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Tian J, Hu J, He W, Zhou L, Huang Y. Parental exposure to cadmium chloride causes developmental toxicity and thyroid endocrine disruption in zebrafish offspring. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2020; 234:108782. [PMID: 32339758 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2020.108782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cadmium is a common heavy metal pollutant. Previous studies have found that long-term cadmium exposure can cause damage to multiple organs/systems in humans and experimental animals; however, there are few studies that elucidate its effects on offspring development, discuss whether it can be transmitted to offspring from the parent, and debate whether it affects the functional development of the thyroid hormone system in offsprings. In this study, sexually mature zebrafish were exposed to different concentrations of cadmium chloride (0.01 μmol/L, 0.1 μmol/L, and 1 μmol/L) to study reproductive toxicity. It was found that parental zebrafish exposed to 1 μmol/L of cadmium chloride produced offsprings with different degrees of malformation. At 5 days post-fertilization (dpf), the levels of 3,5,3'-triiododenosine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in the zebrafish were decreased. At 10 dpf, the T4 and T3 levels in the zebrafish of the offspring were significantly reduced. At the same time, the expression of thyroid receptor (trα and trβ) genes in five dpf larvae was significantly up-regulated in the 1 μmol/L treatment group relative to the control group. The mRNAs of thyroid hormone synthesis and metabolism-related genes (tshβ, dio1, dio2, ugt1ab, and ttr) were significantly up-regulated in the 0.1 μmol/L and 1 μmol/L treatment groups. This study demonstrates that parental cadmium chloride exposure produces reproductive toxicity in zebrafish and that the effects can be transferred from the parent to the offspring, resulting in developmental toxicity in the thyroid endocrine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Tian
- Academy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China; CAS Key Lab of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, PR China
| | - Jia Hu
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Wei He
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, PR China
| | - Lianqun Zhou
- Academy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China; CAS Key Lab of Bio-Medical Diagnostics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, PR China.
| | - Yinong Huang
- Shaanxi Institute of Pediatric Diseases, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Children's Health and Diseases, Xi'an Children's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710003, PR China.
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Han CR, Holmsen E, Carrington B, Bishop K, Zhu YJ, Starost M, Meltzer P, Sood R, Liu P, Cheng SY. Generation of Novel Genetic Models to Dissect Resistance to Thyroid Hormone Receptor α in Zebrafish. Thyroid 2020; 30:314-328. [PMID: 31952464 PMCID: PMC7047097 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2019.0598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [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] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background: Patients with mutations of the thyroid hormone receptor alpha (THRA) gene show resistance to thyroid hormone alpha (RTHα). No amendable mouse models are currently available to elucidate deleterious effects of TRα1 mutants during early development. Zebrafish with transient suppressed expression by morpholino knockdown and ectopic expression of TRα1 mutants in the embryos have been reported. However, zebrafish with germline transmittable mutations have not been reported. The stable expression of thra mutants from embryos to adulthood facilitated the study of molecular actions of TRα1 mutants during development. Methods: In contrast to human and mice, the thra gene is duplicated in zebrafish, thraa, and thrab. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted mutagenesis, we created dominant negative mutations in the two duplicated thra genes. We comprehensively analyzed the molecular and phenotypic characteristics of mutant fish during development. Results: Adult and juvenile homozygous thrab 1-bp ins (m/m) mutants exhibited severe growth retardation, but adult homozygous thraa 8-bp ins (m/m) mutants had very mild growth impairment. Expression of the growth hormone (gh1) and insulin-like growth factor 1 was markedly suppressed in homozygous thrab 1-bp ins (m/m) mutants. Decreased messenger RNA and protein levels of triiodothyronine-regulated keratin genes and inhibited keratinocyte proliferation resulted in hypoplasia of the epidermis in adult and juvenile homozygous thrab 1-bp ins (m/m) mutants, but not homozygous thraa 8-bp ins (m/m) mutants. RNA-seq analysis showed that homozygous thrab 1-bp ins (m/m) mutation had global impact on the functions of the adult pituitary. However, no morphological defects nor any changes in the expression of gh1 and keratin genes were observed in the embryos and early larvae. Thus, mutations of either the thraa or thrab gene did not affect initiation of embryogenesis. But the mutation of the thrab gene, but not the thraa gene, is detrimental in postlarval growth and skin development. Conclusions: The thra duplicated genes are essential to control temporal coordination in postlarval growth and development in a tissue-specific manner. We uncovered novel functions of the duplicated thra genes in zebrafish in development. These mutant zebrafish could be used as a model for further analysis of TRα1 mutant actions and for rapid screening of therapeutics for RTHα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho Rong Han
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Erik Holmsen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Blake Carrington
- Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yuelin Jack Zhu
- Laboratory of Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Matthew Starost
- Division of Veterinary Resources, Diagnostic and Research Services Branch, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Paul Meltzer
- Laboratory of Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Raman Sood
- Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Paul Liu
- Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sheue-yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
- Address correspondence to: Sheue-yann Cheng, PhD, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Drive, Room 5128, Bethesda, MD 20892-4264
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