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Kreutz A, Oyetade OB, Chang X, Hsieh JH, Behl M, Allen DG, Kleinstreuer NC, Hogberg HT. Integrated Approach for Testing and Assessment for Developmental Neurotoxicity (DNT) to Prioritize Aromatic Organophosphorus Flame Retardants. TOXICS 2024; 12:437. [PMID: 38922117 PMCID: PMC11209292 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are abundant and persistent in the environment but have limited toxicity information. Their similarity in structure to organophosphate pesticides presents great concern for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). However, current in vivo testing is not suitable to provide DNT information on the amount of OPFRs that lack data. Over the past decade, an in vitro battery was developed to enhance DNT assessment, consisting of assays that evaluate cellular processes in neurodevelopment and function. In this study, behavioral data of small model organisms were also included. To assess if these assays provide sufficient mechanistic coverage to prioritize chemicals for further testing and/or identify hazards, an integrated approach to testing and assessment (IATA) was developed with additional information from the Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE) and the literature. Human biomonitoring and exposure data were identified and physiologically-based toxicokinetic models were applied to relate in vitro toxicity data to human exposure based on maximum plasma concentration. Eight OPFRs were evaluated, including aromatic OPFRs (triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), isopropylated phenyl phosphate (IPP), 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP), tricresyl phosphate (TMPP), isodecyl diphenyl phosphate (IDDP), tert-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDP)) and halogenated FRs ((Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP)). Two representative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) (2,2'4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) and 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)) with known DNT potential were selected for toxicity benchmarking. Data from the DNT battery indicate that the aromatic OPFRs have activity at similar concentrations as the BFRs and should therefore be evaluated further. However, these assays provide limited information on the mechanism of the compounds. By integrating information from ICE and the literature, endocrine disruption was identified as a potential mechanism. This IATA case study indicates that human exposure to some OPFRs could lead to a plasma concentration similar to those exerting in vitro activities, indicating potential concern for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kreutz
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Oluwakemi B. Oyetade
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Xiaoqing Chang
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Jui-Hua Hsieh
- NIH/NIEHS/DTT/PTB, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA;
| | - Mamta Behl
- Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., San Diego, CA 92130, USA;
| | - David G. Allen
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
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2
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Collins EMS, Hessel EVS, Hughes S. How neurobehavior and brain development in alternative whole-organism models can contribute to prediction of developmental neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2024; 102:48-57. [PMID: 38552718 PMCID: PMC11139590 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.03.005] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) is not routinely evaluated in chemical risk assessment because current test paradigms for DNT require the use of mammalian models which are ethically controversial, expensive, and resource demanding. Consequently, efforts have focused on revolutionizing DNT testing through affordable novel alternative methods for risk assessment. The goal is to develop a DNT in vitro test battery amenable to high-throughput screening (HTS). Currently, the DNT in vitro test battery consists primarily of human cell-based assays because of their immediate relevance to human health. However, such cell-based assays alone are unable to capture the complexity of a developing nervous system. Whole organismal systems that qualify as 3 R (Replace, Reduce and Refine) models are urgently needed to complement cell-based DNT testing. These models can provide the necessary organismal context and be used to explore the impact of chemicals on brain function by linking molecular and/or cellular changes to behavioural readouts. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the planarian Dugesia japonica, and embryos of the zebrafish Danio rerio are all suited to low-cost HTS and each has unique strengths for DNT testing. Here, we review the strengths and the complementarity of these organisms in a novel, integrative context and highlight how they can augment current cell-based assays for more comprehensive and robust DNT screening of chemicals. Considering the limitations of all in vitro test systems, we discuss how a smart combinatory use of these systems will contribute to a better human relevant risk assessment of chemicals that considers the complexity of the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria S Collins
- Swarthmore College, Biology, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Ellen V S Hessel
- Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, Bilthoven, 3721 MA, the Netherlands
| | - Samantha Hughes
- Department of Environmental Health and Toxicology, A-LIFE, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, de Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, the Netherlands.
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3
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Rosner A, Ballarin L, Barnay-Verdier S, Borisenko I, Drago L, Drobne D, Concetta Eliso M, Harbuzov Z, Grimaldi A, Guy-Haim T, Karahan A, Lynch I, Giulia Lionetto M, Martinez P, Mehennaoui K, Oruc Ozcan E, Pinsino A, Paz G, Rinkevich B, Spagnuolo A, Sugni M, Cambier S. A broad-taxa approach as an important concept in ecotoxicological studies and pollution monitoring. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:131-176. [PMID: 37698089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates play a pivotal role in (eco)toxicological assessments because they offer ethical, cost-effective and repeatable testing options. Additionally, their significance in the food chain and their ability to represent diverse aquatic ecosystems make them valuable subjects for (eco)toxicological studies. To ensure consistency and comparability across studies, international (eco)toxicology guidelines have been used to establish standardised methods and protocols for data collection, analysis and interpretation. However, the current standardised protocols primarily focus on a limited number of aquatic invertebrate species, mainly from Arthropoda, Mollusca and Annelida. These protocols are suitable for basic toxicity screening, effectively assessing the immediate and severe effects of toxic substances on organisms. For more comprehensive and ecologically relevant assessments, particularly those addressing long-term effects and ecosystem-wide impacts, we recommended the use of a broader diversity of species, since the present choice of taxa exacerbates the limited scope of basic ecotoxicological studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of (eco)toxicological studies, focusing on major aquatic invertebrate taxa and how they are used to assess the impact of chemicals in diverse aquatic environments. The present work supports the use of a broad-taxa approach in basic environmental assessments, as it better represents the natural populations inhabiting various ecosystems. Advances in omics and other biochemical and computational techniques make the broad-taxa approach more feasible, enabling mechanistic studies on non-model organisms. By combining these approaches with in vitro techniques together with the broad-taxa approach, researchers can gain insights into less-explored impacts of pollution, such as changes in population diversity, the development of tolerance and transgenerational inheritance of pollution responses, the impact on organism phenotypic plasticity, biological invasion outcomes, social behaviour changes, metabolome changes, regeneration phenomena, disease susceptibility and tissue pathologies. This review also emphasises the need for harmonised data-reporting standards and minimum annotation checklists to ensure that research results are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), maximising the use and reusability of data. The ultimate goal is to encourage integrated and holistic problem-focused collaboration between diverse scientific disciplines, international standardisation organisations and decision-making bodies, with a focus on transdisciplinary knowledge co-production for the One-Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Stéphanie Barnay-Verdier
- Sorbonne Université; CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d'Azur, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging Nice, 28 avenue Valombrose, Nice, F-06107, France
| | - Ilya Borisenko
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Embryology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya embankment 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Laura Drago
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Damjana Drobne
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, 1111, Slovenia
| | - Maria Concetta Eliso
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Zoya Harbuzov
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Department of Marine Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Koushy Ave., Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Annalisa Grimaldi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant, Varese, 3-21100, Italy
| | - Tamar Guy-Haim
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Arzu Karahan
- Middle East Technical University, Institute of Marine Sciences, Erdemli-Mersin, PO 28, 33731, Turkey
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Maria Giulia Lionetto
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via prov. le Lecce -Monteroni, Lecce, I-73100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, I-90133, Italy
| | - Pedro Martinez
- Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Kahina Mehennaoui
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
| | - Elif Oruc Ozcan
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Biology, Cukurova University, Balcali, Saricam, Adana, 01330, Turkey
| | - Annalisa Pinsino
- National Research Council, Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Guy Paz
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Antonietta Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
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4
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St Mary L, Truong L, Bieberich AA, Fatig RO, Rajwa B, Tanguay RL. Comparative analysis between zebrafish and an automated live-cell assay to classify developmental neurotoxicant chemicals. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2023; 476:116659. [PMID: 37604412 PMCID: PMC10529185 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2023.116659] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Modern toxicology's throughput has dramatically increased due to alternative models, laboratory automation, and machine learning. This has enabled comparative studies across species and assays to prioritize chemical hazard potential and to understand how different model systems might complement one another. However, such comparative studies of high-throughput data are still in their infancy, with more groundwork needed to firmly establish the approach. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the bioactivity of the NIEHS Division of Translational Toxicology's (DTT) 87-compound developmental neurotoxicant (DNT) library in zebrafish and an in vitro high-throughput cell culture system. The early life-stage zebrafish provided a whole animal approach to developmental toxicity assessment. Chemical hits for abnormalities in embryonic zebrafish morphology, mortality, and behavior (ZBEscreen™) were compared with chemicals classified as high-risk by the Cell Health Index (CHI™), which is an outcome class probability from a machine learning classifier using 12 parameters from the SYSTEMETRIC® Cell Health Screen (CHS). The CHS was developed to assess human toxicity risk using supervised machine learning to classify acute cell stress phenotypes in a human leukemia cell line (HL60 cells) following a 4-h exposure to a chemical of interest. Due to the design of the screen, the zebrafish assays were more exhaustive, yielding 86 total bioactive hits, whereas the SYSTEMETRIC® CHS focusing on acute toxicity identified 20 chemicals as potentially toxic. The zebrafish embryonic and larval photomotor response assays (EPR and LPR, respectively) detected 40 of the 47 chemicals not found by the zebrafish morphological screen and CHS. Collectively, these results illustrate the advantages of using two alternative models in tandem for rapid hazard assessment and chemical prioritization and the effectiveness of CHI™ in identifying toxicity within a single multiparametric assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey St Mary
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | - Lisa Truong
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
| | | | | | - Bartek Rajwa
- AsedaSciences Inc., West Lafayette, IN, USA; Bindley Bioscience Center, 1203 Mitch Daniels Boulevard, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Robyn L Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA.
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5
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Zhu J, Huang M, Liu C, Wang J, Zou L, Yang F, Zhu R. Curcumin protects against fenvalerate-induced neurotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae through inhibition of oxidative stress. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 264:115484. [PMID: 37716069 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115484] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Fenvalerate (FEN), a typical type II pyrethroid pesticide, is widely used in agriculture. FEN has been detected in the environment and human body. However, the neurotoxicity of FEN has not been well elucidated. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying FEN-induced neurotoxicity using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. We also investigated whether curcumin (CUR), a polyphenol antioxidant that exhibits neuroprotective properties, can prevent FEN-induced neurotoxicity. Here, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 3.5, 7 and 14 μg/L of FEN from 4 to 96 h post fertilization (hpf) and neurotoxicity was assessed. Our results showed that FEN decreased the survival rate, heart rate, body length and spontaneous movement, and increased malformation rate. FEN caused neurobehavioral alterations, including decreased swimming distance and velocity, movement time and clockwise rotation times. FEN also suppressed neurogenesis in transgenic HuC:egfp zebrafish, reduced cholinesterase activity and downregulated the expression of neurodevelopment related genes (elavl3, gfap, gap43 and mbp). In addition, FEN enhanced oxidative stress via excessive reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzyme inhibition, then triggered apoptosis by upregulation of apoptotic genes (p53, bcl-2, bax and caspase 3). These adverse outcomes were alleviated by CUR, indicating that CUR mitigated FEN-induced neurotoxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress. Overall, this study revealed that CUR ameliorated FEN-induced neurotoxicity via its antioxidant, indicating a promising protection of CUR against environmental pollutant-induced developmental anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiansheng Zhu
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, PR China
| | - Mingtao Huang
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Chunlan Liu
- Jiangsu Health Vocational College, Nanjing 211800, PR China
| | - Jingyu Wang
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Li Zou
- Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing 210004, PR China
| | - Fan Yang
- Institute of Geriatrics, Affiliated Nantong Hospital of Shanghai University, The Sixth People's Hospital of Nantong, Nantong 226011, PR China.
| | - Renfei Zhu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, PR China.
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6
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Žmudová Z, Šanderová Z, Liegertová M, Vinopal S, Herma R, Sušický L, Müllerová M, Strašák T, Malý J. Biodistribution and toxicity assessment of methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimers in 2D and 3D cell cultures of human cancer cells and zebrafish embryos. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15477. [PMID: 37726330 PMCID: PMC10509138 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42850-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The consideration of human and environmental exposure to dendrimers, including cytotoxicity, acute toxicity, and cell and tissue accumulation, is essential due to their significant potential for various biomedical applications. This study aimed to evaluate the biodistribution and toxicity of a novel methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimer, a potential mitochondria-targeting vector for cancer therapeutics, in 2D and 3D cancer cell cultures and zebrafish embryos. We assessed its cytotoxicity (via MTT, ATP, and Spheroid growth inhibition assays) and cellular biodistribution. The dendrimer cytotoxicity was higher in cancer cells, likely due to its specific targeting to the mitochondrial compartment. In vivo studies using zebrafish demonstrated dendrimer distribution within the vascular and gastrointestinal systems, indicating a biodistribution profile that may be beneficial for systemic therapeutic delivery strategies. The methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimer shows promise for applications in cancer cell delivery, but additional studies are required to confirm these findings using alternative labelling methods and more physiologically relevant models. Our results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential of carbosilane dendrimers as vectors for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Žmudová
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Šanderová
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Liegertová
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
| | - Stanislav Vinopal
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Regina Herma
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Sušický
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Müllerová
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Strašák
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
- Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals of the CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Malý
- CENAB, Faculty of Science, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí Nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
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Hedge JM, Hunter DL, Sanders E, Jarema KA, Olin JK, Britton KN, Lowery M, Knapp BR, Padilla S, Hill BN. Influence of Methylene Blue or Dimethyl Sulfoxide on Larval Zebrafish Development and Behavior. Zebrafish 2023; 20:132-145. [PMID: 37406269 PMCID: PMC10627343 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2023.0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of larval zebrafish developmental testing and assessment, specifically larval zebrafish locomotor activity, has been recognized as a higher throughput testing strategy to identify developmentally toxic and neurotoxic chemicals. There are, however, no standardized protocols for this type of assay, which could result in confounding variables being overlooked. Two chemicals commonly employed during early-life stage zebrafish assays, methylene blue (antifungal agent) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, a commonly used vehicle) have been reported to affect the morphology and behavior of freshwater fish. In this study, we conducted developmental toxicity (morphology) and neurotoxicity (behavior) assessments of commonly employed concentrations for both chemicals (0.6-10.0 μM methylene blue; 0.3%-1.0% v/v DMSO). A light-dark transition behavioral testing paradigm was applied to morphologically normal, 6 days postfertilization (dpf) zebrafish larvae kept at 26°C. Additionally, an acute DMSO challenge was administered based on early-life stage zebrafish assays typically used in this research area. Results from developmental toxicity screens were similar between both chemicals with no morphological abnormalities detected at any of the concentrations tested. However, neurodevelopmental results were mixed between the two chemicals of interest. Methylene blue resulted in no behavioral changes up to the highest concentration tested, 10.0 μM. By contrast, DMSO altered larval behavior following developmental exposure at concentrations as low as 0.5% (v/v) and exhibited differential concentration-response patterns in the light and dark photoperiods. These results indicate that developmental DMSO exposure can affect larval zebrafish locomotor activity at routinely used concentrations in developmental neurotoxicity assessments, whereas methylene blue does not appear to be developmentally or neurodevelopmentally toxic to larval zebrafish at routinely used concentrations. These results also highlight the importance of understanding the influence of experimental conditions on larval zebrafish locomotor activity that may ultimately confound the interpretation of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan M. Hedge
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Advanced Experimental Toxicology Models Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Deborah L. Hunter
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Erik Sanders
- Aquatics Lab Services LLC 1112 Nashville Street St. Peters, MO 63376, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Jarema
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Immediate Office, Program Operations Staff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Jeanene K. Olin
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Katy N. Britton
- ORAU Research Participation Program hosted by EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Morgan Lowery
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Bridget R. Knapp
- ORISE Research Participation Program hosted by EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Stephanie Padilla
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
| | - Bridgett N. Hill
- ORISE Research Participation Program hosted by EPA, Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, USA
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8
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Kang J, Ai Q, Zhao A, Wang H, Zhang X, Liu Y, Zhang L, Liu Y. Neurotoxicological mechanisms of carbon quantum dots in a new animal model Dugesia japonica. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:711-719. [PMID: 37386302 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02671-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
As luminescent nanomaterials, the carbon quantum dots (CQDs) research focused on emerging applications since their discovery. However, their toxicological effects on the natural environment are still unclear. The freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica is distributed extensively in aquatic ecosystems and can regenerate a new brain in 5 days after amputation. Therefore it can be used as a new model organism in the field of neuroregeneration toxicology. In our study, D. japonica was cut and incubated in medium treated with CQDs. The results showed that the injured planarian lost the neuronal ability of brain regeneration after treatment with CQDs. Its Hh signalling system was interfered with at Day 5, and all cultured pieces died on or before Day 10 due to head lysis. Our work reveals that CQDs might affect the nerve regeneration of freshwater planarians via the Hh signalling pathway. The results of this study improve our understanding of CQD neuronal development toxicology and can aid in the development of warning systems for aquatic ecosystem damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Kang
- College of Life Science, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
| | - Qing Ai
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ang Zhao
- College of Life Science, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Haijiao Wang
- College of Life Science, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xiangpeng Zhang
- Third Affiliated Hospital, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yanli Liu
- College of Life Science, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | | | - Yuqing Liu
- College of Life Science, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
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9
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Gosline SJC, Kim DN, Pande P, Thomas DG, Truong L, Hoffman P, Barton M, Loftus J, Moran A, Hampton S, Dowson S, Franklin L, Degnan D, Anderson L, Thessen A, Tanguay RL, Anderson KA, Waters KM. The Superfund Research Program Analytics Portal: linking environmental chemical exposure to biological phenotypes. Sci Data 2023; 10:151. [PMID: 36944655 PMCID: PMC10030892 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02021-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The OSU/PNNL Superfund Research Program (SRP) represents a longstanding collaboration to quantify Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) at various superfund sites in the Pacific Northwest and assess their potential impact on human health. To link the chemical measurements to biological activity, we describe the use of the zebrafish as a high-throughput developmental toxicity model that provides quantitative measurements of the exposure to chemicals. Toward this end, we have linked over 150 PAHs found at Superfund sites to the effect of these same chemicals in zebrafish, creating a rich dataset that links environmental exposure to biological response. To quantify this response, we have implemented a dose-response modelling pipeline to calculate benchmark dose parameters which enable potency comparison across over 500 chemicals and 12 of the phenotypes measured in zebrafish. We provide a rich dataset for download and analysis as well as a web portal that provides public access to this dataset via an interactive web site designed to support exploration and re-use of these data by the scientific community at http://srp.pnnl.gov .
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Doo Nam Kim
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Paritosh Pande
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Joseph Loftus
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Addy Moran
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Shawn Hampton
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Scott Dowson
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | - David Degnan
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | | | - Anne Thessen
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School, Denver, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Katrina M Waters
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA.
- Oregon State University, Corvallis, WA, USA.
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10
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Ireland D, Collins EMS. New Worm on the Block: Planarians in (Neuro)Toxicology. Curr Protoc 2022; 2:e637. [PMID: 36571713 PMCID: PMC9797031 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.637] [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] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Traditional mammalian testing is too time- and cost-intensive to keep up with the large number of environmental chemicals needing assessment. This has led to a dearth of information about the potential adverse effects of these chemicals, especially on the developing brain. Thus, there is an urgent need for rapid and cost-effective neurotoxicity and developmental neurotoxicity testing. Because of the complexity of the brain, metabolically competent organismal models are necessary to understand the effects of chemicals on nervous system development and function on a systems level. In this overview, we showcase asexual freshwater planarians as an alternative invertebrate ("non-animal") organismal model for neurotoxicology research. Planarians have long been used to study the effects of chemicals on regeneration and behavior. But they have only recently moved back into the spotlight because modern molecular and computational approaches now enable quantitative high-content and high-throughput toxicity studies. Here, we present a short history of the use of planarians in toxicology research, highlight current techniques to measure toxicity qualitatively and quantitatively in planarians, and discuss how to further promote this non-animal organismal system into mainstream toxicology research. The articles in this collection will help work towards this goal by providing detailed protocols that can be adopted by the community to standardize planarian toxicity testing. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Ireland
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States of America
| | - Eva-Maria S. Collins
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States of America
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
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11
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Ireland D, Zhang S, Bochenek V, Hsieh JH, Rabeler C, Meyer Z, Collins EMS. Differences in neurotoxic outcomes of organophosphorus pesticides revealed via multi-dimensional screening in adult and regenerating planarians. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:948455. [PMID: 36267428 PMCID: PMC9578561 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.948455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are a chemically diverse class of commonly used insecticides. Epidemiological studies suggest that low dose chronic prenatal and infant exposures can lead to life-long neurological damage and behavioral disorders. While inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the shared mechanism of acute OP neurotoxicity, OP-induced developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) can occur independently and/or in the absence of significant AChE inhibition, implying that OPs affect alternative targets. Moreover, different OPs can cause different adverse outcomes, suggesting that different OPs act through different mechanisms. These findings emphasize the importance of comparative studies of OP toxicity. Freshwater planarians are an invertebrate system that uniquely allows for automated, rapid and inexpensive testing of adult and developing organisms in parallel to differentiate neurotoxicity from DNT. Effects found only in regenerating planarians would be indicative of DNT, whereas shared effects may represent neurotoxicity. We leverage this unique feature of planarians to investigate potential differential effects of OPs on the adult and developing brain by performing a comparative screen to test 7 OPs (acephate, chlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, diazinon, malathion, parathion and profenofos) across 10 concentrations in quarter-log steps. Neurotoxicity was evaluated using a wide range of quantitative morphological and behavioral readouts. AChE activity was measured using an Ellman assay. The toxicological profiles of the 7 OPs differed across the OPs and between adult and regenerating planarians. Toxicological profiles were not correlated with levels of AChE inhibition. Twenty-two "mechanistic control compounds" known to target pathways suggested in the literature to be affected by OPs (cholinergic neurotransmission, serotonin neurotransmission, endocannabinoid system, cytoskeleton, adenyl cyclase and oxidative stress) and 2 negative controls were also screened. When compared with the mechanistic control compounds, the phenotypic profiles of the different OPs separated into distinct clusters. The phenotypic profiles of adult vs. regenerating planarians exposed to the OPs clustered differently, suggesting some developmental-specific mechanisms. These results further support findings in other systems that OPs cause different adverse outcomes in the (developing) brain and build the foundation for future comparative studies focused on delineating the mechanisms of OP neurotoxicity in planarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Ireland
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States
| | - Siqi Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Veronica Bochenek
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States
| | - Jui-Hua Hsieh
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Christina Rabeler
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States
| | - Zane Meyer
- Department of Engineering, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States,Department of Computer Science, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States
| | - Eva-Maria S. Collins
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, United States,Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Eva-Maria S. Collins,
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12
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Jarema KA, Hunter DL, Hill BN, Olin JK, Britton KN, Waalkes MR, Padilla S. Developmental Neurotoxicity and Behavioral Screening in Larval Zebrafish with a Comparison to Other Published Results. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10050256. [PMID: 35622669 PMCID: PMC9145655 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10050256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
With the abundance of chemicals in the environment that could potentially cause neurodevelopmental deficits, there is a need for rapid testing and chemical screening assays. This study evaluated the developmental toxicity and behavioral effects of 61 chemicals in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae using a behavioral Light/Dark assay. Larvae (n = 16–24 per concentration) were exposed to each chemical (0.0001–120 μM) during development and locomotor activity was assessed. Approximately half of the chemicals (n = 30) did not show any gross developmental toxicity (i.e., mortality, dysmorphology or non-hatching) at the highest concentration tested. Twelve of the 31 chemicals that did elicit developmental toxicity were toxic at the highest concentration only, and thirteen chemicals were developmentally toxic at concentrations of 10 µM or lower. Eleven chemicals caused behavioral effects; four chemicals (6-aminonicotinamide, cyclophosphamide, paraquat, phenobarbital) altered behavior in the absence of developmental toxicity. In addition to screening a library of chemicals for developmental neurotoxicity, we also compared our findings with previously published results for those chemicals. Our comparison revealed a general lack of standardized reporting of experimental details, and it also helped identify some chemicals that appear to be consistent positives and negatives across multiple laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Jarema
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Immediate Office, Program Operations Staff, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
- Correspondence: (K.A.J.); (S.P.); Tel.: +1-919-541-2299 (K.A.J.); +1-919-541-3956 (S.P.)
| | - Deborah L. Hunter
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA; (D.L.H.); (J.K.O.)
| | - Bridgett N. Hill
- ORISE Research Participation Program Hosted by EPA, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA;
| | - Jeanene K. Olin
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA; (D.L.H.); (J.K.O.)
| | - Katy N. Britton
- ORAU Research Participation Program Hosted by EPA, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA;
| | - Matthew R. Waalkes
- ORISE Research Participation Program Hosted by EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Integrated Systems Toxicology Division, Genetic and Cellular Toxicology Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA;
| | - Stephanie Padilla
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Rapid Assay Development Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA; (D.L.H.); (J.K.O.)
- Correspondence: (K.A.J.); (S.P.); Tel.: +1-919-541-2299 (K.A.J.); +1-919-541-3956 (S.P.)
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13
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Abstract
Zebrafish behavioral assays are commonly used to identify and study environmental stressors that elicit adverse effects on neurobehavior. Behavioral assay platforms are available for multiple life stages (embryonic, juvenile, and adults) and are robust in detecting stressor-induced acute effects on neurodevelopment as well as long term deficits in sensory mechanisms, social behavior, learning, memory, and neurodegenerative diseases. Within this chapter, we present an overview of zebrafish behavioral assays that are commonly used to study environmental neurotoxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subham Dasgupta
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Michael T Simonich
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Robyn L Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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14
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Lee SY, Lee DY, Kang JH, Jeong JW, Kim JH, Kim HW, Oh DH, Kim JM, Rhim SJ, Kim GD, Kim HS, Jang YD, Park Y, Hur SJ. Alternative experimental approaches to reduce animal use in biomedical studies. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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15
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Bauer B, Mally A, Liedtke D. Zebrafish Embryos and Larvae as Alternative Animal Models for Toxicity Testing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13417. [PMID: 34948215 PMCID: PMC8707050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Prerequisite to any biological laboratory assay employing living animals is consideration about its necessity, feasibility, ethics and the potential harm caused during an experiment. The imperative of these thoughts has led to the formulation of the 3R-principle, which today is a pivotal scientific standard of animal experimentation worldwide. The rising amount of laboratory investigations utilizing living animals throughout the last decades, either for regulatory concerns or for basic science, demands the development of alternative methods in accordance with 3R to help reduce experiments in mammals. This demand has resulted in investigation of additional vertebrate species displaying favourable biological properties. One prominent species among these is the zebrafish (Danio rerio), as these small laboratory ray-finned fish are well established in science today and feature outstanding biological characteristics. In this review, we highlight the advantages and general prerequisites of zebrafish embryos and larvae before free-feeding stages for toxicological testing, with a particular focus on cardio-, neuro, hepato- and nephrotoxicity. Furthermore, we discuss toxicokinetics, current advances in utilizing zebrafish for organ toxicity testing and highlight how advanced laboratory methods (such as automation, advanced imaging and genetic techniques) can refine future toxicological studies in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Bauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Angela Mally
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97078 Würzburg, Germany; (B.B.); (A.M.)
| | - Daniel Liedtke
- Institute of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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16
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Morris J, Bealer EJ, Souza IDS, Repmann L, Bonelli H, Stanzione JF, Staehle MM. Chemical Exposure-Induced Developmental Neurotoxicity in Head-Regenerating Schmidtea Mediterranea. Toxicol Sci 2021; 185:220-231. [PMID: 34791476 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfab132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The growing number of commercially-used chemicals that are under-evaluated for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) combined with the difficulty in describing the etiology of exposure-related neurodevelopmental toxicity has created a reticent threat to human health. Current means of screening chemicals for DNT are limited to expensive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive traditional laboratory animal models. In this study, we hypothesize that exposed head regenerating planarian flatworms can effectively and efficiently categorize DNT in known developmental neurotoxins (ethanol and bisphenol A (BPA)). Planarian flatworms are an established alternative animal model for neurodevelopmental studies and have remarkable regenerative abilities allowing neurodevelopment to be induced via head resection. Here, we observed changes in photophobic behavior and central nervous system (CNS) morphology to evaluate the impact of exposure to low concentrations of ethanol, BPA, and BPA industry alternatives bisphenol F (BPF), and bisguaiacol (BG) on neurodevelopment. Our studies show that exposure to 1% v/v ethanol during regeneration induces a recoverable 48-hour delay in the development of proper CNS integrity, which aligns with behavioral assessments of cognitive ability. Exposure to BPA and its alternatives induced deviations to neurodevelopment in a range of severities, distinguished by suppressions, delays, or a combination of the two. These results suggest that quick and inexpensive behavioral assessments are a viable surrogate for tedious and costly immunostaining studies, equipping more utility and resolution to the planarian model for neurodevelopmental toxicity in the future of mass chemical screening. These studies demonstrate that behavioral phenotypes observed following chemical exposure are classifiable and also temporally correlated to the anatomical development of the central nervous system in planaria. This will facilitate and accelerate toxicological screening assays with this alternative animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Morris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - E J Bealer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - I D S Souza
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - L Repmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - H Bonelli
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - J F Stanzione
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
| | - M M Staehle
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
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17
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Cao Z, Su M, Wang H, Zhou L, Meng Z, Xiong G, Liao X, Lu H. Carboxyl graphene oxide nanoparticles induce neurodevelopmental defects and locomotor disorders in zebrafish larvae. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 270:128611. [PMID: 33092822 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128611] [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: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Graphene-family nanomaterials (GFNs) have been widely used in various fields due to their excellent properties. However, GFNs safety and environmental health have attracted more and more attentions and their potential toxic effects on organisms and the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. In this study, we utilized zebrafish to evaluate the toxicity of Carboxyl graphene oxide (GO-COOH). Exposure of zebrafish embryos to 10, 50 and 100 mg/L GO-COOH specifically induced neurodevelopmental abnormalities and altered tendency of locomotor in larval fish. Furthermore, GO-COOH exposure led to increase of AchE and ATPase activities and oxidative stress upregulation, and disrupted the expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment and neurotransmitter pathway. Interestingly, we found that Parkinson's disease-related genes' expression were disordered after GO-COOH treatment. Fullerenes and astaxanthin rescued the neurodevelopmental defects, tendency of locomotor and expression of Parkinson's disease-related genes caused by GO-COOH through downregulating oxidative stress. Therefore, our results suggest that GO-COOH has the potential to induce neurotoxicity and Parkinson's disease-like symptoms in zebrafish larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zigang Cao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009 Jiangxi, China
| | - Meile Su
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Honglei Wang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009 Jiangxi, China
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhen Meng
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guanghua Xiong
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009 Jiangxi, China
| | - Xinjun Liao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009 Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China; Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009 Jiangxi, China.
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18
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Dasgupta S, Dunham CL, Truong L, Simonich MT, Sullivan CM, Tanguay RL. Phenotypically Anchored mRNA and miRNA Expression Profiling in Zebrafish Reveals Flame Retardant Chemical Toxicity Networks. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:663032. [PMID: 33898466 PMCID: PMC8063052 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.663032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous use of flame retardant chemicals (FRCs) in the manufacture of many consumer products leads to inevitable environmental releases and human exposures. Studying toxic effects of FRCs as a group is challenging since they widely differ in physicochemical properties. We previously used zebrafish as a model to screen 61 representative FRCs and showed that many induced behavioral and teratogenic effects, with aryl phosphates identified as the most active. In this study, we selected 10 FRCs belonging to diverse physicochemical classes and zebrafish toxicity profiles to identify the gene expression responses following exposures. For each FRC, we executed paired mRNA-micro-RNA (miR) sequencing, which enabled us to study mRNA expression patterns and investigate the role of miRs as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. We found widespread disruption of mRNA and miR expression across several FRCs. Neurodevelopment was a key disrupted biological process across multiple FRCs and was corroborated by behavioral deficits. Several mRNAs (e.g., osbpl2a) and miRs (e.g., mir-125b-5p), showed differential expression common to multiple FRCs (10 and 7 respectively). These common miRs were also predicted to regulate a network of differentially expressed genes with diverse functions, including apoptosis, neurodevelopment, lipid regulation and inflammation. Commonly disrupted transcription factors (TFs) such as retinoic acid receptor, retinoid X receptor, and vitamin D regulator were predicted to regulate a wide network of differentially expressed mRNAs across a majority of the FRCs. Many of the differential mRNA-TF and mRNA-miR pairs were predicted to play important roles in development as well as cancer signaling. Specific comparisons between TBBPA and its derivative TBBPA-DBPE showed contrasting gene expression patterns that corroborated with their phenotypic profiles. The newer generation FRCs such as IPP and TCEP produced distinct gene expression changes compared to the legacy FRC BDE-47. Our study is the first to establish a mRNA-miR-TF regulatory network across a large group of structurally diverse FRCs and diverse phenotypic responses. The purpose was to discover common and unique biological targets that will help us understand mechanisms of action for these important chemicals and establish this approach as an important tool for better understanding toxic effects of environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subham Dasgupta
- The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Cheryl L. Dunham
- The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Lisa Truong
- The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Michael T. Simonich
- The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Christopher M. Sullivan
- Center for Genome Research and Computing, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Robyn L. Tanguay
- The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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19
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Almurshidi BH, Van Court R, Vega Gutierrez SM, Harper S, Harper B, Robinson SC. Preliminary Examination of the Toxicity of Spalting Fungal Pigments: A Comparison between Extraction Methods. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:jof7020155. [PMID: 33671668 PMCID: PMC7926312 DOI: 10.3390/jof7020155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spalting fungal pigments have shown potential in technologies ranging from green energy generation to natural colorants. However, their unknown toxicity has been a barrier to industrial adoption. In order to gain an understanding of the safety of the pigments, zebrafish embryos were exposed to multiple forms of liquid media and solvent-extracted pigments with concentrations of purified pigment ranging from 0 to 50 mM from Chlorociboria aeruginosa, Chlorociboria aeruginascens, and Scytalidium cuboideum. Purified xylindein from Chlorociboria sp. did not show toxicity at any tested concentration, while the red pigment dramada from S. cuboideum was only associated with significant toxicity above 23.2 uM. However, liquid cultures and pigment extracted into dichloromethane (DCM) showed toxicity, suggesting the co-production of bioactive secondary metabolites. Future research on purification and the bioavailability of the red dramada pigment will be important to identify appropriate use; however, purified forms of the blue-green pigment xylindein are likely safe for use across industries. This opens the door to the adoption of green technologies based on these pigments, with potential to replace synthetic colorants and less stable natural pigments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badria H. Almurshidi
- Department of Wood Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA; (B.H.A.); (R.C.V.C.); (S.M.V.G.)
| | - R.C. Van Court
- Department of Wood Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA; (B.H.A.); (R.C.V.C.); (S.M.V.G.)
| | - Sarath M. Vega Gutierrez
- Department of Wood Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA; (B.H.A.); (R.C.V.C.); (S.M.V.G.)
| | - Stacey Harper
- Department of Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (S.H.); (B.H.)
| | - Bryan Harper
- Department of Toxicology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (S.H.); (B.H.)
| | - Seri C. Robinson
- Department of Wood Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA; (B.H.A.); (R.C.V.C.); (S.M.V.G.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Jarque S, Rubio-Brotons M, Ibarra J, Ordoñez V, Dyballa S, Miñana R, Terriente J. Morphometric analysis of developing zebrafish embryos allows predicting teratogenicity modes of action in higher vertebrates. Reprod Toxicol 2020; 96:337-348. [PMID: 32822784 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The early identification of teratogens in humans and animals is mandatory for drug discovery and development. Zebrafish has emerged as an alternative model to traditional preclinical models for predicting teratogenicity and other potential chemical-induced toxicity hazards. To prove its predictivity, we exposed zebrafish embryos from 0 to 96 h post fertilization to a battery of 31 compounds classified as teratogens or non-teratogens in mammals. The teratogenicity score was based on the measurement of 16 phenotypical parameters, namely heart edema, pigmentation, body length, eye size, yolk size, yolk sac edema, otic vesicle defects, otoliths defects, body axis defects, developmental delay, tail bending, scoliosis, lateral fins absence, hatching ratio, lower jaw malformations and tissue necrosis. Among the 31 compounds, 20 were detected as teratogens and 11 as non-teratogens, resulting in 94.44 % sensitivity, 90.91 % specificity and 87.10 % accuracy compared to rodents. These percentages decreased slightly when referred to humans, with 87.50 % sensitivity, 81.82 % specificity and 74.19 % accuracy, but allowed an increase in the prediction levels reported by rodents for the same compounds. Positive compounds showed a high correlation among teratogenic parameters, pointing out at general developmental delay as major cause to explain the physiological/morphological malformations. A more detailed analysis based on deviations from main trends revealed potential specific modes of action for some compounds such as retinoic acid, DEAB, ochratoxin A, haloperidol, warfarin, valproic acid, acetaminophen, dasatinib, imatinib, dexamethasone, 6-aminonicotinamide and bisphenol A. The high degree of predictivity and the possibility of applying mechanistic approaches makes zebrafish a powerful model for screening teratogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Jarque
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maria Rubio-Brotons
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jone Ibarra
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Ordoñez
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sylvia Dyballa
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Miñana
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Terriente
- ZeClinics SL, Carretera de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, Edificio IGTP Muntanya, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Ireland D, Bochenek V, Chaiken D, Rabeler C, Onoe S, Soni A, Collins EMS. Dugesia japonica is the best suited of three planarian species for high-throughput toxicology screening. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 253:126718. [PMID: 32298908 PMCID: PMC7350771 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
High-throughput screening (HTS) using new approach methods is revolutionizing toxicology. Asexual freshwater planarians are a promising invertebrate model for neurotoxicity HTS because their diverse behaviors can be used as quantitative readouts of neuronal function. Currently, three planarian species are commonly used in toxicology research: Dugesia japonica, Schmidtea mediterranea, and Girardia tigrina. However, only D. japonica has been demonstrated to be suitable for HTS. Here, we assess the two other species for HTS suitability by direct comparison with D. japonica. Through quantitative assessments of morphology and multiple behaviors, we assayed the effects of 4 common solvents (DMSO, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate) and a negative control (sorbitol) on neurodevelopment. Each chemical was screened blind at 5 concentrations at two time points over a twelve-day period. We obtained two main results: First, G. tigrina and S. mediterranea planarians showed significantly reduced movement compared to D. japonica under HTS conditions, due to decreased health over time and lack of movement under red lighting, respectively. This made it difficult to obtain meaningful readouts from these species. Second, we observed species differences in sensitivity to the solvents, suggesting that care must be taken when extrapolating chemical effects across planarian species. Overall, our data show that D. japonica is best suited for behavioral HTS given the limitations of the other species. Standardizing which planarian species is used in neurotoxicity screening will facilitate data comparisons across research groups and accelerate the application of this promising invertebrate system for first-tier chemical HTS, helping streamline toxicology testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Chaiken
- Department of Computer Science, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | | | - Sumi Onoe
- Department of Computer Science, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | - Ameet Soni
- Department of Computer Science, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | - Eva-Maria S Collins
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA; Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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22
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Gambino G, Ippolito C, Modeo L, Salvetti A, Rossi L. 5-Fluorouracil-treated planarians, a versatile model system for studying stem cell heterogeneity and tissue aging. Biol Cell 2020; 112:335-348. [PMID: 32640042 DOI: 10.1111/boc.202000040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Planarians are a sound, well-established model system for molecular studies in the field of stem cells, cell differentiation, developmental biology and translational research. Treated stem cell-less planarians produced by X-ray treatment are commonly used to study stem cell transcriptional profile and their role in planarian biological processes. X-ray induces oxidative and DNA damage to differentiated cells, requires expensive radiation machines that are not available in most of the research centres and demand rigorous risk management and dedicated staff. RESULTS We tested the use of the well-known antimetabolite genotoxic drug 5-fluorouracil which mainly affects proliferating cells in way to demonstrate its use in replacing X-ray treatment. We succeeded in demonstrating ability of high doses of 5-fluorouracil to deplete Dugesia japonica stem cells and in identifying a 5-fluorouracil transiently resistant population of lineage committed stem cells. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE Our results encourage the use of 5-fluorouracil-treated planarians as a model system for studying mechanisms of resistance to genotoxicants, planarian stem cell heterogeneity and molecular cascades of tissue aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetana Gambino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Chiara Ippolito
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Letizia Modeo
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Alessandra Salvetti
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
| | - Leonardo Rossi
- CISUP, Centro per l'Integrazione della Strumentazione dell'Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
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23
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Carbaugh CM, Widder MW, Phillips CS, Jackson DA, DiVito VT, van der Schalie WH, Glover KP. Assessment of zebrafish embryo photomotor response sensitivity and phase-specific patterns following acute- and long-duration exposure to neurotoxic chemicals and chemical weapon precursors. J Appl Toxicol 2020; 40:1272-1283. [PMID: 32378258 PMCID: PMC7496110 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish are an attractive model for chemical screening due to their adaptability to high‐throughput platforms and ability to display complex phenotypes in response to chemical exposure. The photomotor response (PMR) is an established and reproducible phenotype of the zebrafish embryo, observed 24 h post‐fertilization in response to a predefined sequence of light stimuli. In an effort to evaluate the sensitivity and effectiveness of the zebrafish embryo PMR assay for toxicity screening, we analyzed chemicals known to cause both neurological effects and developmental abnormalities, following both short (1 h) and long (16 h+) duration exposures. These include chemicals that inhibit aerobic respiration (eg, cyanide), acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors (organophosphates pesticides) and several chemical weapon precursor compounds with variable toxicity profiles and poorly understood mechanisms of toxicity. We observed notable concentration‐responsive, phase‐specific effects in the PMR after exposure to chemicals with a known mechanism of action. Chemicals with a more general toxicity profile (toxic chemical weapon precursors) appeared to reduce all phases of the PMR without a notable phase‐specific effect. Overall, 10 of 20 chemicals evaluated elicited an effect on the PMR response and eight of those 10 chemicals were picked up in both the short‐ and long‐duration assays. In addition, the patterns of response uniquely differentiated chemical weapon precursor effects from those elicited by inhibitors of aerobic respiration and organophosphates. By providing a rapid screening test for neurobehavioral effects, the zebrafish PMR test could help identify potential mechanisms of action and target compounds for more detailed follow‐on toxicological evaluations. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. In an effort to evaluate the sensitivity and effectiveness of the zebrafish embryo photomotor response (PMR) assay for toxicity screening, we analyzed chemicals known to cause both neurological effects and developmental abnormalities, following both short‐ (1 h) and long‐duration (16 h+) exposures. Overall, 10 of 20 chemicals evaluated elicited an effect on the PMR assay and eight of those 10 chemicals were picked up in both the short‐ and long‐duration assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chance M Carbaugh
- U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland.,Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Mark W Widder
- U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Christopher S Phillips
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
| | - David A Jackson
- U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Valerie T DiVito
- U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Military Operational Medicine Research Program, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland
| | - William H van der Schalie
- U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland.,Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Kyle P Glover
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland
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24
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Hawkey AB, Glazer L, Dean C, Wells CN, Odamah KA, Slotkin TA, Seidler FJ, Levin ED. Adult exposure to insecticides causes persistent behavioral and neurochemical alterations in zebrafish. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 78:106853. [PMID: 31911208 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Farmers are often chronically exposed to insecticides, which may present health risks including increased risk of neurobehavioral impairment during adulthood and across aging. Experimental animal studies complement epidemiological studies to help determine the cause-and-effect relationship between chronic adult insecticide exposure and behavioral dysfunction. With the zebrafish model, we examined short and long-term neurobehavioral effects of exposure to either an organochlorine insecticide, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) or an organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF). Adult fish were exposed continuously for either two or 5 weeks (10-30 nM DDT, 0.3-3 μM CPF), with short- and long-term effects assessed at 1-week post-exposure and at 14 months of age respectively. The behavioral test battery included tests of locomotor activity, tap startle, social behavior, anxiety, predator avoidance and learning. Long-term effects on neurochemical indices of cholinergic function were also assessed. Two weeks of DDT exposure had only slight effects on locomotor activity, while a longer five-week exposure led to hypoactivity and increased anxiety-like diving responses and predator avoidance at 1-week post-exposure. When tested at 14 months of age, these fish showed hypoactivity and increased startle responses. Cholinergic function was not found to be significantly altered by DDT. The two-week CPF exposure led to reductions in anxiety-like diving and increases in shoaling responses at the 1-week time point, but these effects did not persist through 14 months of age. Nevertheless, there were persistent decrements in cholinergic presynaptic activity. A five-week CPF exposure led to long-term effects including locomotor hyperactivity and impaired predator avoidance at 14 months of age, although no effects were apparent at the 1-week time point. These studies documented neurobehavioral effects of adult exposure to chronic doses of either organochlorine or organophosphate pesticides that can be characterized in zebrafish. Zebrafish provide a low-cost model that has a variety of advantages for mechanistic studies and may be used to expand our understanding of neurobehavioral toxicity in adulthood, including the potential for such toxicity to influence behavior and development during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Hawkey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lilah Glazer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Cassandra Dean
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Corinne N Wells
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Kathryn-Ann Odamah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Theodore A Slotkin
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Frederic J Seidler
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Edward D Levin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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25
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Zhang S, Hagstrom D, Hayes P, Graham A, Collins EMS. Multi-Behavioral Endpoint Testing of an 87-Chemical Compound Library in Freshwater Planarians. Toxicol Sci 2019; 167:26-44. [PMID: 29893936 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increased recognition in the field of toxicology of the value of medium-to-high-throughput screening methods using in vitro and alternative animal models. We have previously introduced the asexual freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica as a new alternative animal model and proposed that it is particularly well-suited for the study of developmental neurotoxicology. In this article, we discuss how we have expanded and automated our screening methodology to allow for fast screening of multiple behavioral endpoints, developmental toxicity, and mortality. Using an 87-compound library provided by the National Toxicology Program, consisting of known and suspected neurotoxicants, including drugs, flame retardants, industrial chemicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and presumptive negative controls, we further evaluate the benefits and limitations of the system for medium-throughput screening, focusing on the technical aspects of the system. We show that, in the context of this library, planarians are the most sensitive to pesticides with 16/16 compounds causing toxicity and the least sensitive to PAHs, with only 5/17 causing toxicity. Furthermore, while none of the presumptive negative controls were bioactive in adult planarians, 2/5, acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid, were bioactive in regenerating worms. Notably, these compounds were previously reported as developmentally toxic in mammalian studies. Through parallel screening of adults and developing animals, planarians are thus a useful model to detect such developmental-specific effects, which was observed for 13 chemicals in this library. We use the data and experience gained from this screen to propose guidelines for best practices when using planarians for toxicology screens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Eva-Maria S Collins
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology.,Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla California 92093.,Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
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26
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Dach K, Yaghoobi B, Schmuck MR, Carty DR, Morales KM, Lein PJ. Teratological and Behavioral Screening of the National Toxicology Program 91-Compound Library in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). Toxicol Sci 2019; 167:77-91. [PMID: 30364989 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To screen the tens of thousands of chemicals for which no toxicity data currently exists, it is necessary to move from in vivo rodent models to alternative models, such as zebrafish. Here, we used dechorionated Tropical 5D wild-type zebrafish embryos to screen a 91-compound library provided by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) for developmental toxicity. This library contained 86 unique chemicals that included negative controls, flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), drugs, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Fish were exposed to 5 concentrations of each chemical or an equal amount of vehicle (0.5% DMSO) in embryo medium from 6 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). Fish were examined daily for mortality and teratogenic effects and photomotor behavior was assessed at 4 and 5 dpf. Of the 5 negative control compounds in the library, none caused mortality/teratogenesis, but two altered behavior. Chemicals provided in duplicate produced similar outcomes. Overall, 13 compounds caused mortality/teratology but not behavioral abnormalities, 24 only affected behavior, and 18 altered both endpoints, with behavior affected at concentrations that did not cause mortality/teratology (55/86 hits). Of the compounds that affected behavior, 52% caused behavioral abnormalities at either 4 or 5 dpf. Compounds within the same functional group caused different behavioral abnormalities, while similar behavioral patterns were caused by compounds from different groups. Our data suggest that behavior is a sensitive endpoint for developmental toxicity screening that integrates multiple modes of toxic action and is influenced by the age of the larval fish at the time of testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Dach
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
| | - Bianca Yaghoobi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
| | - Martin R Schmuck
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
| | - Dennis R Carty
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
| | - Kelly M Morales
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA California 95616
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27
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Behl M, Ryan K, Hsieh JH, Parham F, Shapiro AJ, Collins BJ, Sipes NS, Birnbaum LS, Bucher JR, Foster PMD, Walker NJ, Paules RS, Tice RR. Screening for Developmental Neurotoxicity at the National Toxicology Program: The Future Is Here. Toxicol Sci 2019; 167:6-14. [PMID: 30496580 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) receives requests to evaluate chemicals with potential to cause adverse health effects, including developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). Some recent requests have included classes of chemicals such as flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic compounds, perfluoroalkyl substances, and bisphenol A analogs with approximately 20-50 compounds per class, many of which include commercial mixtures. However, all the compounds within a class cannot be tested using traditional DNT animal testing guideline studies due to resource and time limitations. Hence, a rapid and biologically relevant screening approach is required to prioritize compounds for further in vivo testing. Because neurodevelopment is a complex process involving multiple distinct cellular processes, one assay will unlikely address the complexity. Hence, the NTP sought to characterize a battery of in vitro and alternative animal assays to quantify chemical effects on a variety of neurodevelopmental processes. A culmination of this effort resulted in a NTP-hosted collaborative project with approximately 40 participants spanning across domains of academia, industry, government, and regulatory agencies; collaborators presented data on cell-based assays and alternative animal models that was generated using a targeted set of compounds provided by the NTP. The NTP analyzed the assay results using benchmark concentration (BMC) modeling to be able to compare results across the divergent assays. The results were shared with the contributing researchers on a private web application during the workshop, and are now publicly available. This article highlights the overview and goals of the project, and describes the NTP's approach in creating the chemical library, development of NTPs data analysis strategy, and the structure of the web application. Finally, we discuss key issues with emphasis on the utility of this approach, and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for its use in regulatory decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamta Behl
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Kristen Ryan
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Jui-Hua Hsieh
- Kelly Government Solutions, Durham, North Carolina 27709
| | - Frederick Parham
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Andrew J Shapiro
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Bradley J Collins
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Nisha S Sipes
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Linda S Birnbaum
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - John R Bucher
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Paul M D Foster
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Nigel J Walker
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
| | - Richard S Paules
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709
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28
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Wang H, Zhou L, Meng Z, Su M, Zhang S, Huang P, Jiang F, Liao X, Cao Z, Lu H. Clethodim exposure induced development toxicity and behaviour alteration in early stages of zebrafish life. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 255:113218. [PMID: 31541821 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Clethodim is one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture, however, its potential toxic effects on organisms and the underlying toxicity mechanism are still poorly understood. In this study, zebrafish embryos at 6 h post-fertilization (hpf) were exposed to 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L, and 30 mg/L clethodim for up to 24 hpf, and zebrafish larvae at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) were exposed to the same density gradient for 24 h. Our results showed that clethodim could cause head and cardiovascular malformations in embryos: blurred brain ventricles, unapparent brain regions, condensation of nucleus and cytoplasm in brain cells, increased intercellular space, developmental malformations of eyes and ears, reduced neonatal neurons, disorder migration of neural ridge cells; morphological aberrations of the vascular ICM, slowing of heart beat and blood flow, reduction of circulating red blood cells, and delayed development of head and tail blood vessels. These defects could be a result of clethodim-induced oxidative stress and decreased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, which in turn affected the expression of neurodevelopmental genes, decreased ATPase activity, and ultimately led to developmental malformations. The swimming behaviour of zebrafish larvae was observed to decrease with increasing concentration of clethodim exposure, but the angular velocity and mobility increased. These could be due to reduced AChE activity and disturbed gene expression of GABA, dopamine and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems, which thus altered the locomotor behaviour. In summary, we found that clethodim induces developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryos and larvae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Wang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liqun Zhou
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhen Meng
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Meile Su
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shouhua Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Jiangxi Provincial Children's Hospital, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Pinzhen Huang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Fen Jiang
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xinjun Liao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zigang Cao
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huiqiang Lu
- Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory of Zebrafish Modeling and Drug Screening for Human Diseases, Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Organs, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China; Center for Developmental Biology of Jinggangshan University, College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, 343009, Jiangxi, China.
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29
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Holden LL, Truong L, Simonich MT, Tanguay RL. Assessing the hazard of E-Cigarette flavor mixtures using zebrafish. Food Chem Toxicol 2019; 136:110945. [PMID: 31712102 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.110945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Since 2007, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) sales in the U.S. have surpassed those of tobacco cigarettes. This is due, in part, to manufacturer's claims that they are a safer alternative to tobacco cigarettes. However, formaldehyde, acrolein, and diacetyl have been detected in e-cigarettes and public knowledge of e-cigarette composition and ingredient bioactivity is conspicuously lacking. We evaluated the toxicity of nine e-cigarette flavor mixtures and their constituents in the developmental zebrafish, an excellent whole animal biosensor of chemical hazard. Seven of the nine flavors (78%) elicited adverse developmental responses at 1% by volume. The number of toxic endpoints varied greatly between flavors. Two flavors, Grape and Bubble Gum, had similar chemical compositions, but different toxicity profiles. We hypothesized that the toxicity was driven by a constituent present only in the Bubble Gum flavor, cinnamaldehyde. To replicate this toxicity, we built our own defined mixture. The addition of varying concentrations of cinnamaldehyde suggested that it drove the toxicity of these mixtures and that e-cigarette hazard can be flavor dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Holden
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, And the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Lisa Truong
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, And the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Michael T Simonich
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, And the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Robert L Tanguay
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, And the Environmental Health Sciences Center at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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Ma KX, Song GG, Wu M, Zhang HC, Chen GW, Liu DZ. Identification of a potential tissue-specific biomarker cathepsin L-like gene from the planarian Dugesia japonica: Molecular cloning, characterization, and expression in response to heavy metal exposure. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 180:73-79. [PMID: 31075718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.04.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution is a global health issue affecting people worldwide, and the exploration of sensitive biomarkers to assess the toxicity of heavy metals is an important work for researchers. Cathepsin L, role as a tissue-specific biomarker to assess the biological effects of environmental pollutants, has not received much attention. In this work, the full-length cDNA of cathepsin L gene from the planarian Dugesia japonica (designated DjCatL) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technique. The cDNA sequence of DjCatL is 1161 bp, which encodes a protein of 346 amino acids with a molecular weight of 39.03 kDa. Sequence analysis revealed that DjCatL contains highly conserved ERF/WNIN, GNFD, and GCXGG motifs, which are the features of the cathepsin L protein family. Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) results revealed that the transcripts of DjCatL are specifically distributed in the intestinal system, suggesting that this gene is related to food digestion in planarians. Both quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and WISH results revealed that the transcriptional levels of DjCatL are inhibited significantly by heavy metal (Cd2+, Hg2+, and Cu2+) exposure in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, we proposed that cathepsin L can be used as a tissue-specific biomarker to assess the heavy metal pollution in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Xue Ma
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Ge-Ge Song
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Meng Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - He-Cai Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Guang-Wen Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - De-Zeng Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
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31
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Poirier L, Ghigo É, Daudé D, Chabrière É. [Planarian, an emerging animal model for toxicology studies]. Med Sci (Paris) 2019; 35:544-548. [PMID: 31274084 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2019110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Since a few decades, a new invertebrate animal model has emerged in toxicology studies: the planarian. This non-parasitic flatworm, from phylum Platyhelminthes, has an amazing regenerative capacity and has been described as "immortal under the edge of the knife" in 1814 by Dalyell. This formidable capacity is due to the abundance of stem cells called neoblasts, allowing for a tiny fragment equivalent to 1/279th of the size of the planarian to generate a whole animal. The planarian has also a human-like nervous system with several neurotransmitters and has been used to evaluate developmental perturbations and neurotoxicity. This review summarizes the main planarian toxicology studies and highlights the potential of this original animal model for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Poirier
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI (Microbes, Évolution, Phylogénie et Infection), IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - Éric Ghigo
- IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
| | - David Daudé
- Gene&GreenTK, 19-21, boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Éric Chabrière
- Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI (Microbes, Évolution, Phylogénie et Infection), IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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32
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Zhang S, Ireland D, Sipes NS, Behl M, Collins EMS. Screening for neurotoxic potential of 15 flame retardants using freshwater planarians. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 73:54-66. [PMID: 30943442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Asexual freshwater planarians are an attractive invertebrate model for high-throughput neurotoxicity screening, because they possess multiple quantifiable behaviors to assess distinct neuronal functions. Planarians uniquely allow direct comparisons between developing and adult animals to distinguish developmentally selective effects from general neurotoxicity. In this study, we used our automated planarian screening platform to compare the neurotoxicity of 15 flame retardants (FRs), consisting of representative phased-out brominated (BFRs) and replacement organophosphorus FRs (OPFRs). OPFRs have emerged as a proposed safer alternative to BFRs; however, limited information is available on their health effects. We found 11 of the 15 FRs (3/6 BFRs, 7/8 OPFRs, and Firemaster 550) caused adverse effects in both adult and developing planarians with similar nominal lowest-effect-levels for BFRs and OPFRs. This suggests that replacement OPFRs are comparably neurotoxic to the phased-out compounds. BFRs were primarily systemically toxic, whereas OPFRs, except Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, shared a behavioral phenotype in response to noxious heat at sublethal concentrations, indicating specific neurotoxic effects. We found this behavioral phenotype was correlated with cholinesterase inhibition, thus linking behavioral outcomes to molecular targets. By directly comparing effects on adult and developing planarians, we further found that one BFR (3,3',5,5'-Tetrabromobisphenol A) caused a developmental selective defect. Together, these results demonstrate that our planarian screening platform yields high content data from various behavioral and morphological endpoints, allowing us to distinguish selective neurotoxic effects and effects specific to the developing nervous system. Ten of these 11 bioactive FRs were previously found to be bioactive in other models, including cell culture and alternative animal models (nematodes and zebrafish). This level of concordance across different platforms emphasizes the urgent need for further evaluation of OPFRs in mammalian systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Danielle Ireland
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Biology, Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Nisha S Sipes
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Mamta Behl
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Eva-Maria S Collins
- Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Biology, Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA.
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33
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Quevedo C, Behl M, Ryan K, Paules RS, Alday A, Muriana A, Alzualde A. Detection and Prioritization of Developmentally Neurotoxic and/or Neurotoxic Compounds Using Zebrafish. Toxicol Sci 2019; 168:225-240. [PMID: 30521027 PMCID: PMC6390653 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The standard methods for toxicity testing using rodent models cannot keep pace with the increasing number of chemicals in our environment due to time and resource limitations. Hence, there is an unmet need for fast, sensitive, and cost-effective alternate models to reliably predict toxicity. As part of Tox21 Phase III's effort, a 90-compound library was created and made available to researchers to screen for neurotoxicants using novel technology and models. The chemical library was evaluated in zebrafish in a dose-range finding test for embryo-toxicity (ie, mortality or morphological alterations induced by each chemical). In addition, embryos exposed to the lowest effect level and nonobservable effect level were used to measure the internal concentration of the chemicals within the embryos by bioanalysis. Finally, considering the lowest effect level as the highest testing concentration, a functional assay was performed based on locomotor activity alteration in response to light-dark changes. The quality control chemicals included in the library, ie, negative controls and replicated chemicals, indicate that the assays performed were reliable. The use of analytical chemistry pointed out the importance of measuring chemical concentration inside embryos, and in particular, in the case of negative chemicals to avoid false negative classification. Overall, the proposed approach presented a good sensitivity and supports the inclusion of zebrafish assays as a reliable, relevant, and efficient screening tool to identify, prioritize, and evaluate chemical toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Quevedo
- *Biobide, Donostia-San Sebastián, 20009 Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Mamta Behl
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,Research Triangle Park, 27709 North Carolina
| | - Kristen Ryan
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,Research Triangle Park, 27709 North Carolina
| | - Richard S Paules
- Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,Research Triangle Park, 27709 North Carolina
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Carty DR, Miller ZS, Thornton C, Pandelides Z, Kutchma ML, Willett KL. Multigenerational consequences of early-life cannabinoid exposure in zebrafish. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 364:133-143. [PMID: 30594692 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
While Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been widely studied in the realm of developmental and reproductive toxicology, few studies have investigated potential toxicities from a second widely used cannabis constituent, cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is popularized for its therapeutic potential for reducing seizure frequencies in epilepsy. This study investigated developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) via multigenerational gene expression patterns, behavior phenotypes, and reproductive fitness of a subsequent F1 following an F0 developmental exposure of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to THC (0.024, 0.12, 0.6 mg/L; 0.08, 0.4, 2 μM) or CBD (0.006, 0.03, 0.15 mg/L; 0.02, 0.1, 0.5 μM). Embryonic exposure at these concentrations did not cause notable morphological abnormalities in either F0 or F1 generations. However, during key developmental stages (14, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post fertilization) THC and CBD caused differential expression of c-fos, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), and deleted-in-azoospermia like (dazl), while in F1 larvae only CBD differentially expressed dazl. Larval photomotor behavior was reduced (F0) or increased (F1) by THC exposure, while CBD had no effect on F0 larvae, but decreased activity in the unexposed F1 larvae. These results support our hypothesis of cannabinoid-related developmental neurotoxicity. As adults, F0 fecundity was reduced, but it was not in F1 adults. Conversely, in the adult open field test there were no significant effects in F0 fish, but a significant reduction in the time in periphery was seen in F1 fish from the highest THC exposure group. The results highlight the need to consider long-term ramifications of early-life exposure to cannabinoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis R Carty
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Zachary S Miller
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Cammi Thornton
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Zacharias Pandelides
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Marisa L Kutchma
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Kristine L Willett
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
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