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Wilhelmi P, Haake V, Zickgraf FM, Giri V, Ternes P, Driemert P, Nöth J, Scholz S, Barenys M, Flick B, Birk B, Kamp H, Landsiedel R, Funk-Weyer D. Molecular signatures of angiogenesis inhibitors: a single-embryo untargeted metabolomics approach in zebrafish. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:943-956. [PMID: 38285066 PMCID: PMC10861732 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03655-5] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a key process in embryonic development, a disruption of this process can lead to severe developmental defects, such as limb malformations. The identification of molecular perturbations representative of antiangiogenesis in zebrafish embryo (ZFE) may guide the assessment of developmental toxicity from an endpoint- to a mechanism-based approach, thereby improving the extrapolation of findings to humans. Thus, the aim of the study was to discover molecular changes characteristic of antiangiogenesis and developmental toxicity. We exposed ZFEs to two antiangiogenic drugs (SU4312, sorafenib) and two developmental toxicants (methotrexate, rotenone) with putative antiangiogenic action. Molecular changes were measured by performing untargeted metabolomics in single embryos. The metabolome response was accompanied by the occurrence of morphological alterations. Two distinct metabolic effect patterns were observed. The first pattern comprised common effects of two specific angiogenesis inhibitors and the known teratogen methotrexate, strongly suggesting a shared mode of action of antiangiogenesis and developmental toxicity. The second pattern involved joint effects of methotrexate and rotenone, likely related to disturbances in energy metabolism. The metabolites of the first pattern, such as phosphatidylserines, pterines, retinol, or coenzyme Q precursors, represented potential links to antiangiogenesis and related developmental toxicity. The metabolic effect pattern can contribute to biomarker identification for a mechanism-based toxicological testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Wilhelmi
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany.
- University of Barcelona, Research Group in Toxicology-GRET, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Volker Haake
- BASF Metabolome Solutions, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska M Zickgraf
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany.
| | - Varun Giri
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany
| | | | | | - Julia Nöth
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Scholz
- Department of Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marta Barenys
- University of Barcelona, Research Group in Toxicology-GRET, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Burkhard Flick
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany
- Preclinical Compound Profiling, Toxicology, NUVISAN ICB GmbH, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Barbara Birk
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany
| | | | - Robert Landsiedel
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Free University of Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dorothee Funk-Weyer
- BASF SE, Experimental Toxicology and Ecology, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen Am Rhein, Germany
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Mori K, Aoki Y, Mikashima F, Maki K, Tanaka T, Hayashi M, Sugimoto W, Ono M, Umekita S, Niino T, Fujiwara M, Ebata T, Hirata H, Kojima H. Validation of a new protocol for a zebrafish MEFL (malformation or embryo-fetal lethality) test method that conforms to the ICH S5 (R3) guideline. J Toxicol Sci 2024; 49:337-348. [PMID: 39098043 DOI: 10.2131/jts.49.337] [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] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Detecting the toxic effects of chemicals on reproduction and development without using mammalian animal models is crucial in the exploitation of pharmaceuticals for human use. Zebrafish are a promising animal model for investigating pharmacological effects and toxicity during vertebrate development. Several studies have suggested the use of zebrafish embryos for the assessment of malformations or embryo-fetal lethality (MEFL). However, a reproducible protocol as a standard for the zebrafish MEFL test method that fulfills global requests has not been established based on the International Council of Harmonisation (ICH) S5 (R3) guidelines. To establish such a toxicity test method, we developed a new and easy protocol to detect MEFL caused by chemicals, especially those with teratogenic potential, using fertilized zebrafish eggs (embryos) within 5 days of development. Our toxicity test trials using the same protocol in two to four different laboratories corroborated the high inter-laboratory reproducibility. Our test method enabled the detection of 18 out of 22 test compounds that induced rat MEFL. Thus, the prediction rate of our zebrafish test method for MEFL was almost 82% compared with that of rat MEFL. Collectively, our study proposes the establishment of an easy and reproducible protocol for the zebrafish MEFL test method for reproductive and developmental toxicity that meets ICH guideline S5 (R3), which can be further considered in combination with information from other sources for regulatory use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Mori
- Non-Clinical Biomedical Science, Applied Research & Operations, Astellas Pharma Inc
| | - Yoshinobu Aoki
- Ideation & Creation Group, Discovery Accelerator, Astellas Pharma Inc
| | | | | | - Toshio Tanaka
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, Mie University School of Medicine
| | - Mai Hayashi
- Drug Development Laboratories, Maruho Co., Ltd
| | | | - Mizuho Ono
- Environmental, Health and Safety Assessment Center, Mitsubishi Chemical Research Corporation
| | - Saaya Umekita
- Environmental, Health and Safety Assessment Center, Mitsubishi Chemical Research Corporation
| | - Tatsuhiro Niino
- Environmental, Health and Safety Assessment Center, Mitsubishi Chemical Research Corporation
| | | | - Tomonori Ebata
- Research Department, Gotemba Laboratory, BoZo Research Center Inc
| | - Hiromi Hirata
- Department of Chemistry and Biological Science, College of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University
| | - Hajime Kojima
- Divison of Risk Assessment, National Institute of Health Science
- Sanyo-Onoda City University
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Alata Jimenez N, Castellano M, Santillan EM, Boulias K, Boan A, Arias Padilla LF, Fernandino JI, Greer EL, Tosar JP, Cochella L, Strobl-Mazzulla PH. Paternal methotrexate exposure affects sperm small RNA content and causes craniofacial defects in the offspring. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1617. [PMID: 36959185 PMCID: PMC10036556 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Folate is an essential vitamin for vertebrate embryo development. Methotrexate (MTX) is a folate antagonist that is widely prescribed for autoimmune diseases, blood and solid organ malignancies, and dermatologic diseases. Although it is highly contraindicated for pregnant women, because it is associated with an increased risk of multiple birth defects, the effect of paternal MTX exposure on their offspring has been largely unexplored. Here, we found MTX treatment of adult medaka male fish (Oryzias latipes) causes cranial cartilage defects in their offspring. Small non-coding RNA (sncRNAs) sequencing in the sperm of MTX treated males identify differential expression of a subset of tRNAs, with higher abundance for specific 5' tRNA halves. Sperm RNA methylation analysis on MTX treated males shows that m5C is the most abundant and differential modification found in RNAs ranging in size from 50 to 90 nucleotides, predominantly tRNAs, and that it correlates with greater testicular Dnmt2 methyltransferase expression. Injection of sperm small RNA fractions from MTX-treated males into normal fertilized eggs generated cranial cartilage defects in the offspring. Overall, our data suggest that paternal MTX exposure alters sperm sncRNAs expression and modifications that may contribute to developmental defects in their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagif Alata Jimenez
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Mauricio Castellano
- Functional Genomics Unit, Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- School of Science, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Emilio M Santillan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Konstantinos Boulias
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Agustín Boan
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Luisa F Arias Padilla
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Juan I Fernandino
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina
| | - Eric L Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Juan P Tosar
- Functional Genomics Unit, Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- School of Science, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Luisa Cochella
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA, USA
| | - Pablo H Strobl-Mazzulla
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology, Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina.
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (UNSAM), Chascomús, Argentina.
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Liang Z, He Y, Hu X. Cardio-Oncology: Mechanisms, Drug Combinations, and Reverse Cardio-Oncology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810617. [PMID: 36142538 PMCID: PMC9501315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy have brought hope to cancer patients. With the prolongation of survival of cancer patients and increased clinical experience, cancer-therapy-induced cardiovascular toxicity has attracted attention. The adverse effects of cancer therapy that can lead to life-threatening or induce long-term morbidity require rational approaches to prevention and treatment, which requires deeper understanding of the molecular biology underpinning the disease. In addition to the drugs used widely for cardio-protection, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations are also efficacious and can be expected to achieve “personalized treatment” from multiple perspectives. Moreover, the increased prevalence of cancer in patients with cardiovascular disease has spurred the development of “reverse cardio-oncology”, which underscores the urgency of collaboration between cardiologists and oncologists. This review summarizes the mechanisms by which cancer therapy induces cardiovascular toxicity, the combination of antineoplastic and cardioprotective drugs, and recent advances in reverse cardio-oncology.
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Han X, Wang B, Jin D, Liu K, Wang H, Chen L, Zu Y. Precise Dose of Folic Acid Supplementation Is Essential for Embryonic Heart Development in Zebrafish. BIOLOGY 2021; 11:biology11010028. [PMID: 35053026 PMCID: PMC8773176 DOI: 10.3390/biology11010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Folic acid is an essential vitamin for human beings. It has become a consensus to supplement folic acid during pregnancy. It is reported that 15~20% of people in the world supplement folic acid excessively. We found that excessive folic acid supplementation or insufficient folic acid intake could lead to abnormal heart development in zebrafish embryos. We elucidated the mechanism of folic acid on early cardiac development for the first time. These results provide a scientific basis for the important reasonable supplement dose of folic acid. At the same time, we constructed zebrafish mutants with abnormal folate metabolism, which provide a novel biological model for the study of folate acid metabolism. Abstract Folic acid, one of the 13 essential vitamins, plays an important role in cardiovascular development. Mutations in folic acid synthesis gene 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is associated with the occurrence of congenital heart disease. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of cardiac development by mthfr gene are poorly understood. Here, we exposed zebrafish embryos to excessive folate or folate metabolism inhibitors. Moreover, we established a knock-out mutant of mthfr gene in zebrafish by using CRISPR/Cas9. The zebrafish embryos of insufficient or excessive folic acid and mthfr−/− mutant all gave rise to early pericardial edema and cardiac defect at 3 days post fertilization (dpf). Furthermore, the folic acid treated embryos showed abnormal movement at 5 dpf. The expression levels of cardiac marker genes hand2, gata4, and nppa changed in the abnormality of folate metabolism embryos and mthfr−/− mutant, and there is evidence that they are related to the change of methylation level caused by the change of folate metabolism. In conclusion, our study provides a novel model for the in-depth study of MTHFR gene and folate metabolism. Furthermore, our results reveal that folic acid has a dose-dependent effect on early cardiac development. Precise dosage of folic acid supplementation is crucial for the embryonic development of organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhui Han
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Bingqi Wang
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Dongxu Jin
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Kuang Liu
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Hongjie Wang
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Liangbiao Chen
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Yao Zu
- International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; (X.H.); (B.W.); (D.J.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (L.C.)
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-21-61900474
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Li D, Chen H, Liu H, Schlenk D, Mu J, Lacorte S, Ying GG, Xie L. Anticancer drugs in the aquatic ecosystem: Environmental occurrence, ecotoxicological effect and risk assessment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 153:106543. [PMID: 33813231 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anticancer drugs are a group of therapeutic agents used to enhance cell death in targeted cell types of neoplasia. Because of frequent use and eventual discharge, they have been often detected in wastewater from pharmaceutical factories and hospitals, domestic wastewater, and surface waters. The occurrence of these drugs in aquatic ecosystems and their effects on aquatic organisms have been poorly characterized. This review focuses on the global occurrence of major classes of anticancer drugs in water and sediments of freshwater ecosystems and their ecotoxicological effects at different biological levels. While the availability of data is fairly limited, concentrations of most anticancer drugs range from < 2 ng/L to 762 µg/L in receiving water, while levels in sediments and sludge vary from 0.25 to 42.5 µg/kg. Their detection frequencies were 58%, 52% (78%) and 59% in hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant effluents (influents) and surface water, respectively. Predicted log Kow values of vincristine, imatinib mesylate and tamoxifen are higher than 3 and have estimated half-lives>60 d in waters using quantitative structure-activity relationship models, indicating high potential for persistence and bioaccumulation. Based on a species sensitivity distribution evaluation of 9 compounds, crustaceans are most sensitive to anticancer drugs. The most hazardous compound is cisplatin which has a hazard concentration at the 5th percentile. For Daphnia magna, the acute toxicities of major classes of anticancer drugs are ranked as platinum complexes > endocrine therapy agents > antibiotics > antimetabolite agents > alkylating agents. Using hazard quotient analysis based primarily on the lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs), cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, imatinib mesylate, bicalutamide, etoposide and paclitaxel have the highest hazard for aquatic organisms. Further research is needed to identify appropriate chronic endpoints for risk assessment thresholds as well as to better understand the mechanisms of action and the potential multigenerational toxicity, and trophic transfer in ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hongxing Chen
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hongsong Liu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Daniel Schlenk
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
| | - Jingli Mu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Functional Marine Sensing Materials, Institute of Oceanography, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Silvia Lacorte
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Lingtian Xie
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Yang Y, Yu Y, Zhou R, Yang Y, Bu Y. The effect of combined exposure of zinc and nickel on the development of zebrafish. J Appl Toxicol 2021; 41:1765-1778. [PMID: 33645740 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Excessive accumulation of Zn2+ or Ni2+ can cause various problems to aquatic animals. In this study, the developmental toxicity induced by individual or combined exposure of Zn2+ and Ni2+ to zebrafish embryos and larvae were evaluated to better understand the interaction between Zn2+ and Ni2+ . Both of individual and combined exposure of Zn2+ and Ni2+ could cause obvious developmental toxicity, which mainly occurred after hatching, at a concentration-dependent manner. The calculated 168-h LC50 were 2.79 mg/L for Zn2+ and 7.44 mg/L for Ni2+ . The interaction of Zn2+ and Ni2+ based on mortality was found to be an antagonism. Various malformations, including tail curving, spinal curvature, pericardial edema, and yolk sac edema, were observed with significant effects on body length and heartbeat rates after exposure of Zn2+ and Ni2+ . Meanwhile, some genes related to cardiovascular development and bone formation were mainly down-regulated by the individual and combined exposure of Zn2+ and Ni2+ . The individual exposure was more toxic than combined exposure because the interaction of Zn2+ and Ni2+ was determined to be an antagonism. The down-regulation of genes related to cardiovascular development and bone formation may contribute to the observed malformation and decreases of body length and heartbeat rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongmeng Yang
- School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, China
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Pesticide Environmental Assessment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
- Guangdong University of Technology, Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Pesticide Environmental Assessment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Zhou
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Pesticide Environmental Assessment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Yang
- Guangdong University of Technology, Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou, China
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanqing Bu
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Science, Key Laboratory of Pesticide Environmental Assessment and Pollution Control, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
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A Great Catch for Investigating Inborn Errors of Metabolism-Insights Obtained from Zebrafish. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10091352. [PMID: 32971894 PMCID: PMC7564250 DOI: 10.3390/biom10091352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Inborn errors of metabolism cause abnormal synthesis, recycling, or breakdown of amino acids, neurotransmitters, and other various metabolites. This aberrant homeostasis commonly causes the accumulation of toxic compounds or depletion of vital metabolites, which has detrimental consequences for the patients. Efficient and rapid intervention is often key to survival. Therefore, it requires useful animal models to understand the pathomechanisms and identify promising therapeutic drug targets. Zebrafish are an effective tool to investigate developmental mechanisms and understanding the pathophysiology of disorders. In the past decades, zebrafish have proven their efficiency for studying genetic disorders owing to the high degree of conservation between human and zebrafish genes. Subsequently, several rare inherited metabolic disorders have been successfully investigated in zebrafish revealing underlying mechanisms and identifying novel therapeutic targets, including methylmalonic acidemia, Gaucher’s disease, maple urine disorder, hyperammonemia, TRAPPC11-CDGs, and others. This review summarizes the recent impact zebrafish have made in the field of inborn errors of metabolism.
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Sun SN, Jiang Q, Lu D, Gui YH. [Effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiovascular development in zebrafish embryos]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2020; 22:916-922. [PMID: 32800042 PMCID: PMC7441502 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2006079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the effect of dhfr gene overexpression on ethanol-induced abnormal cardiac and vascular development in zebrafish embryos and underlying mechanisms. METHODS dhfr mRNA was transcribed in vitro and microinjected into zebrafish fertilized eggs to induce the overexpression of dhfr gene, and the efficiency of overexpression was verified. Wild-type zebrafish were divided into a control group, an ethanol group, and an ethanol+dhfr overexpression group (microinjection of 6 nL dhfr mRNA). The embryonic development was observed for each group. The transgenic zebrafish Tg (cmlc2:mcherry) with heart-specific red fluorescence was used to observe atrial and ventricular development. Fluorescence microscopy was performed to observe the development of cardiac outflow tract and blood vessels. Heart rate and ventricular shortening fraction were used to assess cardiac function. Gene probes were constructed, and embryo in situ hybridization and real-time PCR were used to measure the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 in the embryo. RESULTS Compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had a significant reduction in the percentage of abnormal embryonic development and a significant increase in the percentage of embryonic survival (P<0.05), with significant improvements in the abnormalities of the atrium, ventricle, outflow tract, and blood vessels and cardiac function. Compared with the control group, the ethanol group had significant reductions in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), and compared with the ethanol group, the ethanol+dhfr overexpression group had significant increases in the expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 (P<0.05), which were still lower than their expression in the control group. CONCLUSIONS The overexpression of the dhfr gene can partially improve the abnormal development of embryonic heart and blood vessels induced by ethanol, possibly by upregulating the decreased expression of nkx2.5, tbx1, and flk-1 caused by ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Na Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China.
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Jiang Q, Lu D, Wang F, Zhang Y, Cao L, Gui Y, Sun S. Folic acid supplement rescues ethanol-induced developmental defects in the zebrafish embryos. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2020; 52:536-545. [PMID: 32369106 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) describes a range of birth defects. Mechanisms of FASD-associated defects are not well understood. It has great significance to investigate whether nutrient supplements like folic acid (FA) can effectively rescue ethanol-induced defects. Moreover, it is very important to determine the optimal time for FA supplementation when it can most effectively antagonize the teratogenic effects of ethanol during embryonic development. Our results indicated that ethanol exposure interrupted the development of zebrafish embryos and induced multiple defects in cardiac function, pharyngeal arch arteries, vessel, craniofacial cartilage, pharyngeal arches, brain, somite and hemoglobin formation. The expressions of critical genes that play important roles in above organs such as tbx1, flk-1, hand2, ngn1, huc, titin, gata-1 and c-myb were reduced, and the apoptosis was increased in ethanol-treated group. FA supplementation could reverse ethanol-induced defects, improve the decreased expressions of above genes and reduce the apoptosis. We also found that giving FA at 6-12 h post-fertilization (hpf), which is at the gastrula period (5.25-10 hpf), can obviously prevent the teratogenicity of ethanol. This research provides clues for elucidating the mechanism of fetal abnormalities caused by alcohol intake and for preventing FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiu Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital and Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ding Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai Municipal Eighth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200235, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Yawen Zhang
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Li Cao
- Department of Ultrasound, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Yonghao Gui
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Shuna Sun
- Children’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
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11
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Hu J, Zhu H, Xu G, Chen Z, Li L, Wang S, Deng H, Bao X, Shen Z. Significant association between DHFR promoter methylation and ischemic stroke in a Chinese hypertensive population. J Clin Lab Anal 2020; 34:e23322. [PMID: 32319147 PMCID: PMC7439332 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.23322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective DHFR encodes dihydrofolate reductase, a major enzyme in the metabolism of folate, and is a candidate gene for ischemic stroke (IS). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between DHFR promoter methylation and IS in a Chinese population with primary hypertension. Methods Quantitative methylation‐specific PCR was used to measure the level of DHFR promoter methylation. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between DHFR promoter methylation and IS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of DHFR promoter methylation for IS. Results The level of methylation of the DHFR promoter in the IS group was significantly lower than that in the hypertensive group (median [interquartile range]: 9.11 [2.81‐16.20] vs 24.94 [7.16‐56.45], P < .001). DHFR promoter methylation and homocysteine (Hcy) levels were both related to IS, with an ORs (95% CI) of 0.976 (0.967‐0.984) and 1.057 (1.027‐1.108), respectively. The areas under the curve for the diagnosis of DHFR promoter hypomethylation in IS were 0.603 (95% CI, 0.527‐0.678) in men and 0.754 (95% CI, 0.693‐0.815) in women. A dual‐luciferase reporter assay revealed that the target sequence in the DHFR promoter upregulated gene expression. Conclusion There is a significant association between methylation of the DHFR promoter and IS in this Chinese hypertensive population. Hypomethylation of the DHFR promoter may serve as a novel marker for the diagnosis of IS in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingcen Hu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Gynecology & Obstetrics Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Guodong Xu
- Medical Record Statistics Room, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhu Chen
- HwaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China
| | - Lian Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shuyu Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Hongxia Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaoming Bao
- HwaMei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China.,Ningbo Institute of Life and Health Industry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhisen Shen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
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12
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Rozalen M, Sánchez-Polo M, Fernández-Perales M, Widmann TJ, Rivera-Utrilla J. Synthesis of controlled-size silver nanoparticles for the administration of methotrexate drug and its activity in colon and lung cancer cells. RSC Adv 2020; 10:10646-10660. [PMID: 35492913 PMCID: PMC9051641 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra08657a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A controlled synthesis of methotrexate (MTX) silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-MTX) using borohydride and citrate as reduction and reduction/capping agents, respectively, was performed in order to obtain AgNPs-MTX conjugates with a narrow size distribution. Their characterization showed polydispersed spherical shape nanoparticles with a mean size around 13 nm and distribution range between 7–21 nm. The presence of MTX was confirmed by FTIR and EDX analysis. Spectroscopic determinations suggest the chemisorption of MTX through a carboxylic group (–COOH) onto AgNPs via the exchange with a citrate molecule. Drug loading capacities calculated for AgNPs synthesized using different amounts of MTX were 28, 31 and 40%. In vitro drug release tests depicted similar release profiles for all conjugated amounts releasing between 77 to 85% of the initial MTX loaded into the AgNPs. With respect to free MTX, the addition of the nanocarrier delayed its release and also changed its pharmacokinetics. Free MTX is released after 3 hours following a first order kinetic model, whereas in the presence of AgNPs, a fast initial release is observed during the first 5 hours, followed by a plateau after 24 hours. In this case, AgNPs-MTX fitted a Higuchi model, where its solubilization is controlled by a diffusion process. Results obtained from flow cytometry of different cell lines treated with AgNPs-MTX demonstrated the combined anticancer effect of both reagents, decreasing the percentage of living cells in a colon cancer cell line (HTC-116) down to 40% after 48 hours of exposure. This effect was weaker but still significant for a lung cancer cell line (A-549). Finally, a zebrafish assay with AgNPs-MTX did not show any significant cytotoxic effect, confirming thereby the reduction of systemic drug toxicity achieved by coupling MTX to AgNPs. This observed toxicity reduction in the zebrafish model implies also a probable improvement of the usage of AgNPs-MTX in chemotherapy against human cancers. A controlled synthesis of methotrexate (MTX) silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-MTX) using borohydride and citrate as reduction and reduction/capping agents, respectively, was performed in order to obtain AgNPs-MTX conjugates with a narrow size distribution.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Rozalen
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry
- Faculty of Science
- University of Granada
- 18071 Granada
- Spain
| | - M. Sánchez-Polo
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry
- Faculty of Science
- University of Granada
- 18071 Granada
- Spain
| | - M. Fernández-Perales
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry
- Faculty of Science
- University of Granada
- 18071 Granada
- Spain
| | - T. J. Widmann
- Department of Genomic Medicine
- GENYO
- Centre for Genomics & Oncology (Pfizer - University of Granada & Andalusian Regional Government)
- PTS Granada
- Granada 18016
| | - J. Rivera-Utrilla
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry
- Faculty of Science
- University of Granada
- 18071 Granada
- Spain
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13
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Wang X, Guan Z, Dong Y, Zhu Z, Wang J, Niu B. Inhibition of thymidylate synthase affects neural tube development in mice. Reprod Toxicol 2017; 76:17-25. [PMID: 29258758 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Thymidylate synthase (TYMS) is a key enzyme in the de novo synthesis of 2'-deoxythymidine-5'-monophosphate (dTMP) from 2'-deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate (dUMP). Our aim was to investigate the role of dTMP dysmetabolism via inhibition of TYMS by an inhibitor, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs). We found that a high incidence of NTDs occurred after treatment with 5-FU at 12.5 mg/kg body weight. TYMS activity was significantly inhibited with decreased dTMP and accumulation of dUMP after 5-FU injection. The proliferation of neuroepithelial cells were markedly inhibited in NTDs compared with control. Expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and phosphohistone H3 were significantly decreased in NTDs, while phosphorylated replication protein A2, P53 and Caspase3 were significantly increased in NTDs compared with control. These results indicated that inhibition of TYMS affected the balance between proliferation and apoptosis in neuroepithelial cells, which might shed some lights on the mechanisms involved in NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuwei Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Zhen Guan
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Yanting Dong
- The Respiratory Department, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhu
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China.
| | - Bo Niu
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing 100020, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China.
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14
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Guo R, Liu G, Du M, Shi Y, Jiang P, Liu X, Liu L, Liu J, Xu Y. Early ketamine exposure results in cardiac enlargement and heart dysfunction in Xenopus embryos. BMC Anesthesiol 2016; 16:23. [PMID: 27091482 PMCID: PMC4836076 DOI: 10.1186/s12871-016-0188-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ketamine is a commonly used clinical anesthetic and a popular recreational drug. However, with the exception of studies about the nervous system, studies about the effect of early ketamine exposure on embryos are rare. Xenopus laevis is a commonly used vertebrate model for assessing teratogenicity. Therefore, we treated Xenopus embryos with ketamine to evaluate its teratogenicity on embryos. METHODS Xenopus embryos were treated with ketamine from stages 8 to 21. Embryonic and cardiac morphology were analyzed using living embryo imaging and whole-mount RNA in situ hybridization (WMISH). Heart function was measured by heart rate and ventricular shortening fraction (VSF). The mRNA expression levels of several heart development-related genes were determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The protein expression levels of XMLC2, phospho-histone H3 (pH3) and histone H3 were determined by western blot. RESULTS Ketamine caused concentration-dependent increases in mortality and shortening of body length. At a dose of 0.5 mg/ml, ketamine exposure resulted in cardiac enlargement as the primary manifestation of several malformations: gut defects, a curved axis and shortened body length. Cardiac cells underwent increased proliferation. Moreover, the heart rate and ventricular shortening fraction were decreased, findings indicative of heart dysfunction. XMLC2 expression levels were down-regulated at stages 28, 32/33, 35/36 and 46. CONCLUSIONS Ketamine exposure during early development has teratogenic effects on Xenopus embryos. The heart enlargement and decreased VSF may result from the down-regulation of XMLC2 mRNA and protein levels. These findings provide new insight into the potential fetal defects induced by ketamine exposure during early pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Guo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Guangjian Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Min Du
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.136, Zhongshan Er Lu, Yuzhong District, Chongqing City, 400014, PR China
| | - Yu Shi
- Department of Clinical laboratory, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Pu Jiang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Key Laboratory of Pediatrics in Chongqing, Chongqing International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Chongqing, 400014, PR China
| | - Jianxia Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.136, Zhongshan Er Lu, Yuzhong District, Chongqing City, 400014, PR China
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.136, Zhongshan Er Lu, Yuzhong District, Chongqing City, 400014, PR China.
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15
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Kao TT, Lee GH, Fu CC, Chen BH, Chen LT, Fu TF. Methotrexate-induced decrease in embryonic 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate is irreversible with leucovorin supplementation. Zebrafish 2013; 10:326-37. [PMID: 23758124 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2013.0876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Folate is a nutrient crucial for rapidly growing tissues, including developing embryos and cancer cells. Folate participates in the biosynthesis of nucleic acids, proteins, amino acids, S-adenosylmethionine, many neurotransmitters, and some vitamins. The intracellular folate pool consists of different folate adducts, which carry one-carbon units at three different oxidative states and participate in distinct biochemical reactions. Therefore, the content and dynamics of folate adducts will affect the homeostasis of the metabolites generated in these folate-mediated reactions. Currently, the knowledge on the level of each individual folate adduct in developing embryos is limited. With an improved high-performance liquid chromatography protocol, we found that tetrahydrofolate (THF), the backbone of one-carbon carrier, gradually increased and became dominant in developing zebrafish embryos. 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-THF) was abundant in unfertilized eggs but decreased rapidly when embryos started to proliferate and differentiate. 10-formyltetrahydrofolate at first increased after fertilization, and then dropped dramatically before reaching a sustained level at later stages. Dihydrofolate (DHF) slightly decreased initially and remained low throughout embryogenesis. Exposure to methotrexate significantly decreased 5-CH3-THF levels and increased DHF pools, besides causing brain ventricle anomaly. Rescuing with leucovorin partly reversed the abnormal phenotype. Unexpectedly, the level of 5-CH3-THF remained low even when leucovorin was added for rescue. Our results show that different folate adducts fluctuated significantly and differentially in concert with the physiological requirement specific for the corresponding developmental stages. Furthermore, methotrexate lowered the level of 5-CH3-THF in developing embryos, which could not be reversed with folate supplementation and might be more substantial to cellular methylation potential and epigenetic control than to nucleotide synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tseng-Ting Kao
- College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University , Tainan, Taiwan
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16
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Zhao J, Guan T, Wang J, Xiang Q, Wang M, Wang X, Guan Z, Xie Q, Niu B, Zhang T. Influence of the antifolate drug Methotrexate on the development of murine neural tube defects and genomic instability. J Appl Toxicol 2012; 33:915-23. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.2769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Revised: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Shanxi Medical University; Taiyuan; 030001; China
| | - Tao Guan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Shanxi Medical University; Taiyuan; 030001; China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
| | - Qian Xiang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Peking Union Medical College; Beijing; 100730; China
| | - Mingsheng Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences; Peking Union Medical College; Beijing; 100730; China
| | - Xiuwei Wang
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
| | - Zhen Guan
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
| | - Qiu Xie
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
| | - Bo Niu
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Capital Institute of Pediatrics; Beijing; 100020; China
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17
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Lee MS, Bonner JR, Bernard DJ, Sanchez EL, Sause ET, Prentice RR, Burgess SM, Brody LC. Disruption of the folate pathway in zebrafish causes developmental defects. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2012; 12:12. [PMID: 22480165 PMCID: PMC3410756 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-12-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Accepted: 04/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Folic acid supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects and congenital heart defects. The biological mechanisms through which folate prevents birth defects are not well understood. We explore the use of zebrafish as a model system to investigate the role of folate metabolism during development. Results We first identified zebrafish orthologs of 12 human folate metabolic genes. RT-PCR and in situ analysis indicated maternal transcripts supply the embryo with mRNA so that the embryo has an intact folate pathway. To perturb folate metabolism we exposed zebrafish embryos to methotrexate (MTX), a potent inhibitor of dihydrofolate reductase (Dhfr) an essential enzyme in the folate metabolic pathway. Embryos exposed to high doses of MTX exhibited developmental arrest prior to early segmentation. Lower doses of MTX resulted in embryos with a shortened anterior-posterior axis and cardiac defects: linear heart tubes or incomplete cardiac looping. Inhibition of dhfr mRNA with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides resulted in embryonic lethality. One function of the folate pathway is to provide essential one-carbon units for dTMP synthesis, a rate-limiting step of DNA synthesis. After 24 hours of exposure to high levels of MTX, mutant embryos continue to incorporate the thymidine analog BrdU. However, additional experiments indicate that these embryos have fewer mitotic cells, as assayed with phospho-histone H3 antibodies, and that treated embryos have perturbed cell cycles. Conclusions Our studies demonstrate that human and zebrafish utilize similar one-carbon pathways. Our data indicate that folate metabolism is essential for early zebrafish development. Zebrafish studies of the folate pathway and its deficiencies could provide insight into the underlying etiology of human birth defects and the natural role of folate in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina S Lee
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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18
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Sun S, Gui Y, Jiang Q, Song H. Dihydrofolate reductase is required for the development of heart and outflow tract in zebrafish. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2011; 43:957-69. [PMID: 22113051 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmr098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Folic acid is very important for embryonic development and folic acid inhibition can cause congenital heart defects in vertebrates. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is a key enzyme in folate-mediated metabolism. The dysfunction of DHFR disrupts the key biological processes which folic acid participates in. DHFR gene is conserved during vertebrate evolution. It is important to investigate the roles of DHFR in cardiac developments. In this study, we showed that DHFR knockdown resulted in the abnormal developments of zebrafish embryos in the early stages. Obvious malformations in heart and outflow tract (OFT) were also observed in DHFR knockdown embryos. DHFR overexpression rescued the abnormal phenotypes in the DHFR knockdown group. DHFR knockdown had negative impacts on the expressions of NKX2.5 (NK2 transcription factor-related 5), MEF2C (myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C), TBX20 (T-box 20), and TBX1 (T-box 1) which are important transcriptional factors during cardiac development process, while DHFR overexpression had positive effects. DHFR was required for Hedgehog pathway. DHFR knockdown caused reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, while its overexpression promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. Taken together, our study suggested that DHFR plays crucial roles in the development of heart and OFT in zebrafish by regulating gene transcriptions and affecting cell proliferation and apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuna Sun
- Children's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Selderslaghs IWT, Blust R, Witters HE. Feasibility study of the zebrafish assay as an alternative method to screen for developmental toxicity and embryotoxicity using a training set of 27 compounds. Reprod Toxicol 2011; 33:142-54. [PMID: 21871558 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2011.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2011] [Revised: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 08/09/2011] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
To anticipate to increased testing needs for reproductive toxicity and 3R approaches, we studied zebrafish embryo/larva as an alternative for animal testing for developmental toxicity and embryotoxicity and evaluated a training set of 27 compounds with a standardized protocol. The classification of compounds in the zebrafish embryo/larva assay, based on a prediction model using a TI (teratogenic index) cut-off value of 2, was compared to available animal and human data. When comparing the classification of compounds in the zebrafish embryo/larva assay to available animal classification, a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 100% were obtained. The predictive values obtained in comparison to a limited set of human data were 50, 60% respectively for teratogens, non-teratogens. Overall, we demonstrated that the zebrafish embryo/larva assay, may be used as screening tool for prioritization of compounds and could contribute to reduction of animal experiments in the field of developmental toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid W T Selderslaghs
- VITO NV, Flemish Institute for Technological Research, CARDAM, Centre for Advanced R&D on Alternative Methods, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium.
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