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Liu H, Yang Q, Li G, Hung TC, Zuo J, Luan N, Liu X, Wu Q. Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus modulates MCLR-induced oogenesis disorders in zebrafish: Evidence from the transcriptome. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175532. [PMID: 39153614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MCLR) produced by cyanobacterial blooms have received global attention. MCLR has been recognized as a reproductive toxin to fish and poses a threat to ecosystem stability. It has been proven that probiotic dietary management can improve reproductive performance of fish. It is worth paying attention to exploring whether probiotic management can alleviate the reproductive toxicity caused by MCLR. In this investigation, adult zebrafish were exposed to different doses of MCLR solution (0, 2.2, and 22 μg/L) with or without the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supplementation for a duration of 28 days. The results showed that female zebrafish spawning was reduced after exposure to MCLR, but this reduction was reversed when L. rhamnosus GG was added. To elucidate how L. rhamnosus GG mitigates reproductive toxicity caused by MCLR, we examined a series of indicators of MCLR accumulation, ovarian histology, hormones, and transcriptome levels. Our study showed that L. rhamnosus GG could alleviate oogenesis disorders and ultimately attenuate MCLR-induced reproductive toxicity by reducing MCLR accumulation in the gonads, modulating the expression of endocrine system and auto/paracrine factors. The transcriptome results revealed that single or combined exposure of MCLR and L. rhamnosus GG mainly affected the endocrine system, energy metabolism, and RNA degradation and translation. Overall, our results provide new insights for alleviating MCLR-induced reproductive toxicity and help promote healthy aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoling Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Institute of Hydroecology, Ministry of Water Resources & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Guangyu Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Tien-Chieh Hung
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Junli Zuo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ning Luan
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaolin Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qin Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization, Huangshi Key Laboratory of Lake Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei Province 435002, China
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Zhang F, Tang C, Zhu Y, Wang Q, Huang X, Yang C, He C, Zuo Z. Long-term exposure to aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist neburon induces reproductive toxicity in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 142:193-203. [PMID: 38527884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.06.032] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Neburon is a phenylurea herbicide that is widely used worldwide, but its toxicity is poorly studied. In our previous study, we found that neburon has strong aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist activity, but whether it causes reproductive toxicity is not clear. In the present study, zebrafish were conducted as a model organism to evaluate whether environmental concentrations of neburon (0.1, 1 and 10 µg/L) induce reproductive disorder in males. After exposure to neburon for 150 days from embryo to adult, that the average spawning egg number in high concentration group was 106.40, which was significantly lower than 193.00 in control group. This result was mainly due to the abnormal male reproductive behavior caused by abnormal transcription of genes associated with reproductive behavior in the brain, such as secretogranin-2a. The proportions of spermatozoa in the medium and high concentration groups were 82.40% and 83.84%, respectively, which were significantly lower than 89.45% in control group. This result was mainly caused by hormonal disturbances and an increased proportion of apoptotic cells. The hormonal disruption was due to the significant changes in the transcription levels of key genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis following neburon treatment. Neburon treatment also significantly activated the AhR signaling pathway, causing oxidative stress damage and eventually leading to a significant increase in apoptosis in the exposed group. Together, these data filled the currently more vacant profile of neburon toxicity and might provide information to assess the ecotoxicity of neburon on male reproduction at environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fucong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chen Tang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chengyong He
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhenghong Zuo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
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Biswas C, Adhikari M, Pramanick K. Toxicological effects of nodularin on the reproductive endocrine system of female zebrafish (Danio rerio). AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 273:107000. [PMID: 38875953 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Nodularin is a potent cyanotoxin that has been detected in aquatic environments as well as in the body of aquatic organisms throughout the world, but its effects on the reproductive system are yet to be explored. The present study investigated the toxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of nodularin on the reproductive endocrine system of female zebrafish (Danio rerio). After exposure to nodularin for 14 days, decreased gonadosomatic Index (GSI), germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), and decreased level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-estradiol (E2) level and increased testosterone (T) content in female zebrafish suggested that nodularin may disrupt both oocyte growth and maturation. In support of this data, alteration in different marker gene expression on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver (HPGL) axis was observed. Transcriptional levels of genes related to steroidogenesis including cytochrome P450 aromatase (cyp19a1a) in the ovary and primary vitellogenin genes (vtg1, vtg2, and vtg3) in the liver were down-regulated and marker genes for oxidative stress (sod, cat, and gpx) were up-regulated on HPGL axis. These findings revealed for the first time that nodularin is a potent endocrine-disrupting compound posing oxidative stress and causes reproductive endocrine toxicity in female zebrafish, emphasizing the importance of assessing its environmental risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chayan Biswas
- Integrative Biology Research Unit (IBRU), Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India
| | - Madhuchhanda Adhikari
- Integrative Biology Research Unit (IBRU), Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India
| | - Kousik Pramanick
- Integrative Biology Research Unit (IBRU), Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, 86/1 College Street, Kolkata 700073, West Bengal, India.
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4
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Liu Z, Zhang Y, Jia X, Hoskins TD, Lu L, Han Y, Zhang X, Lin H, Shen L, Feng Y, Zheng Y, Hu C, Zhang H. Microcystin-LR Induces Estrogenic Effects at Environmentally Relevant Concentration in Black-Spotted Pond Frogs ( Pelophylax nigromaculatus): In Situ, In Vivo, In Vitro, and In Silico Investigations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:9559-9569. [PMID: 38710655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are frequent and intense worldwide, creating hazards for aquatic biodiversity. The potential estrogen-like effect of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a growing concern. In this study, we assessed the estrogenic potency of MC-LR in black-spotted frogs through combined field and laboratory approaches. In 13 bloom areas of Zhejiang province, China, the MC-LR concentrations in water ranged from 0.87 to 8.77 μg/L and were correlated with sex hormone profiles in frogs, suggesting possible estrogenic activity of MC-LR. Tadpoles exposed to 1 μg/L, an environmentally relevant concentration, displayed a female-biased sex ratio relative to controls. Transcriptomic results revealed that MC-LR induces numerous and complex effects on gene expression across multiple endocrine axes. In addition, exposure of male adults significantly increased the estradiol (E2)/testosterone (T) ratio by 3.5-fold relative to controls. Downregulation of genes related to male reproductive endocrine function was also identified. We also showed how MC-LR enhances the expression of specific estrogen receptor (ER) proteins, which induce estrogenic effects by activating the ER pathway and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In aggregate, our results reveal multiple lines of evidence demonstrating that, for amphibians, MC-LR is an estrogenic endocrine disruptor at environmentally relevant concentrations. The data presented here support the need for a shift in the MC-LR risk assessment. While hepatoxicity has historically been the focus of MC-LR risk assessments, our data clearly demonstrate that estrogenicity is a major mode of toxicity at environmental levels and that estrogenic effects should be considered for risk assessments on MC-LR going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiquan Liu
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yinan Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Xiuying Jia
- Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310015, China
| | - Tyler D Hoskins
- Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Liping Lu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yu Han
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Xiaofang Zhang
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Huikang Lin
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Lilai Shen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yixuan Feng
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yueyue Zheng
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Chao Hu
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Hangjun Zhang
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Hangzhou International Urbanology Research Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
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5
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Haida M, El Khalloufi F, Mugani R, Essadki Y, Campos A, Vasconcelos V, Oudra B. Microcystin Contamination in Irrigation Water and Health Risk. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:196. [PMID: 38668621 PMCID: PMC11054416 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16040196] [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: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs), natural hepatotoxic compounds produced by cyanobacteria, pose significant risks to water quality, ecosystem stability, and the well-being of animals, plants, and humans when present in elevated concentrations. The escalating contamination of irrigation water with MCs presents a growing threat to terrestrial plants. The customary practice of irrigating crops from local water sources, including lakes and ponds hosting cyanobacterial blooms, serves as a primary conduit for transferring these toxins. Due to their high chemical stability and low molecular weight, MCs have the potential to accumulate in various parts of plants, thereby increasing health hazards for consumers of agricultural products, which serve as the foundation of the Earth's food chain. MCs can bioaccumulate, migrate, potentially biodegrade, and pose health hazards to humans within terrestrial food systems. This study highlights that MCs from irrigation water reservoirs can bioaccumulate and come into contact with plants, transferring into the food chain. Additionally, it investigates the natural mechanisms that organisms employ for conjugation and the microbial processes involved in MC degradation. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of MCs in the terrestrial food chain and to elucidate the specific health risks associated with consuming crops irrigated with water contaminated with these toxins, further research is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Haida
- Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (M.H.); (R.M.); (Y.E.); (B.O.)
| | - Fatima El Khalloufi
- Natural Resources Engineering and Environmental Impacts Team, Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Laboratory, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga, Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal, B.P, 45, Khouribga 25000, Morocco;
| | - Richard Mugani
- Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (M.H.); (R.M.); (Y.E.); (B.O.)
| | - Yasser Essadki
- Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (M.H.); (R.M.); (Y.E.); (B.O.)
| | - Alexandre Campos
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Vitor Vasconcelos
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Brahim Oudra
- Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco; (M.H.); (R.M.); (Y.E.); (B.O.)
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6
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Harshaw K, Fahim A, Zi J, Chandrasekera PC, Chang X, Dixon B, MacIsaac HJ. Non-microcystin extracellular metabolites of Microcystis aeruginosa impair viability and reproductive gene expression in rainbow trout cell lines. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 919:170747. [PMID: 38340819 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Microcystis aeruginosa is a ubiquitous freshwater cyanobacterium best known for producing hepatotoxic microcystins; however, this common bloom-forming species also produces myriad biologically active and potentially deleterious other metabolites. Our understanding of the effects of these non-microcystin metabolites on fish is limited. In this study, we evaluated cytotoxicity of extracellular metabolites harvested from both microcystin-producing (MC+) and non-producing (MC-) strains of M. aeruginosa on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cell lines derived from tissues of the brain, pituitary, heart, gonads, gills, skin, liver, and milt. We also examined the influence of M. aeruginosa exudates (MaE) on the expression of critical reproduction-related genes using the same cell lines. We found that exudates of the MC- M. aeruginosa strain significantly reduced viability in RTBrain, RTgill-W1, and RT-milt5 cell lines and induced significant cellular stress and/or injury in six of the eight cell lines-highlighting potential target tissues of cyanobacterial cytotoxic effects. Observed sublethal consequences of Microcystis bloom exposure occurred with both MC+ and MC- strains' exudates and significantly altered expression of developmental and sex steroidogenic genes. Collectively, our results emphasize the contributions of non-MC metabolites to toxicity of Microcystis-dominated algal blooms and the need to integrate the full diversity of M. aeruginosa compounds-beyond microcystins-into ecotoxicological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keira Harshaw
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Ambreen Fahim
- Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Jinmei Zi
- Yunnan Collaborative Innovation Center for Plateau Lake Ecology and Environmental Health, College of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | | | - Xuexiu Chang
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; Yunnan Collaborative Innovation Center for Plateau Lake Ecology and Environmental Health, College of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, China
| | - Brian Dixon
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Hugh J MacIsaac
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada; School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China.
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Yang Q, Huang L, Yang N, Cui H, Zhao Y, Li Z, Tong Y. Transgenerational effects of extracts containing Microcystin-LR exposure on reproductive toxicity and offspring growth inhibition in a model organism zebrafish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 268:106860. [PMID: 38354462 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106860] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria cell lysates release numerous toxic substances (e.g., cyanotoxins) into the water, posing a serious threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems. Microcystins (MCs) are among the most abundant cyanotoxins in the cell lysates, with microcystin-LR (MC-LR) being one of the most common and highly toxic congeners. In this study, zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to different levels MC-LR that from extracts of Microcystis aeruginosa. Changes in the MC-LR accumulations, organ coefficients, and antioxidant enzyme activities in the zebrafish were analyzed. Transgenerational reproductive toxicity of MC-LR in the maternal and paternal generations was further investigated, as well as the influences of extracts containing MC-LR exposures of the F1 on the growth of zebrafish. The study found that high levels of MC-LR could be detected in the major organs of adult zebrafish, particularly in spleen. Notably, concentration of MC-LR in the spermary was significantly higher than that in the ovarium. MC-LR could induce oxidative damage by affecting the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Inherited from F0, MC-LR led to impaired development in the F1 generation. Difference in offspring survival rates could be observed in the groups with different MC-LR levels of maternal and paternal exposures. This study reveals transgenerational effects of MC-LR on the reproductive toxicity and offspring growth inhibition to the aquatic organisms, which should be emphasized in the future ecological risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China; School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China
| | - Lanlan Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Ning Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Hongyang Cui
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Yanbin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zipeng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China
| | - Yindong Tong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300000, China; School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa 850000, China.
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8
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Li H, Kang S, Gu X, Yang H, Chen H, Mao Z, Zeng Q, Chen Y, Wang W, Gong C. The toxicological effects of life-cycle exposure to harmful benthic cyanobacteria Oscillatoria on zebrafish growth and reproduction: A comparative study with planktonic Microcystis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169302. [PMID: 38104816 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169302] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The risks of planktonic cyanobacteria blooms have been the focus of much scientific research, but studies on the ecotoxicological effects of benthic cyanobacteria are lagging. The impacts of cyanobacteria cells on fish populations might be more complex in contrast to purified cyanotoxins or cyanobacteria extracts. This study systematically compared the chronic effects of benthic Oscillatoria sp. (producing cylindrospermopsins) and planktonic Microcystis aeruginosa (producing microcystins) on the growth and reproduction of zebrafish through life-cycle exposure (5- 90 days post fertilization). The results showed that both Oscillatoria sp. and M. aeruginosa exposure caused growth inhibition and fecundity reduction in F0 generation by disrupting sex hormone levels, delayed ovarian and sperm development, and induced pathological lesions in zebrafish gonads. Furthermore, exposure to Oscillatoria sp. or M. aeruginosa in adult zebrafish increased mortality and teratogenicity in F1 embryos (without exposure), indicating a parental transmission effect of developmental toxicity. The difference was that M. aeruginosa exposure led to significant alterations in pathways, such as tissue development, redox processes, and steroid hormone synthesis. In contrast, Oscillatoria sp. exposure primarily disrupted the PPAR signaling pathway, cell adhesion molecules, and lipid transport pathways. Interestingly, the differentially expressed genes revealed that male fish were more sensitive to harmful cyanobacteria than females, whether exposed to Oscillatoria sp. or M. aeruginosa. These findings contribute to a better mechanistic understanding of the chronic toxic effects of distinct types of harmful cyanobacteria, suggesting that the ecological risk of benthic cyanobacteria requires further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmin Li
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Siqi Kang
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Huiting Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huihui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Zhigang Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Qingfei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Yanfeng Chen
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
| | - Wenxia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China; College of Life Sciences, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong 276000, China
| | - Chen Gong
- School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276826, China
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9
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Zhang H, Wu J, Fang N, Zhang S, Su X, Jiang H, Hong P, Wu H, Shu Y. Waterborne exposure to microcystin-leucine arginine induces endocrine disruption and gonadal dysplasia of Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167644. [PMID: 37806583 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The impact of microcystins on the gonad development and reproduction endocrine in the tadpole stage on amphibians remains unclear. In this study, the tadpoles (Pelophylax nigromaculatus) were exposed to 0, 1, and 10 μg/L of microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) for 60 days to explore the impacts of environmental realistic concentration MC-LR on gonad development and reproduction endocrine, respectively. After MC-LR exposure, the germ cell structure has changed, especially in oocytes. The 10 μg/L MC-LR exposure group showed a significantly diminished gonad somatic index (GSI) in females. However, the sex ratio of tadpoles did not differ significantly. Moreover, gene transcription (figla and nobox) related to ovarian development and genes (sox9 and dmrt1) associated with testicular development were down-regulated after MC-LR exposure. After MC-LR exposure, the gene transcripts encoding gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh1 and gnrh2) were down-regulated in the hypothalamus, while gonadotropins (FSH and LH) levels increased in serum. The transcripts of testosterone synthesis-related genes (star, cyp11a1, 3β-hsd, cyp17a1, and 17β-hsd) were up-regulated in the gonads, and the testosterone (T) concentration increased in serum. However, key gene transcript (cyp19a1) involved in estradiol synthesis was down-regulated and the estradiol (E2) concentration decreased in serum, resulting in the absence of a compensatory mechanism for positive feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis to maintain E2 levels. The vitellogenin gene (vtg1) transcription level was significantly down-regulated. The E2/T content ratio decreased in MC-LR concentration-dependent manner. Consequently, MC-LR exposure interfered with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal-liver (HPGL) axis in tadpoles, which in turn affects gonadal development, especially the ovaries. Overall, this study provides the initial evidence that MC-LR exerts significant effects on reproductive endocrinology and gonadal development in amphibian tadpoles, highlighting the susceptibility of the tadpole reproductive system to the environmental risks of MC-LR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Juntao Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Nanxi Fang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Shengbin Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Xiaomei Su
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Huiling Jiang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Pei Hong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Hailong Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China.
| | - Yilin Shu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Recovery and Reconstruction of Degraded Ecosystem in Wanjiang Basin Co-founded by Anhui Province and Ministry of Education, School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China; State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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10
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Davidović P, Blagojević D, Meriluoto J, Simeunović J, Svirčev Z. Biotests in Cyanobacterial Toxicity Assessment-Efficient Enough or Not? BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050711. [PMID: 37237524 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of organisms known for producing highly potent cyanotoxins that pose a threat to human, animal, and environmental health. These toxins have varying chemical structures and toxicity mechanisms and several toxin classes can be present simultaneously, making it difficult to assess their toxic effects using physico-chemical methods, even when the producing organism and its abundance are identified. To address these challenges, alternative organisms among aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates are being explored as more assays evolve and diverge from the initially established and routinely used mouse bioassay. However, detecting cyanotoxins in complex environmental samples and characterizing their toxic modes of action remain major challenges. This review provides a systematic overview of the use of some of these alternative models and their responses to harmful cyanobacterial metabolites. It also assesses the general usefulness, sensitivity, and efficiency of these models in investigating the mechanisms of cyanotoxicity expressed at different levels of biological organization. From the reported findings, it is clear that cyanotoxin testing requires a multi-level approach. While studying changes at the whole-organism level is essential, as the complexities of whole organisms are still beyond the reach of in vitro methodologies, understanding cyanotoxicity at the molecular and biochemical levels is necessary for meaningful toxicity evaluations. Further research is needed to refine and optimize bioassays for cyanotoxicity testing, which includes developing standardized protocols and identifying novel model organisms for improved understanding of the mechanisms with fewer ethical concerns. In vitro models and computational modeling can complement vertebrate bioassays and reduce animal use, leading to better risk assessment and characterization of cyanotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petar Davidović
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dajana Blagojević
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jussi Meriluoto
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi, Tykistökatu 6 A, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Jelica Simeunović
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Zorica Svirčev
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi, Tykistökatu 6 A, 20520 Turku, Finland
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11
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Zhang Z, Du X, Zhang S, Liu H, Fu Y, Wang F, Zhang H. Adverse effects of microcystins on sperm: A systematic review. Toxicology 2023; 490:153507. [PMID: 37030550 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Eutrophication of water bodies can lead to cyanobacterial blooms, with the resultant release of microcystins (MCs), posing a threat to the ecosystem and human health. MCs are environmental toxins with male reproductive toxicity. However, there is a dearth of reviews focusing on sperm or spermatogenesis. In this paper, studies on sperm toxicity caused by MCs in recent 20 years were collected and summarized, aiming at revealing the toxic effects and potential mechanisms of MCs on sperm. Based on the previous findings, MCs can decline sperm quality and count, and cause malformation in vertebrates and invertebrates. The reason might be that MCs cause indirect damage to sperm through impairing the structure and function of the testis. The mechanisms of MCs-induced sperm toxicity mainly result from alterations in genetic material, abnormalities in the structure and function of sperm. The epigenetic modifications such as miRNA and piRNA were also involved in MC-LR-induced sperm damage. In conclusion, MCs exposure is harmful to sperm, but its direct effects and mechanisms on sperm are still not known, which remains a significant research direction. Our review will provide a basis for the protection of male reproductive health damage caused by microcystins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongxin Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shiyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yu Fu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fufang Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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12
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Falfushynska H, Kasianchuk N, Siemens E, Henao E, Rzymski P. A Review of Common Cyanotoxins and Their Effects on Fish. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11020118. [PMID: 36850993 PMCID: PMC9961407 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11020118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Global warming and human-induced eutrophication drive the occurrence of various cyanotoxins in aquatic environments. These metabolites reveal diversified mechanisms of action, encompassing cyto-, neuro-, hepato-, nephro-, and neurotoxicity, and pose a threat to aquatic biota and human health. In the present paper, we review data on the occurrence of the most studied cyanotoxins, microcystins, nodularins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxins, and saxitoxins, in the aquatic environment, as well as their potential bioaccumulation and toxicity in fish. Microcystins are the most studied among all known cyanotoxins, although other toxic cyanobacterial metabolites are also commonly identified in aquatic environments and can reveal high toxicity in fish. Except for primary toxicity signs, cyanotoxins adversely affect the antioxidant system and anti-/pro-oxidant balance. Cyanotoxins also negatively impact the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, fish exposed to microcystins and cylindrospermopsin exhibit various immunomodulatory, inflammatory, and endocrine responses. Even though cyanotoxins exert a complex pressure on fish, numerous aspects are yet to be the subject of in-depth investigation. Metabolites other than microcystins should be studied more thoroughly to understand the long-term effects in fish and provide a robust background for monitoring and management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Falfushynska
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
- Faculty of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Anhalt University for Applied Sciences, 06366 Köthen, Germany
| | - Nadiia Kasianchuk
- Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61712 Poznan, Poland
| | - Eduard Siemens
- Faculty of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Anhalt University for Applied Sciences, 06366 Köthen, Germany
| | - Eliana Henao
- Research Group Integrated Management of Ecosystems and Biodiversity XIUÂ, School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61701 Poznan, Poland
- Integrated Science Association (ISA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 61701 Poznań, Poland
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13
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Casas-Rodriguez A, Cameán AM, Jos A. Potential Endocrine Disruption of Cyanobacterial Toxins, Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin: A Review. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120882. [PMID: 36548779 PMCID: PMC9785827 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) and cylindrospermopsin (CYN), although classified as hepatotoxins and cytotoxins, respectively, have been shown to also induce toxic effects in many other systems and organs. Among them, their potential endocrine disruption (ED) activity has been scarcely investigated. Considering the increasing relevance of ED on humans, mammals, and aquatic organisms, this work aimed to review the state-of-the-art regarding the toxic effects of MCs and CYN at this level. It has been evidenced that MCs have been more extensively investigated than CYN. Reported results are contradictory, with the presence or absence of effects, but experimental conditions also vary to a great extent. In general, both toxins have shown ED activity mediated by very different mechanisms, such as estrogenic responses via a binding estrogen receptor (ER), pathological changes in several organs and cells (testis, ovarian cells), and a decreased gonad-somatic index. Moreover, toxic effects mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), changes in transcriptional responses on several endocrine axes and steroidogenesis-related genes, and changes in hormone levels have also been reported. Further research is required in a risk assessment frame because official protocols for assessment of endocrine disrupters have not been used. Moreover, the use of advanced techniques would aid in deciphering cyanotoxins dose-response relationships in relation to their ED potential.
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14
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Zhang S, Liu H, Du X, Chen X, Petlulu P, Tian Z, Shi L, Zhang B, Yuan S, Guo X, Wang Y, Guo H, Zhang H. A new identity of microcystins: Environmental endocrine disruptors? An evidence-based review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158262. [PMID: 36029820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) are widely distributed cyanobacterial toxins in eutrophic waters. At present, the endocrine-disrupting effects of MCs have been extensively studied, but whether MCs can be classified as environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) is still unclear. This review is aimed to evaluate the rationality for MCs as to be classified as EDCs based on the available evidence. It has been identified that MCs meet eight of ten key characteristics of chemicals that can be classified as EDCs. MCs interfere with the six processes, including synthesis, release, circulation, metabolism, binding and action of natural hormones in the body. Also, they are fit two other characteristics of EDC: altering the fate of producing/responding cells and epigenetic modification. Further evidence indicates that the endocrine-disrupting effect of MCs may be an important cause of adverse health outcomes such as metabolic disorders, reproductive disorders and effects on the growth and development of offspring. Generally, MCs have endocrine-disrupting properties, suggesting that it is reasonable for them to be considered EDCs. This is of great importance in understanding and evaluating the harm done by MCs on humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China; Quality Control Department, Ninth Hospital of Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xinghai Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Zhihui Tian
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Linjia Shi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bingyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shumeng Yuan
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xing Guo
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yongshui Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hongxiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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15
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Qiao Y, He J, Han P, Qu J, Wang X, Wang J. Long-term exposure to environmental relevant triclosan induces reproductive toxicity on adult zebrafish and its potential mechanism. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:154026. [PMID: 35219675 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is widely used in personal care products and has become a contaminant ubiquitously found in the aquatic environment. It is reported exposure to triclosan can cause serious toxic effects on aquatic animals. However, the molecular mechanisms about long-term exposure to TCS-induced reproductive toxicity are not well elucidated. In the present study, adult zebrafish were exposed to TCS (2, 20 and 200 μg/L) for 150 days, and then the reproductive capacity assessment, steroid hormone and VTG quantitative measurement, histopathology observation and RNA sequencing analysis were performed to investigate the effects of TCS on its reproduction. The results indicated that long-term exposure to TCS causes the regulation disorder of the endocrine system, resulting in a reduction of the number of normal germ cells, and ultimately a decrease in the hatching rate and survival rate of offspring. This study revealed the toxic effects and contributed to our deep understanding about the potential disease of TCS exposure in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingjie Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiayi He
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Ping Han
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiangbo Qu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xubo Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China; College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
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16
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Yang L, Guo H, Kuang Y, Yang H, Zhang X, Tang R, Li D, Li L. Neurotoxicity induced by combined exposure of microcystin-LR and nitrite in male zebrafish (Danio rerio): Effects of oxidant-antioxidant system and neurotransmitter system. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 253:109248. [PMID: 34826614 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2021.109248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
With the intensification of water eutrophication around the world, cyanobacterial blooms have been becoming a common environmental pollution problem. The levels of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and nitrite rise sharply during the cyanobacterial bloom period, which may have potential joint toxicity on aquatic organisms. In this study, adult male zebrafish were immersed into different joint solutions of MC-LR (0, 3, 30 μg/L) and nitrite (0, 2, 20 mg/L) for 30 days to explore the neurotoxic effects and underlying mechanisms. The results showed that single factor MC-LR or nitrite caused a concentration-dependent damage in brain ultrastructure and the effects of their joint exposure were much more intense. Downregulated expression of mbp and bdnf associated with myelination of nerve fibers further confirmed that MC-LR and nitrite could damage the structure and function of neuron. The decreases in dopamine content, acetylcholinesterase activity and related gene mRNA levels indicated that MC-LR and nitrite adversely affected the normal function of the dopaminergic and cholinergic systems in zebrafish brain. In addition, the significant increase in malondialdehyde content suggested the occurrence of oxidative stress caused by MC-LR, nitrite and their joint-exposure, which paralleled a significant decrease in antioxidant enzyme‑manganese superoxide dismutase activity and its transcription level. In conclusion, MC-LR + Nitrite joint-exposure has synergistic neurotoxic effects on the structure and neurotransmitter systems of fish brain, and antioxidant capacity disruption caused by these two factors might be one of the underlying synergistic mechanisms. Therefore, there is a risk of being induced neurotoxicity in fish during sustained cyanobacterial bloom events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Yu Kuang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Hui Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Xi Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Engineering Research Center of Green development for Conventional Aquatic Biological Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
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17
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Moraes ACN, Fallah HP, Magalhães VF, Habibi HR. Cylindrospermopsin directly disrupts spermatogenesis in isolated male zebrafish testis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 313:113891. [PMID: 34428427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cytotoxin, and its documented effects in mammals include damage to several organs. CYN also has hormone-disrupting properties, including estrogenic activity, progesterone production inhibition, and apoptosis induction. While CYN has been reported to exert reproductive toxicity in mice, little is known about its effect on fish reproductive function. Using ex vivo organ culture, we investigated the direct action of CYN on the male reproductive system. Isolated zebrafish testis was exposed to 250, 500, and 1000 µg/L CYN for 24 h and 7 d, followed by histo-morphological analysis. The results demonstrate that exposure to CYN led to a decrease in cell types from all three phases of spermatogenesis in zebrafish testis. There were also significant changes in fshr, lhr, and igf3 transcript levels, as well as testosterone secretion following exposure to CYN. In summary, this study provides novel information on the adverse effects of CYN on testicular spermatogenesis and male reproduction in zebrafish. These results provide a framework for a better understanding of CYN toxicity and the mechanism underlying the adverse action of CYN on male reproduction in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C N Moraes
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - H P Fallah
- Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - V F Magalhães
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - H R Habibi
- Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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18
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Chen L, Shi T, Wang YT, He J, Zhao X, Wang YK, Giesy JP, Chen F, Chen Y, Tuo X, Chen J, Xie P. Effects of acute exposure to microcystins on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), -gonad (HPG) and -thyroid (HPT) axes of female rats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 778:145196. [PMID: 34030373 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) are common, well-known cyanobacterial toxins that can affect health of humans. Recently, it has been reported that MCs affect endocrine functions. In the present study, for the first time, histopathology, concentrations of hormones and transcription of genes along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes were examined in rats exposed to microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Female, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed acutely to MC-LR by a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection at doses of 0.5, 0.75, or 1 median lethal dose (LD50), i.e. 36.5, 54.75, or 73 μg MC-LR/kg body mass (bm) then euthanized 24 hours after exposure. Acute exposure to MC-LR significantly increased relative mass of adrenal in a dose-dependent manner, but relative mass of hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary and thyroid were not significantly different from respective mass in controls. However, damage to all these tissues was observed by histology. Along the HPA axis, lesser concentrations of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) were observed in blood serum of exposed individuals, relative to controls. For the HPG axis, concentrations of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and estradiol (E2) were significantly less in rats treated with MC-LR, but greater concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T) were observed. Along the HPT axis, MC-LR caused greater concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), but lesser concentrations of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), free tetra-iodothyronine (fT4) and tri-iodothyronine (fT3). Significant positive/negative correlations of concentrations of hormones were observed among the HPA, HPG and HPT axes. In addition, profiles of transcription of genes for synthesis of hormones along the endocrine axes and nuclear hormone receptors in adrenal, ovary and thyroid were significantly altered. Therefore, these results suggested that MC-LR affected HPA, HPG and HPT axes and exerted endocrine-disrupting effects. Effects of MC-LR on crosstalk among these three axes need further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Faculty of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ting Shi
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Ting Wang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China
| | - Jun He
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu Zhao
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Ye-Ke Wang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada; Zoology Department, Center for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, 1129 Farm Lane Road, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Feng Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xun Tuo
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China; College of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ping Xie
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China; Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
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19
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Zhang S, Du X, Liu H, Losiewic MD, Chen X, Ma Y, Wang R, Tian Z, Shi L, Guo H, Zhang H. The latest advances in the reproductive toxicity of microcystin-LR. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 192:110254. [PMID: 32991922 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is an emerging environmental pollutant produced by cyanobacteria that poses a threat to wild life and human health. In recent years, the reproductive toxicity of MC-LR has gained widespread attention, a large number of toxicological studies have filled the gaps in past research and more molecular mechanisms have been elucidated. Hence, this paper reviews the latest research advances on MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity. MC-LR can damage the structure and function of the testis, ovary, prostate, placenta and other organs of animals and then reduce their fertility. Meanwhile, MC-LR can also be transmitted through the placenta to the offspring causing trans-generational and developmental toxicity including death, malformation, growth retardation, and organ dysfunction in embryos and juveniles. The mechanisms of MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity mainly include the inhibition of protein phosphatase 1/2 A (PP1/2 A) activity and the induction of oxidative stress. On the one hand, MC-LR triggers the hyperphosphorylation of certain proteins by inhibiting intracellular PP1/2 A activity, thereby activating multiple signaling pathways that cause inflammation and blood-testis barrier destruction, etc. On the other hand, MC-LR-induced oxidative stress can result in cell programmed death via the mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum pathways. It is worth noting that epigenetic modifications are also involved in reproductive cell apoptosis, which may be an important direction for future research. Furthermore, this paper proposes for the first time that MC-LR can produce estrogenic effects in animals as an environmental estrogen. New findings and suggestions in this review could be areas of interest for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xingde Du
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Haohao Liu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Michael D Losiewic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Xinghai Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, St Mary's University, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ya Ma
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Rui Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhihui Tian
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Linjia Shi
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hongxiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Huizhen Zhang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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20
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Mallia V, Verhaegen S, Styrishave B, Eriksen GS, Johannsen ML, Ropstad E, Uhlig S. Microcystins and Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 extracts modulate steroidogenesis differentially in the human H295R adrenal model. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0244000. [PMID: 33320886 PMCID: PMC7737990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential interference of cyanobacterial metabolites, in particular microcystins (MCs), with steroid hormone biosynthesis. Steroid hormones control many fundamental processes in an organism, thus alteration of their tissue concentrations may affect normal homeostasis. We used liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to investigate the modulation of 14 hormones involved in the adrenal steroid biosynthesis pathway using forskolin-treated H295R cells, following exposure with either microcystin-LR (MC-LR) alone, a mixture made up of MC-LR together with eight other MCs and nodularin-R (NOD-R), or extracts from the MC-LR-producing Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 strain or its MC-deficient mutant PCC7806mcyB−. Production of 17-hydroxypregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was increased in the presence of MC-LR in a dose-dependent manner, indicating an inhibitory effect on 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD). This effect was not observed following exposure with a MCs/NOD-R mixture, and thus the effect of MC-LR on 3β-HSD appears to be stronger than for other congeners. Exposure to extracts from both M. aeruginosa PCC7806 and M. aeruginosa PCC7806mcyB− had an opposite effect on 3β-HSD, i.e. concentrations of pregnenolone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone and DHEA were significantly decreased, showing that there are other cyanobacterial metabolites that outcompete the effect of MC-LR, and possibly result instead in net-induction. Another finding was a possible concentration-dependent inhibition of CYP21A2 or CYP11β1, which catalyse oxidation reactions leading to cortisol and cortisone, by MC-LR and the MCs/NOD-R mixture. However, both M. aeruginosa PCC7806 and M. aeruginosa PCC7806mcyB− extracts had an opposite effect resulting in a substantial increase in cortisol levels. Our results suggest that MCs can modulate steroidogenesis, but the net effect of the M. aeruginosa metabolome on steroidogenesis is different from that of pure MC-LR and independent of MC production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Mallia
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Steven Verhaegen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjarne Styrishave
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Toxicology and Drug Metabolism Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Malene Louise Johannsen
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Toxicology and Drug Metabolism Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Silvio Uhlig
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
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21
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Xie D, Chen Q, Gong S, An J, Li Y, Lian X, Liu Z, Shen Y, Giesy JP. Exposure of zebrafish to environmentally relevant concentrations of mercury during early life stages impairs subsequent reproduction in adults but can be recovered in offspring. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2020; 229:105655. [PMID: 33099036 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant that poses potential threats to health of fishes. Although effects of Hg on reproduction of fishes have been documented, little is known about effects of exposure to Hg2+ during early life stages on subsequent reproductive fitness of adults or whether these effects can be transferred to offspring. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of Hg2+ (0.6, 3 or 15 μg/L) for 5 days and then depurated in clean water for another 115 days. Exposure to Hg2+ during early life stages disturbed the balance of sex hormones and gametogenesis by altering expression of mRNA for genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which resulted in delayed gonadal development and lesser gonado-somatic index, thereby resulting in lesser fecundity. A similar, but less pronounced effect was observed in F1 females that were not exposed directly to Hg, whereas such damage was neither observed in F1 males nor either sex during the F2 generation. Exposure to Hg2+ during early life can impair subsequent reproduction in adults and has intergenerational effects on F1 females, but this reproductive damage can be recovered in F1 males and in F2 females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Xie
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Qiliang Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China.
| | - Shiling Gong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Jingjing An
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Yingwen Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Xiaolong Lian
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Yanjun Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3, Canada; Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76706, United States
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22
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Zhang X, Zhou C, Li W, Li J, Wu W, Tao J, Liu H. Vitamin C Protects Porcine Oocytes From Microcystin-LR Toxicity During Maturation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:582715. [PMID: 33134299 PMCID: PMC7578366 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.582715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is the most toxic cyanotoxin found in water bodies. Microcystins are produced as secondary products of cyanobacteria metabolism. They have a stable structure, and can bioaccumulate in living organisms. Humans and livestock who drink fresh water containing MC-LR can be poisoned. However, few studies have reported the effects of MC-LR exposure on livestock or human reproduction. In this study, we used porcine oocytes as a model to explore the effects of MC-LR on oocyte maturation, and studied the impact of vitamin C (VC) administration on MC-LR-induced meiosis defects. Exposure to MC-LR significantly restricted cumulus cell expansion and decreased first polar body extrusion. Further studies showed that MC-LR exposure led to meiosis arrest by disturbing cytoskeleton dynamics with MC-LR exposed oocytes displaying aberrant spindle organization, low levels of acetylate α-tubulin, and disturbed actin polymerization. Additionally, MC-LR exposure impaired cytoplasmic maturation by inducing mitochondria dysfunction. Moreover, MC-LR also produced abnormal epigenetic modifications, and induced high levels of oxidative stress, caused DNA damage and early apoptosis. The administration of VC provided partial protection from all of the defects observed in oocytes exposed to MC-LR. These results demonstrate that MC-LR has a toxic effect on oocyte meiosis through mitochondrial dysfunction-induced ROS, DNA damage and early apoptosis. Supplementation of VC is able to protect against MC-LR-induced oocyte damage and represents a potential therapeutic strategy to improve the quality of MC-LR-exposed oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhang
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Changyin Zhou
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weijian Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wangjun Wu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jingli Tao
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Honglin Liu
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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23
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Wang L, Lin W, Zha Q, Guo H, Zhang D, Yang L, Li L, Li D, Tang R. Persistent Exposure to Environmental Levels of Microcystin-LR Disturbs Cortisol Production via Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Interrenal (HPI) Axis and Subsequently Liver Glucose Metabolism in Adult Male Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12050282. [PMID: 32353954 PMCID: PMC7290660 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12050282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a new endocrine disruptor, whereas the impacts of persistent exposure to MC-LR on the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis and health hazards thereafter have not been investigated. In this work, adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) were immersed into MC-LR solutions at concentrations of 0, 1, 5 and 25 μg/L for 30 d, respectively. The results showed that persistent MC-LR exposure caused an extensive upregulation of HPI-axis genes but an inhibition of brain nuclear receptors (gr and mr), which finally increased serum cortisol levels. Furthermore, the decreased expression of hepatic gr might partly be responsible for the strong inhibition on the expression of downstream genes involved in glucose metabolic enzymes, including gluconeogenesis-related genes (pepck, fbp1a, g6pca), glycogenolysis-related gene (pyg), glycolysis-related genes (gk, pfk1b, pk) and glycogenesis-related gene (gys2). These findings are in accordance with the decline in serum glucose, indicating that long-term MC-LR exposure caused a lower production of glucose relative to glucose lysis. Our above results firstly establish the link between persistent MC-LR exposure and impaired glucose metabolism, suggesting that long-term MC-LR-mediated stress might threaten fish’s health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingkai Wang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qingji Zha
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- Correspondence:
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, China
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24
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Mallia V, Ivanova L, Eriksen GS, Harper E, Connolly L, Uhlig S. Investigation of In Vitro Endocrine Activities of Microcystis and Planktothrix Cyanobacterial Strains. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12040228. [PMID: 32260386 PMCID: PMC7232361 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12040228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are cosmopolitan photosynthetic prokaryotes that can form dense accumulations in aquatic environments. They are able to produce many bioactive metabolites, some of which are potentially endocrine disrupting compounds, i.e., compounds that interfere with the hormonal systems of animals and humans. Endocrine disruptors represent potential risks to both environmental and human health, making them a global challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential endocrine disrupting activities with emphasis on estrogenic effects of extracts from cultures of Microcystis or Planktothrix species. We also assessed the possible role of microcystins, some of the most studied cyanobacterial toxins, and thus included both microcystin-producing and non-producing strains. Extracts from 26 cyanobacterial cultures were initially screened in estrogen-, androgen-, and glucocorticoid-responsive reporter-gene assays (RGAs) in order to identify endocrine disruption at the level of nuclear receptor transcriptional activity. Extracts from selected strains were tested repeatedly in the estrogen-responsive RGAs, but the observed estrogen agonist and antagonist activity was minor and similar to that of the cyanobacteria growth medium control. We thus focused on another, non-receptor mediated mechanism of action, and studied the 17β-estradiol (natural estrogen hormone) biotransformation in human liver microsomes in the presence or absence of microcystin-LR (MC-LR), or an extract from the MC-LR producing M. aeruginosa PCC7806 strain. Our results show a modulating effect on the estradiol biotransformation. Thus, while 2-hydroxylation was significantly decreased following co-incubation of 17β-estradiol with MC-LR or M. aeruginosa PCC7806 extract, the relative concentration of estrone was increased.
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MESH Headings
- Bacterial Toxins/metabolism
- Bacterial Toxins/toxicity
- Biotransformation
- Cell Line, Transformed
- Endocrine Disruptors/metabolism
- Endocrine Disruptors/toxicity
- Estradiol/metabolism
- Estrogens/metabolism
- Estrogens/pharmacology
- Genes, Reporter
- Humans
- Kinetics
- Microcystis/metabolism
- Microsomes, Liver/drug effects
- Microsomes, Liver/enzymology
- Planktothrix/metabolism
- Receptors, Androgen/drug effects
- Receptors, Androgen/genetics
- Receptors, Androgen/metabolism
- Receptors, Estrogen/drug effects
- Receptors, Estrogen/genetics
- Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/drug effects
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/genetics
- Receptors, Glucocorticoid/metabolism
- Risk Assessment
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Mallia
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, N-0454 Oslo, Norway; (L.I.); (G.S.E.); (S.U.)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033, N-0315 Oslo, Norway
- Correspondence: or
| | - Lada Ivanova
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, N-0454 Oslo, Norway; (L.I.); (G.S.E.); (S.U.)
| | - Gunnar S. Eriksen
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, N-0454 Oslo, Norway; (L.I.); (G.S.E.); (S.U.)
| | - Emma Harper
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (E.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Lisa Connolly
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK; (E.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Silvio Uhlig
- Toxinology Research Group, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Ullevålsveien 68, N-0454 Oslo, Norway; (L.I.); (G.S.E.); (S.U.)
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25
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Lin W, Guo H, Wang L, Zhang D, Wu X, Li L, Qiu Y, Yang L, Li D, Tang R. Parental Transfer of Microcystin-LR-Induced Innate Immune Dysfunction of Zebrafish: A Cross-Generational Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:1014-1023. [PMID: 31859493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b04953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational effects of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) released by cyanobacterial blooms have become a hot topic. In the present study, adult zebrafish pairs were exposed to 0, 0.4, 2, and 10 μg/L MC-LR for 60 days and the embryos (F1 generation) were hatched without or with continued MC-LR exposures at the same concentrations until 5 days postfertilization (dpf). The results showed the existence of MC-LR both in F0 gonads and in F1 embryos and indicated that MC-LR could be transferred directly from the F0 adult fish to F1 offspring. The adverse effects on sex hormone levels, sexual development, and fecundity in F0 generation along with abnormal development in F1 offspring were observed. Furthermore, downregulation of antioxidant genes (cat, mn-sod, gpx1a) and upregulation of innate immune-related genes (tlr4a, myd88, tnfα, il1β) as well as increased proinflammation cytokine contents (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) were noticed in F1 offspring without/with continued MC-LR exposures. In addition, significant differences between the two F1 embryo treatments demonstrated that continuous MC-LR exposure could result in a higher degree of inflammatory response compared to those without MC-LR exposure. Our findings revealed that MC-LR could exert cross-generational effects of immunotoxicity by inhibiting the antioxidant system and activating an inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Lingkai Wang
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Xueyang Wu
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University) , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Yuming Qiu
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Liping Yang
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University) , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries , Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University) , Wuhan 430070 , P. R. China
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26
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Liu W, Zhan C, Zhang T, Zhang X. Microcystin-LR influences the in vitro oocyte maturation of zebrafish by activating the MAPK pathway. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2019; 215:105261. [PMID: 31419757 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Harmful cyanobacteria and their production of microcystins (MCs) exert significant toxicity on reproduction of fish, especially the process of oogenesis. Our previous studies demonstrated that MCs have negative impacts on the quantity and quality of mature oocytes in female zebrafish. However, the underlying mechanisms of MCs disrupting oocyte maturation (OM) have been rarely reported. In the present study, in vitro oocytes (immature) were separated from zebrafish and treated with 1, 10, 100 μg/L MC-LR. The serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity was downregulated significantly in oocytes exposed to 10 and 100 μg/L MC-LR for both 2 and 4 h. The phosphorylation levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were detected without noticeable change in all oocytes treated with MC-LR for 2 h, whereas the activated levels of MAPK subtypes (ERK, p38 and JNK) increased remarkably in the 100 μg/L MC-LR treatment of 4 h. In the oocytes exposed to 100 μg/L MC-LR for 4 h, germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) rates changed abnormally and maturation-promoting factor (MPF) activity increased significantly, in accordance with the upregulation of Cyclin B protein levels. Moreover, the MAPK inhibitors (10 μM) were applied to explore the role of MAPK subtypes during MC-LR influencing OM and results showed that ERK inhibitor U0126 and p38 inhibitor SB203580 mitigated the effects of 100 μg/L MC-LR-induced MAPK hyper-phosphorylation and elevated GVBD in the oocytes. In conclusion, the present study indicates that microcystins disrupt the meiotic maturation by the pathway of MC-PP2A-MAPK-OM due to the phosphorylation disorder in oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjing Liu
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chunhua Zhan
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Tongzhou Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xuezhen Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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27
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Yan S, Wang M, Liang X, Martyniuk CJ, Zha J, Wang Z. Environmentally relevant concentrations of carbamazepine induce liver histopathological changes and a gender-specific response in hepatic proteome of Chinese rare minnows (Gobiocypris rarus). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 243:480-491. [PMID: 30216880 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
To assess hepatotoxicity and to determine the underlying mechanisms of carbamazepine (CBZ) toxicity in fish, histopathology and the liver proteome were examined after Chinese rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) were exposed to 1, 10, and 100 μg/L CBZ for 28 days. Histopathological changes included disruption of spatial structure, pyknotic nuclei, cellular vacuolization and deformation of cell nuclei, in addition to marked swelling of hepatocytes in all treatment groups. Protein analysis revealed that there were gender-specific responses in rare minnow following exposure, and there were 47 proteins in females and 22 proteins in males identified as differentially abundant following CBZ treatments. Pathway analysis revealed that cellular processes affected by CBZ included apoptosis, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and the respiratory chain, indicating impaired energy homeostasis. Noteworthy was that 15 proteins identified as different in abundance were associated with carcinogenicity. Relative mRNA levels for select transcripts were consistent with the changes of proteins N-myc downstream regulated gene (NDRG), Tropomyosin 2-Beta (TPM2) and annexin A4 (ANXA4). Protein pyruvate kinase, liver and RBC (PKLR) were increased at 1 and 100 μg/L CBZ without significant difference in transcript levels. These findings characterize molecular responses and histological changes in the liver that generate new insights into CBZ hepatotoxicity in Chinese rare minnow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saihong Yan
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Miao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xuefang Liang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, UF Genetics Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jinmiao Zha
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Industrial Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
| | - Zijian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Chen L, Wang Y, Giesy JP, Chen F, Shi T, Chen J, Xie P. Microcystin-LR affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-inter-renal (HPI) axis in early life stages (embryos and larvae) of zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 241:540-548. [PMID: 29883955 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Frequencies and durations of blooms of cyanobacteria are increasing. Some cyanobacteria can produce cyanotoxins including microcystins (MCs). MCs are the most common toxic products of hazardous algal blooms (HABs), with the greatest potential for exposure and to cause toxicity. Recently, MCs have been shown to disrupt endocrine functions. In this study, for the first time, effects of MC-LR on the hypothalamic-pituitary-inter-renal (HPI) axis during early embryonic development (embryos/larvae) of zebrafish (Danio rerio), were investigated. Embryos/larvae of zebrafish were exposed to 1, 10, 100, or 300 μg MC-LR/L during the period of 4-168 h post-fertilization (hpf). Exposure to 300 μg MC-LR/L resulted in significantly greater concentrations of whole-body cortisol than those in controls. Expressions of genes along the HPI axis and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR-) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR-) centered gene networks were evaluated by use of quantitative real-time PCR. Expression of mRNA for crh was significantly down-regulated by exposure to 300 μg MC-LR/L, while expressions of crhbp, crhr1, and crhr2 were significantly up-regulated, relative to controls. MC-LR caused significantly lesser levels of mRNA for steroidogenic genes including hmgra, star, and cyp17, but expression of mRNA for hsd20b was significantly greater than that of controls. Treatment with MC-LR also altered profiles of transcription of MR- and GR-centered gene networks, which might result in multiple responses. Taken together, these results demonstrated that MC-LR affected the corticosteroid-endocrine system of larvae of zebrafish. This study provided valuable insights into molecular mechanisms behind potential toxicity and endocrine disruption of MCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yeke Wang
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N5B3, Canada
| | - Feng Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ting Shi
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ping Xie
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China.
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29
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Hou J, Su Y, Lin W, Guo H, Li L, Anderson DM, Li D, Tang R, Chi W, Zhang X. Estrogenic potency of MC-LR is induced via stimulating steroidogenesis: In vitro and in vivo evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 240:615-622. [PMID: 29772511 PMCID: PMC6859840 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Waterborne microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been reported to disrupt sex hormones, while its estrogenic potency remains controversial. We hypothesized that MC-LR could induce estrogenic effects via disrupting sex hormone synthesis, and verified this hypothesis by in vitro and in vivo assays. Effects of MC-LR (1, 10, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 μg/L) on steroidogenesis were assessed in the H295R cells after 48 h. The contents of 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) increased in a non-dose-dependent manner, which showed positive correlations with the expression of steroidogenic genes. In the in vivo assay, adult male zebrafish were exposed to 0.3, 1, 3, 10 and 30 μg/L MC-LR for 30 d. Similarly, E2 and T contents in the testis were increased, accompanied by extensive up-regulation of steroidogenic genes, especially cyp19a. Meanwhile, the percentage of spermatid in the testis declined. In the liver, the vtg1 gene was significantly up-regulated while both the transcriptional and protein levels of the estrogenic receptor (ER) declined. These results indicate that MC-LR induced non-dose-dependent estrogenic effects at environmental concentrations, which may result from steroidogenesis stimulation via a non-ER-mediated pathway. Our findings support a paradigm shift in the risk assessment of MC-LR from traditional toxicity to estrogenic risk, particularly at low concentrations, and emphasize the potential threat to the male reproductive capacity of wildlife in bloom areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Hou
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Yujing Su
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Wang Lin
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Honghui Guo
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Li Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China.
| | - Donald M Anderson
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Dapeng Li
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Rong Tang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Wei Chi
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
| | - Xi Zhang
- College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; Hubei Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Pond Aquaculture, Wuhan 430070, PR China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Aquaculture Education (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan 430070, PR China
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Dong H, Wei Y, Xie C, Zhu X, Sun C, Fu Q, Pan L, Wu M, Guo Y, Sun J, Shen H, Ye J. Structural and functional analysis of two novel somatostatin receptors identified from topmouth culter (Erythroculter ilishaeformis). Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2018; 210:18-29. [PMID: 29698686 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we cloned and characterized two somatostatin (SS) receptors (SSTRs) from topmouth culter (Erythroculter ilishaeformis) designated as EISSTR6 and EISSTR7. Analysis of EISSTR6 and EISSTR7 signature motifs, 3D structures, and homology with the known members of the SSTR family indicated that the novel receptors had high similarity to the SSTRs of other vertebrates. EISSTR6 and EISSTR7 mRNA expression was detected in 17 topmouth culter tissues, and the highest level was observed in the pituitary. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that SS14 significantly inhibited forskolin-stimulated pCRE-luc promoter activity in HEK293 cells transiently expressing EISSTR6 and EISSTR7, indicating that the receptors can be activated by SS14. We also identified phosphorylation sites important for the functional activity of EISSTR6 and EISSTR7 by mutating Ser23, 43, 107, 196, 311 and Ser7, 29, 61, 222, 225 residues, respectively, to Ala, which significantly reduced the inhibitory effects of SS14 on the CRE promoter mediated by EISSTR6 and EISSTR7. Furthermore, treatment of juvenile topmouth culters with microcystin-LR or 17β-estradiol significantly affected EISSTR6 and EISSTR7 transcription in the brain, liver and spleen, suggesting that these receptors may be involved in the pathogenic mechanisms induced by endocrine disruptors. Our findings should contribute to the understanding of the structure-function relationship and evolution of the SSTR family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Dong
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China; National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition (Zhejiang), Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China.
| | - Yunhai Wei
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Central Hospital of Huzhou, 198 Hongqi Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Chao Xie
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Xiaoxuan Zhu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Qianwen Fu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Lei Pan
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Mengting Wu
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Yinghan Guo
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Jianwei Sun
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Hong Shen
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China
| | - Jinyun Ye
- National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition (Zhejiang), Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, PR China.
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31
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Jia X, Liu Z, Lu X, Tang J, Wu Y, Du Q, He J, Zhang X, Jiang J, Liu W, Zheng Y, Ding Y, Zhu W, Zhang H. Effects of MCLR exposure on sex hormone synthesis and reproduction-related genes expression of testis in male Rana nigromaculata. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 236:12-20. [PMID: 29414332 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MCLR) is the most popular and toxic variant among microcystins, which can cause severe reproductive toxicity to animals. However, the mechanisms of reproductive toxicity induced by MCLR in amphibians are still not entirely clear. In the current study, toxicity mechanisms of MCLR on the reproductive system of male Rana nigromaculata followed by low concentration (0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/L) and short-term (0, 7, and 14 days) MCLR exposure were shown. It was observed that MCLR could be bioaccumulated in the testes of male frogs, and the theoretical bioaccumulation factor values were 0.24 and 0.19 exposed to 1 μg/L and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days, respectively. MCLR exposure significantly decreased testosterone (T) concentrations and increased estradiol (E2) concentrations exposed to 1 and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days. The mRNA levels of HSD17B3 were downregulated, and HSD17B1 and CYP19A1 mRNA expression levels were upregulated, respectively. Only 10 μg/L MCLR group showed significant induction of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) content. Moreover, AR and ESR1 mRNA expression levels were significantly upregulated exposed to 1 and 10 μg/L MCLR for 14 days, respectively. Our results suggested that low-concentration MCLR induced transcription changes of CYP19A1, HSD17B3, and HSD17B1 led to endocrine disorders, and caused interference of spermatogenesis by the decrease of T and abnormal gene expressions of AR and ESR1 in the testes of R. nigromaculata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuying Jia
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Zhengquan Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Xiangjun Lu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Juan Tang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Yingzhu Wu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Qiongxia Du
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Jianbo He
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Xinyun Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Jinxiao Jiang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Wenli Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Yuqing Zheng
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China
| | - Ying Ding
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China; Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China
| | - Weiqin Zhu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China; Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China
| | - Hangjun Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Xuelin Road 16#, Xiasha Gaojiao Dongqu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310036, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, China.
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Ulhaq ZS, Kishida M. Brain Aromatase Modulates Serotonergic Neuron by Regulating Serotonin Levels in Zebrafish Embryos and Larvae. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:230. [PMID: 29867763 PMCID: PMC5954033 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Teleost fish are known to express two isoforms of P450 aromatase, a key enzyme for estrogen synthesis. One of the isoforms, brain aromatase (AroB), cyp19a1b, is highly expressed during early development of zebrafish, thereby suggesting its role in brain development. On the other hand, early development of serotonergic neuron, one of the major monoamine neurons, is considered to play an important role in neurogenesis. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the role of AroB in development of serotonergic neuron by testing the effects of (1) estradiol (E2) exposure and (2) morpholino (MO)-mediated AroB knockdown. When embryos were exposed to E2, the effects were biphasic. The low dose of E2 (0.005 µM) significantly increased serotonin (5-HT) positive area at 48 hour post-fertilization (hpf) detected by immunohistochemistry and relative mRNA levels of tryptophan hydroxylase isoforms (tph1a, tph1b, and tph2) at 96 hpf measured by semi-quantitative PCR. To test the effects on serotonin transmission, heart rate and thigmotaxis, an indicator of anxiety, were analyzed. The low dose also significantly increased heart rate at 48 hpf and decreased thigmotaxis. The high dose of E2 (1 µM) exhibited opposite effects in all parameters. The effects of both low and high doses were reversed by addition of estrogen receptor (ER) blocker, ICI 182,780, thereby suggesting that the effects were mediated through ER. When AroB MO was injected to fertilized eggs, 5-HT-positive area was significantly decreased, while the significant decrease in relative tph mRNA levels was found only with tph2 but not with two other isoforms. AroB MO also decreased heart rate and increased thigmotaxis. All the effects were rescued by co-injection with AroB mRNA and by exposure to E2. Taken together, this study demonstrates the role of brain aromatase in development of serotonergic neuron in zebrafish embryos and larvae, implying that brain-formed estrogen is an important factor to sustain early development of serotonergic neuron.
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Antunes AM, Rocha TL, Pires FS, de Freitas MA, Leite VRMC, Arana S, Moreira PC, Sabóia-Morais SMT. Gender-specific histopathological response in guppies Poecilia reticulata exposed to glyphosate or its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid. J Appl Toxicol 2017; 37:1098-1107. [PMID: 28425566 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Ecotoxicity of glyphosate (GLY) and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) was investigated in guppies, Poecilia reticulata. We tested the effects of these chemicals on the gills and liver of both male and female guppies using qualitative and quantitative histopathological analyses associated with histopathological condition indexes. Both genders showed similar median lethal concentration (LC50 ) at 96 h for GLY (68.78 and 70.87 mg l-1 ) and AMPA (180 and 164.32 mg l-1 ). However, the histopathological assessment of both fish organs exposed to sublethal concentrations of GLY (35 mg l-1 ) and AMPA (82 mg l-1 ) for 96 h showed a tissue- and gender-specific histopathological response. In both exposure assays, fish presented mainly progressive changes, such as proliferation of the interlamellar epithelium, partial and total fusion of secondary lamellae. The liver showed mainly regressive changes, such as steatosis, pyknotic nuclei and high distribution of collagen fibers. Unusually large hepatocytes as degenerated cells were also detected. Histopathological changes in gills were similar for the males and females, but the liver response was different between the genders. The hepatic inflammatory changes were more common in males. The increase in the area of hepatocyte vacuoles is gender dependent with higher values in the male compared to the female guppies exposed to GLY and AMPA. Multiparametric analysis indicated that the male guppies are more sensitive than females, particularly in the presence of AMPA. Our study shows that the histopathological assessment associated with gender-specific response can be successfully used in ecotoxicological assessment of GLY and the metabolite AMPA. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Maria Antunes
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Thiago Lopes Rocha
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- CIMA, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Fernando Santiago Pires
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Meire Alves de Freitas
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Rafaela Milhomem Cruz Leite
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Sarah Arana
- Laboratório de Histofisiologia e Histopatologia Experimental em Animais Ectotérmicos, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Paulo César Moreira
- Department of Morphology, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Simone Maria Teixeira Sabóia-Morais
- Laboratory of Cellular Behavior, Department of Morphology, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
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Metabolic changes in Medaka fish induced by cyanobacterial exposures in mesocosms: an integrative approach combining proteomic and metabolomic analyses. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28642462 PMCID: PMC5481417 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04423-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms pose serious threats to aquatic organisms and strongly impact the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Due to their ability to produce a wide range of potentially bioactive secondary metabolites, so called cyanotoxins, cyanobacteria have been extensively studied in the past decades. Proteomic and metabolomic analyses provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the global response of hundreds of proteins and metabolites at a glance. In this study, we provide the first combined utilization of these methods targeted to identify the response of fish to bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) were exposed for 96 hours either to a MC-producing or to a non-MC-producing strain of Microcystis aeruginosa and cellular, proteome and metabolome changes following exposure to cyanobacteria were characterized in the fish livers. The results suggest that a short-term exposure to cyanobacteria, producing or not MCs, induces sex-dependent molecular changes in medaka fish, without causing any cellular alterations. Globally, molecular entities involved in stress response, lipid metabolism and developmental processes exhibit the most contrasted changes following a cyanobacterial exposure. Moreover, it appears that proteomic and metabolomic analyses are useful tools to verify previous information and to additionally bring new horizons concerning molecular effects of cyanobacteria on fish.
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35
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Chen J, Meng S, Xu H, Zhang Z, Wu X. Effects of Microcystis on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal-Liver Axis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2017; 98:562-566. [PMID: 28236009 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-017-2051-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were used to assess the endocrine disruption potential of Microcytis aeruginosa. Male Nile tilapia were exposed to lyophilized M. aeruginosa or purified microcystin-LR (8.3 μg/L) for 28 days. The levels of serum hormones (17β-estradiol and testosterone) and transcripts of selected genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis were analyzed. The results showed that serum hormones were significantly up-regulated, and transcripts of 13 genes (GHRH, PACAP, GH, GHR1, GHR2, IGF1, IGF2, CYP19a, CYP19b, 3β-HSD1, 20β-HSD, 17β-HSD1 and 17β-HSD8) were significantly altered after Microcytis exposure. These results indicate that fish reproduction can be altered in a Microcystis bloom-contaminated aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazhang Chen
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, China
- Key Laboratory of Fishery Eco-environment Assessment and Resource Conservation in Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, CAFS, Wuxi, 214081, China
| | - Shunlong Meng
- Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi, 214081, China
- Key Laboratory of Fishery Eco-environment Assessment and Resource Conservation in Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, CAFS, Wuxi, 214081, China
| | - Hai Xu
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
| | - Zhen Zhang
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Xiangyang Wu
- School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
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Zhao Y, Cao Q, He Y, Xue Q, Xie L, Yan Y. Impairment of endoplasmic reticulum is involved in β-cell dysfunction induced by microcystin-LR. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 223:587-594. [PMID: 28162804 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.01.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Revised: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Microcystins (MCs) widely distributed in freshwaters have posed a significant risk to human health. Previous studies have demonstrated that exposure to MC-LR impairs pancreatic islet function, however, the underlying mechanisms still remain unclear. In the present study, we explored the role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) impairment in β-cell dysfunction caused by MC-LR. The result showed that MC-LR modified ER morphology evidenced by increased ER amount and size at low doses (15, 30 or 60 μM) and vacuolar and dilated ER ultrastructure at high doses (100 or 200 μM). Also, insulin content showed increased at 15 or 30 μM but declined at 60, 100, or 200 μM, which was highly accordant with ER morphological alteration. Transcriptomic analysis identified a number of factors and several pathways associated with ER protein processing, ER stress, apoptosis, and diabetes mellitus in the cells treated with MC-LR compared with non-treated cells. Furthermore, MC-LR-induced ER stress significantly promoted the expression of PERK/eIF2α and their downstream targets (ATF4, CHOP, and Gadd34), which indicates that PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway is involved in MC-LR-induced insulin deficiency. These results suggest that ER impairment is an important contributor to MC-LR-caused β-cell failure and provide a new insight into the association between MCs contamination and the occurrence of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China
| | - Qing Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China
| | - Yaojia He
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074, PR China
| | - Qingju Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China
| | - Liqiang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Lake Science and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 73 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China.
| | - Yunjun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430074, PR China.
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Chen L, Hu Y, He J, Chen J, Giesy JP, Xie P. Responses of the Proteome and Metabolome in Livers of Zebrafish Exposed Chronically to Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Microcystin-LR. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:596-607. [PMID: 28005350 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In this study, for the first time, changes in expressions of proteins and profiles of metabolites in liver of the small, freshwater fish [Formula: see text] (zebrafish) were investigated after long-term exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of microcystin-LR (MC-LR). Male zebrafish were exposed via water to 1 or 10 μg MC-LR/L for 90 days, and iTRAQ-based proteomics and 1H NMR-based metabolomics were employed. Histopathological observations showed that MC-LR caused damage to liver, and the effects were more pronounced in fish exposed to 10 μg MC-LR/L. Metabolomic analysis also showed alterations of hepatic function, which included changes in a number of metabolic pathways, including small molecules involved in energy, glucose, lipids, and amino acids metabolism. Concentrations of lactate were significantly greater in individuals exposed to MC-LR than in unexposed controls. This indicated a shift toward anaerobic metabolism, which was confirmed by impaired respiration in mitochondria. Proteomics revealed that MC-LR significantly influenced multiple proteins, including those involved in folding of proteins and metabolism. Endoplasmic reticulum stress contributed to disturbance of metabolism of lipids in liver of zebrafish exposed to MC-LR. Identification of proteins and metabolites in liver of zebrafish responsive to MC-LR provides insights into mechanisms of chronic toxicity of MCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yufei Hu
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jun He
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan 430072, China
| | - John P Giesy
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B3, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University , Nanjing, 210089, China
| | - Ping Xie
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Wuhan 430072, China
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Wang X, Ding J, Xiang Z, Jiang P, Du J, Han X. Microcystin-LR causes sexual hormone disturbance in male rat by targeting gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Toxicon 2016; 123:45-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Qiao Q, Le Manach S, Huet H, Duvernois-Berthet E, Chaouch S, Duval C, Sotton B, Ponger L, Marie A, Mathéron L, Lennon S, Bolbach G, Djediat C, Bernard C, Edery M, Marie B. An integrated omic analysis of hepatic alteration in medaka fish chronically exposed to cyanotoxins with possible mechanisms of reproductive toxicity. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 219:119-131. [PMID: 27814527 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Cyanobacterial blooms threaten human health as well as the population of other living organisms in the aquatic environment, particularly due to the production of natural toxic components, the cyanotoxin. So far, the most studied cyanotoxins are microcystins (MCs). In this study, the hepatic alterations at histological, proteome and transcriptome levels were evaluated in female and male medaka fish chronically exposed to 1 and 5 μg L-1 microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and to the extract of MC-producing Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7820 (5 μg L-1 of equivalent MC-LR) by balneation for 28 days, aiming at enhancing our understanding of the potential reproductive toxicity of cyanotoxins in aquatic vertebrate models. Indeed, both MC and Microcystis extract adversely affect reproductive parameters including fecundity and egg hatchability. The liver of toxin treated female fish present glycogen storage loss and cellular damages. The quantitative proteomics analysis revealed that the quantities of 225 hepatic proteins are dysregulated. In particular, a notable decrease in protein quantities of vitellogenin and choriogenin was observed, which could explain the decrease in reproductive output. Liver transcriptome analysis through Illumina RNA-seq reveals that over 100-400 genes are differentially expressed under 5 μg L-1 MC-LR and Microcystis extract treatments, respectively. Ingenuity pathway analysis of the omic data attests that various metabolic pathways, such as energy production, protein biosynthesis and lipid metabolism, are disturbed by both MC-LR and the Microcystis extract, which could provoke the observed reproductive impairment. The transcriptomics analysis also constitutes the first report of the impairment of circadian rhythm-related gene induced by MCs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the potential consequences of chronic exposure of fish to environmental concentrations of cyanotoxins, suggesting that Microcystis extract could impact a wider range of biological pathways, compared with pure MC-LR, and even 1 μg L-1 MC-LR potentially induces a health risk for aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Qiao
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Séverine Le Manach
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Hélène Huet
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France; Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-Est, BioPôle Alfort, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Evelyne Duvernois-Berthet
- UMR 7221 CNRS/MNHN, Évolution des Régulations Endocriniennes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Soraya Chaouch
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Charlotte Duval
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Benoit Sotton
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Loïc Ponger
- UMR 7196 MNHN/CNRS, INSERM U1154, Sorbonne Universités, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Arul Marie
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lucrèce Mathéron
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine/FR 3631, Plateforme Spectrométrie de masse et Protéomique, Institut de Biologie Intégrative IFR 83, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Gérard Bolbach
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine/FR 3631, Plateforme Spectrométrie de masse et Protéomique, Institut de Biologie Intégrative IFR 83, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Chakib Djediat
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Cécile Bernard
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Marc Edery
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin Marie
- UMR 7245 MNHN/CNRS Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP 39, 12 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France.
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