic lines with neuronal green fluorescent protein expression were exposed to increasing concentrations of VPA with or without FA supplementation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize alterations in brain structures and neural progenitor cells, as well as motor neurons and neurite sprouting. A twitching behavioral assay was used to examine the functional consequences of VPA and FA treatment. RESULTS In zebrafish embryos, VPA exposure caused a decrease in the midbrain size, an increase in the midline gap of the hindbrain, and perturbed neurite sprouting of secondary motor neurons, in a concentration-dependent manner. VPA exposure also decreased the fluorescence intensity of neuronal progenitor cells in early developmental stages, indicating fewer cells. Furthermore, VPA exposure significantly altered embryonic twitching activity, causing hyperactivity in dark and hypoactivity in light. Supplementation of FA rescued the VPA-induced smaller midbrain size and hindbrain midline gap defects. FA treatment also increased the number of neuronal progenitor cells in VPA-treated embryos and salvaged neurite sprouting of the secondary motor neurons. FA rescued the VPA-induced alterations in twitching activity in light but not in dark. SIGNIFICANCE We conclude that VPA exposure induces specific neurotoxic perturbations in developing zebrafish embryos, and that FA reversed most of the identified defects. The results demonstrate that zebrafish is a promising model to study VPA-induced teratogenesis and to screen for countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maram Muhsen
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Jaclyn Youngs
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Anne Riu
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jan-Åke Gustafsson
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Vijay Sai Kondamadugu
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Elefterios Garyfalidis
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Maria Bondesson
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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Emerging mechanisms of valproic acid-induced neurotoxic events in autism and its implications for pharmacological treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 137:111322. [PMID: 33761592 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a sort of mental disorder marked by deficits in cognitive and communication abilities. To date no effective cure for this pernicious disease has been available. Valproic acid (VPA) is a broad-spectrum, antiepileptic drug, and it is also a potent teratogen. Epidemiological studies have shown that children exposed to VPA are at higher risk for ASD during the first trimester of their gestational development. Several animal and human studies have demonstrated important behavioral impairments and morphological changes in the brain following VPA treatment. However, the mechanism of VPA exposure-induced ASD remains unclear. Several factors are involved in the pathological phase of ASD, including aberrant excitation/inhibition of synaptic transmission, neuroinflammation, diminished neurogenesis, oxidative stress, etc. In this review, we aim to outline the current knowledge of the critical pathophysiological mechanisms underlying VPA exposure-induced ASD. This review will give insight toward understanding the complex nature of VPA-induced neuronal toxicity and exploring a new path toward the development of novel pharmacological treatment against ASD.
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Multistate models of developmental toxicity: Application to valproic acid-induced malformations in the zebrafish embryo. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2021; 414:115424. [PMID: 33524444 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
For the determination of acute toxicity of chemicals in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos, the OECD test guideline 236, relative to the Fish Embryo Toxicity Test (FET), stipulates a dose-response analysis of four lethal core endpoints and a quantitative characterization of abnormalities including their time-dependency. Routinely, the data are analyzed at the different observation times separately. However, observations at a given time strongly depend on the previous effects and should be analyzed jointly with them. To solve this problem, we developed multistate models for occurrence of developmental malformations and live events in zebrafish embryos exposed to eight concentrations of valproic acid (VPA) the first five days of life. Observations were recorded daily per embryo. We statistically infer on model structure and parameters using a numerical Bayesian framework. Hatching probability rate changed with time and we compared five forms of its time-dependence; a constant rate, a piecewise constant rate with a fixed hatching time at 48 h post fertilization, a piecewise constant rate with a variable hatching time, as well as a Hill and Gaussian form. A piecewise constant function of time adequately described the hatching data. The other transition rates were conditioned on the embryo body concentration of VPA, obtained using a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model. VPA impacted mostly the malformation probability rate in hatched and non-hatched embryos. Malformation reversion probability rates were lowered by VPA. Direct mortality was low at the concentrations tested, but increased linearly with internal concentration. The model makes full use of data and gives a finer grain analysis of the teratogenic effects of VPA in zebrafish than the OECD-prescribed approach. We discuss the use of the model for obtaining toxicological reference values suitable for inter-species extrapolation. A general result is that complex multistate models can be efficiently evaluated numerically.
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Pensado-López A, Veiga-Rúa S, Carracedo Á, Allegue C, Sánchez L. Experimental Models to Study Autism Spectrum Disorders: hiPSCs, Rodents and Zebrafish. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1376. [PMID: 33233737 PMCID: PMC7699923 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect around 1.5% of the global population, which manifest alterations in communication and socialization, as well as repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. ASD is a complex disorder with known environmental and genetic contributors; however, ASD etiology is far from being clear. In the past decades, many efforts have been put into developing new models to study ASD, both in vitro and in vivo. These models have a lot of potential to help to validate some of the previously associated risk factors to the development of the disorder, and to test new potential therapies that help to alleviate ASD symptoms. The present review is focused on the recent advances towards the generation of models for the study of ASD, which would be a useful tool to decipher the bases of the disorder, as well as to conduct drug screenings that hopefully lead to the identification of useful compounds to help patients deal with the symptoms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Pensado-López
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Sara Veiga-Rúa
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Ángel Carracedo
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), CIMUS, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Catarina Allegue
- Genomic Medicine Group, Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Laura Sánchez
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain; (A.P.-L.); (S.V.-R.)
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Rea V, Van Raay TJ. Using Zebrafish to Model Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparison of ASD Risk Genes Between Zebrafish and Their Mammalian Counterparts. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:575575. [PMID: 33262688 PMCID: PMC7686559 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.575575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a highly variable and complex set of neurological disorders that alter neurodevelopment and cognitive function, which usually presents with social and learning impairments accompanied with other comorbid symptoms like hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity, or repetitive behaviors. Autism can be caused by genetic and/or environmental factors and unraveling the etiology of ASD has proven challenging, especially given that different genetic mutations can cause both similar and different phenotypes that all fall within the autism spectrum. Furthermore, the list of ASD risk genes is ever increasing making it difficult to synthesize a common theme. The use of rodent models to enhance ASD research is invaluable and is beginning to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms of this disease. Recently, zebrafish have been recognized as a useful model of neurodevelopmental disorders with regards to genetics, pharmacology and behavior and one of the main foundations supporting autism research (SFARI) recently identified 12 ASD risk genes with validated zebrafish mutant models. Here, we describe what is known about those 12 ASD risk genes in human, mice and zebrafish to better facilitate this research. We also describe several non-genetic models including pharmacological and gnotobiotic models that are used in zebrafish to study ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Terence J. Van Raay
- Dept of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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de Abreu MS, Genario R, Giacomini AC, Demin KA, Lakstygal AM, Amstislavskaya TG, Fontana BD, Parker MO, Kalueff AV. Zebrafish as a Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Neuroscience 2020; 445:3-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Messina A, Boiti A, Sovrano VA, Sgadò P. Micromolar Valproic Acid Doses Preserve Survival and Induce Molecular Alterations in Neurodevelopmental Genes in Two Strains of Zebrafish Larvae. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10101364. [PMID: 32987891 PMCID: PMC7601180 DOI: 10.3390/biom10101364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a genetically heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by a multifaceted range of impairments and multifactorial etiology. Epidemiological studies have identified valproic acid (VPA), an anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy, as an environmental factor for ASDs. Based on these observations, studies using embryonic exposure to VPA have been conducted in many vertebrate species to model ASD. The zebrafish is emerging as a popular model in biomedical research to study the molecular pathways involved in nervous system disorders. VPA exposure in zebrafish larvae has been shown to produce a plethora of effects on social, motor and anxiety behavior, and several genetic pathways altered by VPA have been described. However, the doses and regimen of administration reported in the literature are very heterogenous, creating contradictory results and posing serious limits to the interpretation of VPA action on neurodevelopment. To shed light on the toxic effect of VPA, we tested micromolar concentrations of VPA, using exposure for 24 and 48 h in two different zebrafish strains. Our results show that micromolar doses of VPA mildly affect embryo survival but are sufficient to induce molecular alterations in neurodevelopmental genes previously shown to be influenced by VPA, with substantial differences between strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (A.B.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (P.S.); Tel.: +39-0461-808961 (P.S.)
| | - Alessandra Boiti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (A.B.); (V.A.S.)
| | - Valeria Anna Sovrano
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (A.B.); (V.A.S.)
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Paola Sgadò
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; (A.B.); (V.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.M.); (P.S.); Tel.: +39-0461-808961 (P.S.)
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The early overgrowth theory of autism spectrum disorder: Insight into convergent mechanisms from valproic acid exposure and translational models. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020. [PMID: 32711813 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The development of new approaches for the clinical management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can only be realized through a better understanding of the neurobiological changes associated with ASD. One strategy for gaining deeper insight into the neurobiological mechanisms associated with ASD is to identify converging pathogenic processes associated with human idiopathic clinicopathology that are conserved in translational models of ASD. In this chapter, we first present the early overgrowth theory of ASD. Second, we introduce valproic acid (VPA), one of the most robust and well-known environmental risk factors associated with ASD, and we summarize the rapidly growing body of animal research literature using VPA as an ASD translational model. Lastly, we will detail the mechanisms of action of VPA and its impact on functional neural systems, as well as discuss future research directions that could have a lasting impact on the field.
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Medishetti R, Rani R, Kavati S, Mahilkar A, Akella V, Saxena U, Kulkarni P, Sevilimedu A. A DNAzyme based knockdown model for Fragile-X syndrome in zebrafish reveals a critical window for therapeutic intervention. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2019; 101:106656. [PMID: 31734279 DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2019.106656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION FXS is the leading cause of intellectual disabilities in males and a major monogenic cause of ASD (Autism spectrum disorders). It occurs due to the loss of FMRP, whose role in early development is not well understood. In this study, we have used a novel DNAzyme based approach to create a larval model of FXS in zebrafish with specific focus on the early developmental window. METHODS Fmr1specific DNAzymes were electroporated into embryos to create the knockdown. Changes in RNA and protein levels of FMRP and relevant biomarkers were measured in the 0-7dpf window. Behavioral tests to measure anxiety, cognitive impairments and irritability in the larvae were conducted at the 7dpf stage. Drug treatment was carried out at various time points in the 0-7dpf window to identify the critical window for pharmacological intervention. RESULTS The DNAzyme based knockdown approach led to a significant knockdown of FMRP in the zebrafish embryos, accompanied by increased anxiety, irritability and cognitive impairments at 7dpf, thus creating a robust larval model of FXS. Treatment with the Mavoglurant was able to rescue the behavioral phenotypes in the FXS larvae, and found to be more efficacious in the 0-3dpf window. DISCUSSION The results from this study have revealed that a) a DNAzyme based knockdown approach can be used to create robust larval zebrafish model of disease, in a high-throughput manner and b) optimal window for therapeutic intervention for FXS as well as other pediatric diseases with a monogenic cause can be identified using such a model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghavender Medishetti
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Rita Rani
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Srinivas Kavati
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Anjali Mahilkar
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Venkateswarlu Akella
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Uday Saxena
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Pushkar Kulkarni
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India.
| | - Aarti Sevilimedu
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India.
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Geng Y, Peterson RT. The zebrafish subcortical social brain as a model for studying social behavior disorders. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm039446. [PMID: 31413047 PMCID: PMC6737945 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors are essential for the survival and reproduction of social species. Many, if not most, neuropsychiatric disorders in humans are either associated with underlying social deficits or are accompanied by social dysfunctions. Traditionally, rodent models have been used to model these behavioral impairments. However, rodent assays are often difficult to scale up and adapt to high-throughput formats, which severely limits their use for systems-level science. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have used zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system to study social behavior. These studies have demonstrated clear potential in overcoming some of the limitations of rodent models. In this Review, we explore the evolutionary conservation of a subcortical social brain between teleosts and mammals as the biological basis for using zebrafish to model human social behavior disorders, while summarizing relevant experimental tools and assays. We then discuss the recent advances gleaned from zebrafish social behavior assays, the applications of these assays to studying related disorders, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Geng
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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