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Kareklas K, Teles MC, Nunes AR, Oliveira RF. Social zebrafish: Danio rerio as an emerging model in social neuroendocrinology. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13280. [PMID: 37165563 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The fitness benefits of social life depend on the ability of animals to affiliate with others and form groups, on dominance hierarchies within groups that determine resource distribution, and on cognitive capacities for recognition, learning and information transfer. The evolution of these phenotypes is coupled with that of neuroendocrine mechanisms, but the causal link between the two remains underexplored. Growing evidence from our research group and others demonstrates that the tools available in zebrafish, Danio rerio, can markedly facilitate progress in this field. Here, we review this evidence and provide a synthesis of the state-of-the-art in this model system. We discuss the involvement of generalized motivation and cognitive components, neuroplasticity and functional connectivity across social decision-making brain areas, and how these are modulated chiefly by the oxytocin-vasopressin neuroendocrine system, but also by reward-pathway monoamine signaling and the effects of sex-hormones and stress physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Magda C Teles
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Rui F Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
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2
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Kuroda T, Ritchey CM, Podlesnik CA. Selective effects of conspecific movement on social preference in zebrafish (Danio rerio) using real-time 3D tracking and 3D animation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10502. [PMID: 37380673 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37579-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish show social behavior such as shoaling and schooling, which is a result of complex and interdependent interactions among conspecifics. Zebrafish social behavior is interdependent in the sense that one fish's behavior affects both conspecific behavior and, as a result, their own behavior. Previous research examined effects of the interdependent interactions on the preference for social stimulus but lacked clear evidence that specific conspecific movements were reinforcing. The present research examined whether dependency between individual experimental fish's motion and a social-stimulus fish's motions contributes to preference for the social stimulus. In Experiment 1, a 3D animated stimulus fish either chased individual experimental fish or was motionless, serving as dependent and independent motions, respectively. In Experiment 2, the stimulus fish either chased experimental fish, moved away, or moved independently of the experimental fish. In both experiments, experimental fish spent more time near the stimulus fish showing dependent and interactive movements, indicating preference for dependent motion over independent motion, and chasing over other motions. Implications of these results are discussed including a potential role of operant conditioning in the preference for social stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshikazu Kuroda
- Huckle Co., Ltd., 2-51 Shiroki, Chikusa, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-0846, Japan.
- Aichi Bunkyo University, 5969-3 Okusa, Komaki, Aichi, 485-8565, Japan.
- Department of Dynamic Brain Imaging, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International, 2-2-2 Hikaridai Seika-cho, Kyoto, 619-0288, Japan.
| | | | - Christopher A Podlesnik
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., P.O. Box 112250, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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Tatarsky RL, Guo Z, Campbell SC, Kim H, Fang W, Perelmuter JT, Schuppe ER, Conway KW, Reeve HK, Bass AH. Acoustic and postural displays in a miniature and transparent teleost fish, Danionella dracula. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276185. [PMID: 35916179 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Acoustic behavior is widespread across vertebrates, including among fishes. We report robust acoustic displays during aggressive interactions for a laboratory colony of Danionella dracula, a miniature and transparent species of teleost fish closely related to zebrafish (Danio rerio), which are hypothesized to be sonic based on the presence of a hypertrophied muscle associated with the male swim bladder. Males produce bursts of pulsatile sounds and a distinct postural display-extension of a hypertrophied lower jaw, a morphological trait not present in other Danionella species-during aggressive, but not courtship interactions. Females show no evidence of sound production or jaw extension in such contexts. Novel pairs of size-matched or -mismatched males were combined in resident-intruder assays where sound production and jaw extension could be linked to individuals. In both dyad contexts, resident males produced significantly more sound pulses than intruders. During heightened sonic activity, the majority of highest sound producers also showed increased jaw extension. Residents extended their jaw more than intruders in size-matched, but not -mismatched contexts. Larger males in size-mismatched dyads produced more sounds and jaw extensions compared to their smaller counterparts, and sounds and jaw extensions increased with increasing absolute body size. These studies establish D. dracula as a sonic species that modulates putatively acoustic and postural displays during aggressive interactions based on residency and body size, providing a foundation for further investigating the role of multimodal displays in a new model clade for neurogenomic and neuroimaging studies of aggression, courtship, and other social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose L Tatarsky
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Zilin Guo
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Sarah C Campbell
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Helena Kim
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Wenxuan Fang
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | - Eric R Schuppe
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Kevin W Conway
- Texas A&M University, Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology and Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Hudson K Reeve
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Cornell University, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Ithaca, New York, USA
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4
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Third-party assessment of contestants during fallow deer fights increases with resource abundance and dominance rank. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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5
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Abstract
AbstractGroups of social animals are often organized into dominance hierarchies that are formed through pairwise interactions. There is much experimental data on hierarchies, examining such things as winner, loser, and bystander effects, as well as the linearity and replicability of hierarchies, but there is a lack evolutionary analyses of these basic observations. Here I present a game theory model of hierarchy formation in which individuals adjust their aggressive behavior toward other group members through reinforcement learning. Individual traits such as the tendency to generalize learning between interactions with different individuals, the rate of learning, and the initial tendency to be aggressive are genetically determined and can be tuned by evolution. I find that evolution favors individuals with high social competence, making use of individual recognition, bystander observational learning, and, to a limited extent, generalizing learned behavior between opponents when adjusting their behavior toward other group members. The results are in qualitative agreement with experimental data, for instance, in finding weaker winner effects compared to loser effects.
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6
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Bühler A, Carl M. Zebrafish Tools for Deciphering Habenular Network-Linked Mental Disorders. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11020324. [PMID: 33672636 PMCID: PMC7924194 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Everything that we think, feel or do depends on the function of neural networks in the brain. These are highly complex structures made of cells (neurons) and their interconnections (axons), which develop dependent on precisely coordinated interactions of genes. Any gene mutation can result in unwanted alterations in neural network formation and concomitant brain disorders. The habenula neural network is one of these important circuits, which has been linked to autism, schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Studies using the zebrafish have uncovered genes involved in the development of this network. Intriguingly, some of these genes have also been identified as risk genes of human brain disorders highlighting the power of this animal model to link risk genes and the affected network to human disease. But can we use the advantages of this model to identify new targets and compounds with ameliorating effects on brain dysfunction? In this review, we summarise the current knowledge on techniques to manipulate the habenula neural network to study the consequences on behavior. Moreover, we give an overview of existing behavioral test to mimic aspects of mental disorders and critically discuss the applicability of the zebrafish model in this field of research. Abstract The prevalence of patients suffering from mental disorders is substantially increasing in recent years and represents a major burden to society. The underlying causes and neuronal circuits affected are complex and difficult to unravel. Frequent disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, autism, and bipolar disorder share links to the habenular neural circuit. This conserved neurotransmitter system relays cognitive information between different brain areas steering behaviors ranging from fear and anxiety to reward, sleep, and social behaviors. Advances in the field using the zebrafish model organism have uncovered major genetic mechanisms underlying the formation of the habenular neural circuit. Some of the identified genes involved in regulating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling have previously been suggested as risk genes of human mental disorders. Hence, these studies on habenular genetics contribute to a better understanding of brain diseases. We are here summarizing how the gained knowledge on the mechanisms underlying habenular neural circuit development can be used to introduce defined manipulations into the system to study the functional behavioral consequences. We further give an overview of existing behavior assays to address phenotypes related to mental disorders and critically discuss the power but also the limits of the zebrafish model for identifying suitable targets to develop therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Bühler
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (M.C.); Tel.: +39-0461-282745 (A.B.); +39-0461-283931 (M.C.)
| | - Matthias Carl
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (M.C.); Tel.: +39-0461-282745 (A.B.); +39-0461-283931 (M.C.)
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Geng Y, Peterson RT. The zebrafish subcortical social brain as a model for studying social behavior disorders. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm039446. [PMID: 31413047 PMCID: PMC6737945 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.039446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors are essential for the survival and reproduction of social species. Many, if not most, neuropsychiatric disorders in humans are either associated with underlying social deficits or are accompanied by social dysfunctions. Traditionally, rodent models have been used to model these behavioral impairments. However, rodent assays are often difficult to scale up and adapt to high-throughput formats, which severely limits their use for systems-level science. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have used zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model system to study social behavior. These studies have demonstrated clear potential in overcoming some of the limitations of rodent models. In this Review, we explore the evolutionary conservation of a subcortical social brain between teleosts and mammals as the biological basis for using zebrafish to model human social behavior disorders, while summarizing relevant experimental tools and assays. We then discuss the recent advances gleaned from zebrafish social behavior assays, the applications of these assays to studying related disorders, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Geng
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30 S. 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
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8
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Rapid olfactory discrimination learning in adult zebrafish. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:2959-2969. [PMID: 30088022 PMCID: PMC6223846 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5352-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish is a model organism to study olfactory information processing, but efficient behavioral procedures to analyze olfactory discrimination and memory are lacking. We devised an automated odor discrimination task for adult zebrafish based on olfactory conditioning of feeding behavior. Presentation of a conditioned odor (CS+), but not a neutral odor (CS−) was followed by food delivery at a specific location. Fish developed differential behavioral responses to CS+ and CS− within a few trials. The behavioral response to the CS+ was complex and included components reminiscent of food search such as increased swimming speed and water surface sampling. Appetitive behavior was therefore quantified by a composite score that combined measurements of multiple behavioral parameters. Robust discrimination behavior was observed in different strains, even when odors were chemically similar, and learned preferences could overcome innate odor preferences. These results confirm that zebrafish can rapidly learn to make fine odor discriminations. The procedure is efficient and provides novel opportunities to dissect the neural mechanisms underlying olfactory discrimination and memory.
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9
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Zebrafish models of autism spectrum disorder. Exp Neurol 2018; 299:207-216. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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10
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Roy T, Bhat A. Social learning in a maze? Contrasting individual performance among wild zebrafish when associated with trained and naïve conspecifics. Behav Processes 2017; 144:51-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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11
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B. Orger
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal;,
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12
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Roleira A, Oliveira GA, Lopes JS, Oliveira RF. Audience Effects in Territorial Defense of Male Cichlid Fish Are Associated with Differential Patterns of Activation of the Brain Social Decision-Making Network. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:105. [PMID: 28620286 PMCID: PMC5449763 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals communicate by exchanging signals frequently in the proximity of other conspecifics that may detect and intercept signals not directed to them. There is evidence that the presence of these bystanders modulates the signaling behavior of interacting individuals, a phenomenon that has been named audience effect. Research on the audience effect has predominantly focused on its function rather than on its proximate mechanisms. Here, we have investigated the physiological and neuromolecular correlates of the audience effect in a cichlid fish (Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus). A male was exposed to a territorial intrusion in the presence or absence of a female audience. Results showed that the presence of the female audience increased territorial defense, but elicited a lower androgen and cortisol response to the territorial intrusion. Furthermore, analysis of the expression of immediate early genes, used as markers of neuronal activity, in brain areas belonging to the social decision-making network (SDMN) revealed different patterns of network activity and connectivity across the different social contexts (i.e., audience × intrusion). Overall, these results suggest that socially driven plasticity in the expression of territorial behavior is accommodated in the central nervous system by rapid changes in functional connectivity between nodes of relevant networks (SDMN) rather than by localized changes of activity in specific brain nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- António Roleira
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA)–Instituto UniversitárioLisbon, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo A. Oliveira
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA)–Instituto UniversitárioLisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal
| | - João S. Lopes
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA)–Instituto UniversitárioLisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal
| | - Rui F. Oliveira
- Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada (ISPA)–Instituto UniversitárioLisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de CiênciaOeiras, Portugal
- Champalimaud FoundationLisbon, Portugal
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13
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Faustino AI, Tacão-Monteiro A, Oliveira RF. Mechanisms of social buffering of fear in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44329. [PMID: 28361887 PMCID: PMC5374490 DOI: 10.1038/srep44329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Some humans thrive whereas others resign when exposed to threatening situations throughout life. Social support has been identified as an important modulator of these discrepancies in human behaviour, and other social animals also exhibit phenomena in which individuals recover better from aversive events when conspecifics are present - aka social buffering. Here we studied social buffering in zebrafish, by exposing focal fish to an aversive stimulus (alarm substance - AS) either in the absence or presence of conspecific cues. When exposed to AS in the presence of both olfactory (shoal water) and visual (sight of shoal) conspecific cues, focal fish exhibited a lower fear response than when tested alone, demonstrating social buffering in zebrafish. When separately testing each cue's effectiveness, we verified that the visual cue was more effective than the olfactory in reducing freezing in a persistent threat scenario. Finally, we verified that social buffering was independent of shoal size and coincided with a distinct pattern of co-activation of brain regions known to be involved in mammalian social buffering. Thus, this study suggests a shared evolutionary origin for social buffering in vertebrates, bringing new evidence on the behavioural, sensory and neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana I. Faustino
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
- ISPA–Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, Lisboa 1149-041, Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, Lisboa 1400-038, Portugal
| | - André Tacão-Monteiro
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, Lisboa 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Rui F. Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, Oeiras 2780-156, Portugal
- ISPA–Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, Lisboa 1149-041, Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, Lisboa 1400-038, Portugal
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14
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Li X, Guo JY, Li X, Zhou HJ, Zhang SH, Liu XD, Chen DY, Fang YC, Feng XZ. Behavioural effect of low-dose BPA on male zebrafish: Tuning of male mating competition and female mating preference during courtship process. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 169:40-52. [PMID: 27855330 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2016] [Revised: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquity of environmental pollution by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA) is progressively considered as a major threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Numerous toxicological studies have proved that BPA are hazardous to aquatic environment, along with alterations in the development and physiology of aquatic vertebrates. However, generally, there is a paucity in knowledge of behavioural and physiological effects of BPA with low concentration, for example, 0.22 nM (50 ng/L) and 2.2 nM (500 ng/L). Here we show that treatment of adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) with 7 weeks low-dose (0.22 nM-2.2 nM) BPA, resulted in alteration in histological structure of testis tissue and abnormality in expression levels of genes involved in testicular steroidogenesis. Furthermore, low-dose BPA treatment decreased the male locomotion during courtship; and was associated with less courtship behaviours to female but more aggressive behaviours to mating competitor. Interestingly, during the courtship test, we observed that female preferred control male to male under low-dose BPA exposure. Subsequently, we found that the ability of female to chose optimal mating male through socially mutual interaction and dynamics of male zebrafish, which was based on visual discrimination. In sum, our results shed light on the potential behavioural and physiological effect of low-dose BPA exposure on courtship behaviours of zebrafish, which could exert profound consequences on natural zebrafish populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jia-Yu Guo
- The Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information Systems, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xu Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Neurovascular Regulation, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Hai-Jun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhong-Guan-Cun East Road 55, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shu-Hui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Dong-Yan Chen
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Neurovascular Regulation, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
| | - Yong-Chun Fang
- The Institute of Robotics and Automatic Information Systems, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
| | - Xi-Zeng Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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15
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Teles MC, Oliveira RF. Androgen response to social competition in a shoaling fish. Horm Behav 2016; 78:8-12. [PMID: 26497408 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2015] [Revised: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Androgens respond to social challenges and this response has been interpreted as a way for males to adjust androgen-dependent behavior to social context. However, the androgen responsiveness to social challenges varies across species and a conceptual framework has been developed to explain this variation according to differences in the mating system and parental care type, which determines the regimen of challenges males are exposed to, and concomitantly the scope (defined as the difference between the physiological maximum and the baseline levels) of response to a social challenge. However, this framework has been focused on territorial species and no clear predictions have been made to gregarious species (e.g. shoaling fish), which although tolerating same-sex individuals may also exhibit intra-sexual competition. In this paper we extend the scope of this conceptual framework to shoaling fish by studying the endocrine response of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to social challenges. Male zebrafish exposed to real opponent agonistic interactions exhibited an increase in androgen levels (11-ketotestosterone both in Winners and Losers and testosterone in Losers). This response was absent in Mirror-fighters, that expressed similar levels of aggressive behavior to those of winners, suggesting that this response is not a mere reflex of heightened aggressive motivation. Cortisol levels were also measured and indicated an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis in Winners of real opponent fighters, but not Losers or in Mirror-fighters. These results confirm that gregarious species also exhibit an endocrine response to an acute social challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda C Teles
- ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 27å80-156 Oeiras, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Av. Brasília, Doca de Pedrouços, 1400-038 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui F Oliveira
- ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 27å80-156 Oeiras, Portugal; Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Av. Brasília, Doca de Pedrouços, 1400-038 Lisboa, Portugal.
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16
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Assessment of fight outcome is needed to activate socially driven transcriptional changes in the zebrafish brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E654-61. [PMID: 26787876 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1514292113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Group living animals must be able to express different behavior profiles depending on their social status. Therefore, the same genotype may translate into different behavioral phenotypes through socially driven differential gene expression. However, how social information is translated into a neurogenomic response and what are the specific cues in a social interaction that signal a change in social status are questions that have remained unanswered. Here, we show for the first time, to our knowledge, that the switch between status-specific neurogenomic states relies on the assessment of fight outcome rather than just on self- or opponent-only assessment of fighting ability. For this purpose, we manipulated the perception of fight outcome in male zebrafish and measured its impact on the brain transcriptome using a zebrafish whole genome gene chip. Males fought either a real opponent, and a winner and a loser were identified, or their own image on a mirror, in which case, despite expressing aggressive behavior, males did not experience either a victory or a defeat. Massive changes in the brain transcriptome were observed in real opponent fighters, with losers displaying both a higher number of differentially expressed genes and of coexpressed gene modules than winners. In contrast, mirror fighters expressed a neurogenomic state similar to that of noninteracting fish. The genes that responded to fight outcome included immediate early genes and genes involved in neuroplasticity and epigenetic modifications. These results indicate that, even in cognitively simple organisms such as zebrafish, neurogenomic responses underlying changes in social status rely on mutual assessment of fighting ability.
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17
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Brain Transcriptomic Response to Social Eavesdropping in Zebrafish (Danio rerio). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145801. [PMID: 26713440 PMCID: PMC4700982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Public information is widely available at low cost to animals living in social groups. For instance, bystanders may eavesdrop on signaling interactions between conspecifics and use it to adapt their subsequent behavior towards the observed individuals. This social eavesdropping ability is expected to require specialized mechanisms such as social attention, which selects social information available for learning. To begin exploring the genetic basis of social eavesdropping, we used a previously established attention paradigm in the lab to study the brain gene expression profile of male zebrafish (Danio rerio) in relation to the attention they paid towards conspecifics involved or not involved in agonistic interactions. Microarray gene chips were used to characterize their brain transcriptomes based on differential expression of single genes and gene sets. These analyses were complemented by promoter region-based techniques. Using data from both approaches, we further drafted protein interaction networks. Our results suggest that attentiveness towards conspecifics, whether interacting or not, activates pathways linked to neuronal plasticity and memory formation. The network analyses suggested that fos and jun are key players on this response, and that npas4a, nr4a1 and egr4 may also play an important role. Furthermore, specifically observing fighting interactions further triggered pathways associated to a change in the alertness status (dnajb5) and to other genes related to memory formation (btg2, npas4b), which suggests that the acquisition of eavesdropped information about social relationships activates specific processes on top of those already activated just by observing conspecifics.
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