1
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Coucke N, Heinrich MK, Cleeremans A, Dorigo M, Dumas G. Collective decision making by embodied neural agents. PNAS NEXUS 2025; 4:pgaf101. [PMID: 40206664 PMCID: PMC11979332 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2025] [Indexed: 04/11/2025]
Abstract
Collective decision making using simple social interactions has been studied in many types of multiagent systems, including robot swarms and human social networks. However, existing multiagent studies have rarely modeled the neural dynamics that underlie sensorimotor coordination in embodied biological agents. In this study, we investigated collective decisions that resulted from sensorimotor coordination among agents with simple neural dynamics. We equipped our agents with a model of minimal neural dynamics based on the coordination dynamics framework, and embedded them in an environment with a stimulus gradient. In our single-agent setup, the decision between two stimulus sources depends solely on the coordination of the agent's neural dynamics with its environment. In our multiagent setup, that same decision also depends on the sensorimotor coordination between agents, via their simple social interactions. Our results show that the success of collective decisions depended on a balance of intra-agent, interagent, and agent-environment coupling, and we use these results to identify the influences of environmental factors on decision difficulty. More generally, our results illustrate how collective behaviors can be analyzed in terms of the neural dynamics of the participating agents. This can contribute to ongoing developments in neuro-AI and self-organized multiagent systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Coucke
- PPSP Team, CHU Sainte Justine Azrieli Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Moral and Social Brain Lab, Department of Experimental Psychology, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
- IRIDIA, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Consciousness, Cognition and Computation Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Axel Cleeremans
- Consciousness, Cognition and Computation Group, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marco Dorigo
- IRIDIA, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- PPSP Team, CHU Sainte Justine Azrieli Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Mila—Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University of Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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2
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Wang B, Cai J, Fang L, Ma P, Leung YF. Tensor analysis of animal behavior by matricization and feature selection. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2025:2025.01.28.635088. [PMID: 39975151 PMCID: PMC11838277 DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.28.635088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2025]
Abstract
Contemporary neurobehavior research often collects multi-dimensional tensor (MDT) data, consisting of time-series measurements for multiple features from multiple animals subjected to various perturbations. Proper analysis of the MDT data can facilitate the dissection of the underlying neural circuitry driving the behavior. However, many common approaches for MDT analysis, such as tensor decomposition, often yield results that are difficult to interpret and not directly compatible with standard multivariate analysis (MVA), which is designed for simpler, lower-dimensional data structures. To address this issue, dimensionality reduction techniques, including matricization methods such as Index Construction and Feature Concatenation, are applied to transform all or a subset of the features in the MDT into a lower-dimensional tensor, commonly a 2-dimensional tensor (2DT), that is compatible with MVA. However, the matricization methods may exclude information from the MDT features or create too many 2DT features that introduce spurious noise to the downstream analyses. Their impacts on the downstream MVA performance remain elusive. In this study, we systematically evaluated different approaches for matricization and feature selection and their impacts on MVA performance using an MDT dataset of zebrafish visual- motor response collected from wild-types (WTs) and visually-impaired mutants. We matricized the MDT dataset using various Index Construction and Feature Concatenation methods, then identified informative 2DT features using the filter and embedded methods. To evaluate these feature-selection approaches, we conducted a classification task distinguishing WT and visually-impaired zebrafish by multiple classifiers. We then assessed classification performance with cross-validation and holdout validation. We found that most classifiers performed the best when using all 2DT features matricized by Feature Concatenation and selected by the embedded method. The results also revealed unique behavioral differences between the WTs and visually-impaired mutants that were not identified by standard MVA or MDT analysis. Our results demonstrate the utility of analyzing MDT behavioral data by matricization and feature selection.
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3
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D'Gama PP, Jeong I, Nygård AM, Jamali A, Yaksi E, Jurisch-Yaksi N. Motile cilia modulate neuronal and astroglial activity in the zebrafish larval brain. Cell Rep 2025; 44:115195. [PMID: 39798091 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.115195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 10/11/2024] [Accepted: 12/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2025] Open
Abstract
The brain uses a specialized system to transport cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), consisting of interconnected ventricles lined by motile ciliated ependymal cells. These cells act jointly with CSF secretion and cardiac pressure gradients to regulate CSF dynamics. To date, the link between cilia-mediated CSF flow and brain function is poorly understood. Using zebrafish larvae as a model system, we identify that loss of ciliary motility does not alter progenitor proliferation, brain morphology, or spontaneous neural activity despite leading to an enlarged telencephalic ventricle. We observe altered neuronal responses to photic stimulations in the optic tectum and hindbrain and brain asymmetry defects in the habenula. Finally, we investigate astroglia since they contact CSF and regulate neuronal activity. Our analyses reveal a reduction in astroglial calcium signals during both spontaneous and light-evoked activity. Our findings highlight a role of motile cilia in regulating brain physiology through the modulation of neural and astroglial networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Percival P D'Gama
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skjalgssons Gate 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Inyoung Jeong
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skjalgssons Gate 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas Moe Nygård
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skjalgssons Gate 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ahmed Jamali
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emre Yaksi
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway; Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koç University School of Medicine, Davutpaşa Caddesi, No:4, Topkapı, Istanbul 34010, Turkey
| | - Nathalie Jurisch-Yaksi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skjalgssons Gate 1, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway.
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4
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Coomer CE, Naumova D, Talay M, Zolyomi B, Snell NJ, Sorkaç A, Chanchu JM, Cheng J, Roman I, Li J, Robson D, McLean DL, Barnea G, Halpern ME. Transsynaptic labeling and transcriptional control of zebrafish neural circuits. Nat Neurosci 2025; 28:189-200. [PMID: 39702668 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01815-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 12/21/2024]
Abstract
Deciphering the connectome, the ensemble of synaptic connections that underlie brain function, is a central goal of neuroscience research. Here we report the in vivo mapping of connections between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners in zebrafish, by adapting the trans-Tango genetic approach that was first developed for anterograde transsynaptic tracing in Drosophila. Neural connections were visualized between synaptic partners in larval retina, brain and spinal cord and followed over development. The specificity of labeling was corroborated by functional experiments in which optogenetic activation of presynaptic spinal cord interneurons elicited responses in known motor neuronal postsynaptic targets, as measured by trans-Tango-dependent expression of a genetically encoded calcium indicator or by electrophysiology. Transsynaptic signaling through trans-Tango reveals synaptic connections in the zebrafish nervous system, providing a valuable in vivo tool to monitor and interrogate neural circuits over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cagney E Coomer
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Daria Naumova
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mustafa Talay
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bence Zolyomi
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nathaniel J Snell
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Altar Sorkaç
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jean Michel Chanchu
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ji Cheng
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ivana Roman
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Li
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Drew Robson
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - David L McLean
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gilad Barnea
- Department of Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Marnie E Halpern
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA.
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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5
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O'Brien J, Colucci P, Alvarez Y, Kennedy BN. Uncovering Novel Drugs that Restore Vision Using Orthogonal Pooling in Zebrafish. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2025; 1468:491-495. [PMID: 39930243 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-76550-6_80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2025]
Abstract
Photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction in inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) necessitate innovative therapies to preserve vision. Vision impairment incurs a substantial global economic burden, with the World Health Organization reporting an annual global productivity loss of approximately $411 billion. Current treatments are limited, underscoring the urgency for novel solutions. Leveraging new screening techniques, novel drugs restoring vision can be uncovered. Here, a workflow is described utilising orthogonal pooling to screen randomised library compounds for drug hits restoring vision and assessing the optokinetic response (OKR) in the atp6v0e1-/- zebrafish model of inherited blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine O'Brien
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Patrizia Colucci
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Yolanda Alvarez
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Breandán N Kennedy
- UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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6
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McCarroll MN, Sisko E, Gong JH, Teng J, Taylor J, Myers-Turnbull D, Young D, Burley G, Pierce LX, Hibbs RE, Kokel D, Sello JK. A Multimodal, In Vivo Approach for Assessing Structurally and Phenotypically Related Neuroactive Molecules. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:4171-4184. [PMID: 39287508 PMCID: PMC11587515 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00426] [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: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
A recently reported behavioral screen in larval zebrafish for phenocopiers of known anesthetics and associated drugs yielded an isoflavone. Related isoflavones have also been reported as GABAA potentiators. From this, we synthesized a small library of isoflavones and incorporated an in vivo phenotypic approach to perform structure-behavior relationship studies of the screening hit and related analogs via behavioral profiling, patch-clamp experiments, and whole brain imaging. This revealed that analogs effect a range of behavioral responses, including sedation with and without enhancing the acoustic startle response. Interestingly, a subset of compounds effect sedation and enhancement of motor responses to both acoustic and light stimuli. Patch clamp recordings of cells with a human GABAA receptor confirmed that behavior-modulating isoflavones modify the GABA signaling. To better understand these molecules' nuanced effects on behavior, we performed whole brain imaging to reveal that analogs differentially effect neuronal activity. These studies demonstrate a multimodal approach to assessing activities of neuroactives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N. McCarroll
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Elizabeth Sisko
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Jung Ho Gong
- Department
of Chemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States
| | - Jinfeng Teng
- Department
of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Jack Taylor
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
- UCSF
Weill Institute for Neurosciences Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Douglas Myers-Turnbull
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Drew Young
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Grant Burley
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Lain X. Pierce
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Ryan E. Hibbs
- Department
of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - David Kokel
- Institute
for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University
of California, San Francisco, San
Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Jason K. Sello
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University
of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
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7
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Wexler Y, Huang D, Medvetzky A, Armbruster D, Driever W, Yan J, Gothilf Y. Zebrafish Dark-Dependent Behavior Requires Phototransduction by the Pineal Gland. J Pineal Res 2024; 76:e70021. [PMID: 39711421 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.70021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2024] [Revised: 12/04/2024] [Accepted: 12/05/2024] [Indexed: 12/24/2024]
Abstract
Located dorsally underneath a thin translucent skull in many teleosts, the pineal gland is a photoreceptive organ known as a key element of the circadian clock system. Nevertheless, the presence of additional routes of photoreception presents a challenge in determining its specific roles in regulating photic-related behavior. Here, we show the importance of the pineal gland in mediating a prolonged motor response of zebrafish larvae to sudden darkness, both as a photodetector and as a circadian pacemaker. This was evident by a reduced motor response of Bsx-deficient larvae, lacking a pineal gland, to sudden darkness. Moreover, the typical daily rhythm of the intensity of this response was lost in the pineal-less larvae. In contrast, motor response to a sudden increase in illumination was unaffected. Furthermore, we show that the pineal-mediated behavioral response to darkness requires two elements: the photoreceptor cells and the projecting neurons. Dark response was impaired in larvae whose pineal photoreceptor cells were genetically ablated and in larvae whose pineal projecting neurons had undergone laser-axotomy. This study thus establishes the pineal gland as a mediator of dark-dependent behavior and reveals underlying cellular components involved in transducing information about darkness to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yair Wexler
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dengfeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Adar Medvetzky
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel Armbruster
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology I, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS and BIOSS-Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Institute Biology I, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS and BIOSS-Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jun Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yoav Gothilf
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel AvivTel Aviv, Israel
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8
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Zhang Y, Shi Y, Tang J, Chen K, Wu M, Wu X, Qiu X. A transcriptomics-based analysis of mechanisms involved in the sex-dependent effects of diazepam on zebrafish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 275:107063. [PMID: 39191072 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.107063] [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: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Diazepam (DZP) is a universally detected emerging pollutant in aquatic ecosystems. Although the sex-dependent effects of DZP on fish have been properly established, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, zebrafish of both sexes were separately exposed to DZP (8 μg/L) for 21 days, and the alteration of the behaviors, brain amino acid neurotransmitter contents, and transcriptomic profiles were investigated. Although DZP exposure showed a sedative effect on both sexes, significantly reduced cumulative duration of high mobility and willingness to encounter the opposite sex were only observed in females. However, DZP significantly enhanced the brain levels of glutamate and glutamine in males but not in females. Transcriptome analysis identified more different expression genes (DEGs) in females (322 up-regulated and 311 down-regulated) than in males (138 up-regulated genes and 38 down-regulated). The DEGs in both sexes were significantly enriched in the KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway of the synaptic vesicle cycle, indicating a possible pathway for the sedative effects of DZP on zebrafish. DZP exhibited different or even opposing regulatory patterns on gene expression in the brains of females and males, providing some insights into its sex-dependent impacts on the behaviors and brain neurotransmitter contents in zebrafish. Moreover, enrichment analysis also suggested that DZP exposure may affect the oocyte maturation in female zebrafish, which highlights the need to study its reproductive and transgenerational toxicity to fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Zhang
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Yanhong Shi
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Jie Tang
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Kun Chen
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China.
| | - Min Wu
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xiangyang Wu
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xuchun Qiu
- College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China.
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9
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Cintra L, Yanicostas C, Soussi-Yanicostas N, Vianna Maurer-Morelli C. Effects of baicalin pre-treatment on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures: Insights from zebrafish larvae locomotor behavior and neuronal calcium imaging. Epilepsy Behav 2024; 157:109866. [PMID: 38820680 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.109866] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Natural compounds are increasingly being studied for their potential neuroprotective effects against inflammatory neurological diseases. Epilepsy is a common neurological disease associated with inflammatory processes, and around 30% of people with epilepsy do not respond to traditional treatments. Some flavonoids, when taken along with antiseizure medications can help reduce the likelihood of drug-resistant epilepsy. Baicalin, a plant-based compound, has been shown to possess pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, anticonvulsant, and antioxidant activities. In this study, we tested the effect of baicalin on an established model of pharmacologically induced seizure in zebrafish using measures of both locomotor behavior and calcium imaging of neuronal activity. The results of our study showed that, at the tested concentration, and contrary to other studies in rodents, baicalin did not have an anti-seizure effect in zebrafish larvae. However, given its known properties, other concentrations and approaches should be explored to determine if it could potentially have other beneficial effects, either alone or when administered in combination with classic antiseizure medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís Cintra
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Unicamp, School of Medical Science, Department of Translational Medicine, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas
| | - Constantin Yanicostas
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm U1141, Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France; Department of Biochemistry, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Nadia Soussi-Yanicostas
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm U1141, Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France; Department of Biochemistry, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, 75006 Paris, France.
| | - Claudia Vianna Maurer-Morelli
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Unicamp, School of Medical Science, Department of Translational Medicine, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (BRAINN), Campinas.
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10
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Ra K, A C, B T, Ac K, Je K, Er D. Evolution of a central dopamine circuit underlies adaptation of light-evoked sensorimotor response in the blind cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.25.605141. [PMID: 39091880 PMCID: PMC11291158 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.25.605141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Adaptive behaviors emerge in novel environments through functional changes in neural circuits. While relationships between circuit function and behavior have been well studied, how evolution shapes those circuits and leads to behavioral adpation is poorly understood. The Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, provides a unique genetically amendable model system, equipped with above ground eyed surface fish and multiple evolutionarily divergent populations of blind cavefish that have evolved in complete darkness. These differences in environment and vision provide an opprotunity to examine how a neural circuit is functionally influenced by the presence of light. Here, we examine differences in the detection, and behavioral response induced by non visual light reception. Both populations exhibit photokinetic behavior, with surface fish becoming hyperactive following sudden darkness and cavefish becoming hyperactive following sudden illumination. To define these photokinetic neural circuits, we integrated whole brain functional imaging with our Astyanax brain atlas for surface and cavefish responding to light changes. We identified the caudal posterior tuberculum as the central modulator for both light or dark stimulated photokinesis. To unconver how spatiotemporal neuronal activity differed between surface fish and cavefish, we used stable pan-neuronal GCaMP Astyanax transgenics to show that a subpopulation of darkness sensitve neurons in surface fish are now light senstive in cavefish. Further functional analysis revealed that this integrative switch is dependent on dopmane signaling, suggesting a key role for dopamine and a highly conserved dopamine circuit in modulating the evolution of a circuit driving an essential behavior. Together, these data shed light into how neural circuits evolved to adapte to novel settings, and reveal the power of Astyanax as a model to elucidate mechanistic ingiths underlying sensory adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kozol Ra
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL
| | - Canavan A
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL
| | - Tolentino B
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL
| | - Keene Ac
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Kowalko Je
- Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
| | - Duboué Er
- Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL
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11
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Waalkes MR, Leathery M, Peck M, Barr A, Cunill A, Hageter J, Horstick EJ. Light wavelength modulates search behavior performance in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16533. [PMID: 39019915 PMCID: PMC11255219 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67262-9] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual systems have evolved to discriminate between different wavelengths of light. The ability to perceive color, or specific light wavelengths, is important as color conveys crucial information about both biotic and abiotic features in the environment. Indeed, different wavelengths of light can drive distinct patterns of activity in the vertebrate brain, yet what remains incompletely understood is whether distinct wavelengths can invoke etiologically relevant behavioral changes. To address how specific wavelengths in the visible spectrum modulate behavioral performance, we use larval zebrafish and a stereotypic light-search behavior. Prior work has shown that the cessation of light triggers a transitional light-search behavior, which we use to interrogate wavelength-dependent behavioral modulation. Using 8 narrow spectrum light sources in the visible range, we demonstrate that all wavelengths induce motor parameters consistent with search behavior, yet the magnitude of search behavior is spectrum sensitive and the underlying motor parameters are modulated in distinct patterns across short, medium, and long wavelengths. However, our data also establishes that not all motor features of search are impacted by wavelength. To define how wavelength modulates search performance, we performed additional assays with alternative wavelengths, dual wavelengths, and variable intensity. Last, we also tested blind larvae to resolve which components of wavelength dependent behavioral changes potentially include signaling from non-retinal photoreception. These findings have important implications as organisms can be exposed to varying wavelengths in laboratory and natural settings and therefore impose unique behavioral outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Waalkes
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Maegan Leathery
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Madeline Peck
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Allison Barr
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Alexander Cunill
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - John Hageter
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Eric J Horstick
- Department of Biology Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience Morgantown, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
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12
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D’Gama PP, Jeong I, Nygård AM, Trinh AT, Yaksi E, Jurisch-Yaksi N. Ciliogenesis defects after neurulation impact brain development and neuronal activity in larval zebrafish. iScience 2024; 27:110078. [PMID: 38868197 PMCID: PMC11167523 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cilia are slender, hair-like structures extending from cell surfaces and playing essential roles in diverse physiological processes. Within the nervous system, primary cilia contribute to signaling and sensory perception, while motile cilia facilitate cerebrospinal fluid flow. Here, we investigated the impact of ciliary loss on neural circuit development using a zebrafish line displaying ciliogenesis defects. We found that cilia defects after neurulation affect neurogenesis and brain morphology, especially in the cerebellum, and lead to altered gene expression profiles. Using whole brain calcium imaging, we measured reduced light-evoked and spontaneous neuronal activity in all brain regions. By shedding light on the intricate role of cilia in neural circuit formation and function in the zebrafish, our work highlights their evolutionary conserved role in the brain and sets the stage for future analysis of ciliopathy models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Percival P. D’Gama
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skalgssons gate 1, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Inyoung Jeong
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skalgssons gate 1, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas Moe Nygård
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skalgssons gate 1, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anh-Tuan Trinh
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Emre Yaksi
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koç University School of Medicine, Davutpaşa Caddesi, No:4, Topkapı 34010, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Nathalie Jurisch-Yaksi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Erling Skalgssons gate 1, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
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13
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Boyette JL, Bell RC, Fujita MK, Thomas KN, Streicher JW, Gower DJ, Schott RK. Diversity and Molecular Evolution of Nonvisual Opsin Genes across Environmental, Developmental, and Morphological Adaptations in Frogs. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae090. [PMID: 38736374 PMCID: PMC11181710 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Nonvisual opsins are transmembrane proteins expressed in the eyes and other tissues of many animals. When paired with a light-sensitive chromophore, nonvisual opsins form photopigments involved in various nonvisual, light-detection functions including circadian rhythm regulation, light-seeking behaviors, and seasonal responses. Here, we investigate the molecular evolution of nonvisual opsin genes in anuran amphibians (frogs and toads). We test several evolutionary hypotheses including the predicted loss of nonvisual opsins due to nocturnal ancestry and potential functional differences in nonvisual opsins resulting from environmental light variation across diverse anuran ecologies. Using whole-eye transcriptomes of 81 species, combined with genomes, multitissue transcriptomes, and independently annotated genes from an additional 21 species, we identify which nonvisual opsins are present in anuran genomes and those that are also expressed in the eyes, compare selective constraint among genes, and test for potential adaptive evolution by comparing selection between discrete ecological classes. At the genomic level, we recovered all 18 ancestral vertebrate nonvisual opsins, indicating that anurans demonstrate the lowest documented amount of opsin gene loss among ancestrally nocturnal tetrapods. We consistently found expression of 14 nonvisual opsins in anuran eyes and detected positive selection in a subset of these genes. We also found shifts in selective constraint acting on nonvisual opsins in frogs with differing activity periods, habitats, distributions, life histories, and pupil shapes, which may reflect functional adaptation. Although many nonvisual opsins remain poorly understood, these findings provide insight into the diversity and evolution of these genes across anurans, filling an important gap in our understanding of vertebrate opsins and setting the stage for future research on their functional evolution across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Boyette
- Department of Biological Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
- Department of Biology, Berry College, Rome, GA, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rayna C Bell
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew K Fujita
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Kate N Thomas
- Department of Biology, Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | | | - Ryan K Schott
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
- Department of Biology & Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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14
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Tagkalidou N, Multisanti CR, Bleda MJ, Bedrossiantz J, Prats E, Faggio C, Barata C, Raldúa D. Analyzing the Effects of Age, Time of Day, and Experiment on the Basal Locomotor Activity and Light-Off Visual Motor Response Assays in Zebrafish Larvae. TOXICS 2024; 12:349. [PMID: 38787128 PMCID: PMC11125988 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12050349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The recent availability of commercial platforms for behavioral analyses in zebrafish larvae based on video-tracking technologies has exponentially increased the number of studies analyzing different behaviors in this model organism to assess neurotoxicity. Among the most commonly used assays in zebrafish larvae are basal locomotor activity (BLA) and visual motor responses (VMRs). However, the effect of different intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can significantly alter the outcome of these assays is still not well understood. In this work, we have analyzed the influence of age (5-8 days post-fertilization), time of day (8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00; 16:00, 18:00, and 20:00 h), and experiment (three experiments performed at different days) on BLA and VMR results (4004 analyses for each behavior) in 143 larvae. The results from both behaviors were adjusted to a random-effects linear regression model using generalized least squares (GLSs), including in the model the effect of the three variables, the second-way interactions between them, and the three-way interaction. The results presented in this manuscript show a specific effect of all three intrinsic factors and their interactions on both behaviors, supporting the view that the most stable time period for performing these behavioral assays is from 10:00 am to 04:00 pm, with some differences depending on the age of the larva and the behavioral test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Tagkalidou
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (N.T.); (J.B.); (C.B.)
| | - Cristiana Roberta Multisanti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Giovanni Palatucci snc, 98168 Messina, Italy;
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy;
| | - Maria Jose Bleda
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Juliette Bedrossiantz
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (N.T.); (J.B.); (C.B.)
| | - Eva Prats
- Research and Development Center (CID-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Caterina Faggio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy;
- Department of Eco-Sustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, 80122 Naples, Italy
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (N.T.); (J.B.); (C.B.)
| | - Demetrio Raldúa
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; (N.T.); (J.B.); (C.B.)
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15
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Zaupa M, Nagaraj N, Sylenko A, Baier H, Sawamiphak S, Filosa A. The Calmodulin-interacting peptide Pcp4a regulates feeding state-dependent behavioral choice in zebrafish. Neuron 2024; 112:1150-1164.e6. [PMID: 38295792 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Animals constantly need to judge the valence of an object in their environment: is it potential food or a threat? The brain makes fundamental decisions on the appropriate behavioral strategy by integrating external information from sensory organs and internal signals related to physiological needs. For example, a hungry animal may take more risks than a satiated one when deciding to approach or avoid an object. Using a proteomic profiling approach, we identified the Calmodulin-interacting peptide Pcp4a as a key regulator of foraging-related decisions. Food intake reduced abundance of protein and mRNA of pcp4a via dopamine D2-like receptor-mediated repression of adenylate cyclase. Accordingly, deleting the pcp4a gene made zebrafish larvae more risk averse in a binary decision assay. Strikingly, neurons in the tectum became less responsive to prey-like visual stimuli in pcp4a mutants, thus biasing the behavior toward avoidance. This study pinpoints a molecular mechanism modulating behavioral choice according to internal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Zaupa
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13092 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nagarjuna Nagaraj
- Biochemistry Core Facility, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Anna Sylenko
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13092 Berlin, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Biology, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Suphansa Sawamiphak
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13092 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alessandro Filosa
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), 13092 Berlin, Germany.
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16
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Lee HB, Shams S, Dang Thi VH, Boyum GE, Modhurima R, Hall EM, Green IK, Cervantes EM, Miguez FE, Clark KJ. Key HPI axis receptors facilitate light adaptive behavior in larval zebrafish. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7759. [PMID: 38565594 PMCID: PMC10987622 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57707-6] [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: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate stress response (SR) is mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and contributes to generating context appropriate physiological and behavioral changes. Although the HPA axis plays vital roles both in stressful and basal conditions, research has focused on the response under stress. To understand broader roles of the HPA axis in a changing environment, we characterized an adaptive behavior of larval zebrafish during ambient illumination changes. Genetic abrogation of glucocorticoid receptor (nr3c1) decreased basal locomotor activity in light and darkness. Some key HPI axis receptors (mc2r [ACTH receptor], nr3c1), but not nr3c2 (mineralocorticoid receptor), were required to adapt to light more efficiently but became dispensable when longer illumination was provided. Such light adaptation was more efficient in dimmer light. Our findings show that the HPI axis contributes to the SR, facilitating the phasic response and maintaining an adapted basal state, and that certain adaptations occur without HPI axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han B Lee
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Soaleha Shams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Viet Ha Dang Thi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Grace E Boyum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Rodsy Modhurima
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Emma M Hall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Izzabella K Green
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Karl J Clark
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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17
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Liu T, Dong H, Zhao J, Shang D, Li Y, Xie R. The concentration of dissolved organic matter impacts the neurobehavior in female zebrafish exposed to cyclophosphamide. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 278:109866. [PMID: 38373514 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.109866] [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: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a broad-spectrum anticancer drug for various cancers and frequently detected in aquatic environments, reaching concentrations up to 22 μg/L. However, there is limited understanding of the toxicities of CP with the presence of dissolved organic matter, a ubiquitous component in aquatic environments, in fish. In this study, we investigated the behaviors, morphological alterations of retina, and related gene transcripts in zebrafish exposed to CP (0 and 50 μg/L) and Humic acid (HA, a main component of DOM) at concentrations of 0, 3, 10, and 30 mg-C/L for 30 days. The results showed that, relative to the zebrafish in CP treatment, HA at 30 mg-C/L increased the locomotion (12.1 % in the light and 7.2 % in the dark) and startle response (9.7 %), while inhibiting the anxiety (12.5 %) and cognition of female zebrafish (24.6 %). The levels of transcripts of neurotransmitter- (tph1b and ache), neuroinflammation-(il-6 and tnfα) and antioxidant-(gpx) related genes in the brain of female adult were also altered by CP with the presence of HA. In addition, HA promoted the transgenerational effects of CP on the neurobehaviors. Therefore, HA can enhance potential neurotoxicity of CP in female fish through alteration neurotransmission related genes. Our findings provide new insights into the toxicity and underlying mechanisms of CP with the presence of dissolved organic matter, thereby contribute to a deeper understanding of the risks posed by CP in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianming Liu
- China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd., Shanghai 201999, China.
| | - Heru Dong
- China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd., Shanghai 201999, China
| | - Jianxing Zhao
- China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd., Shanghai 201999, China
| | | | - Yindong Li
- China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd., Shanghai 201999, China
| | - Rong Xie
- China MCC20 Group Corp., Ltd., Shanghai 201999, China
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18
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Bellot M, Manen L, Prats E, Bedrossiantz J, Barata C, Gómez-Canela C, Antolin AA, Raldúa D. Short-term exposure to environmental levels of nicotine and cotinine impairs visual motor response in zebrafish larvae through a similar mode of action: Exploring the potential role of zebrafish α7 nAChR. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169301. [PMID: 38103609 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The current view is that environmental levels of nicotine and cotinine, commonly in the ng/L range, are safe for aquatic organisms. In this study, 7 days post-fertilization zebrafish embryos have been exposed for 24 h to a range of environmental concentrations of nicotine (2.0 ng/L-2.5 μg/L) and cotinine (50 pg/L-10 μg/L), as well as to a binary mixture of these emerging pollutants. Nicotine exposure led to hyperactivity, decreased vibrational startle response and increased non-associative learning. However, the more consistent effect found for both nicotine and cotinine was a significant increase in light-off visual motor response (VMR). The effect of both pollutants on this behavior occurred through a similar mode of action, as the joint effects of the binary mixture of both chemicals were consistent with the concentration addition concept predictions. The results from docking studies suggest that the effect of nicotine and cotinine on light-off VMR could be mediated by zebrafish α7 nAChR expressed in retina. The results presented in this study emphasize the need to revisit the environmental risk assessment of chemicals including additional ecologically relevant sublethal endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Bellot
- Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Institut Químic de Sarrià-Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Leticia Manen
- proCURE, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Prats
- Research and Development Center (CID-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juliette Bedrossiantz
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristian Gómez-Canela
- Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, Institut Químic de Sarrià-Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert A Antolin
- proCURE, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Oncobell, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Demetrio Raldúa
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
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19
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Chaigne C, Sapède D, Cousin X, Sanchou L, Blader P, Cau E. Contribution of the eye and of opn4xa function to circadian photoentrainment in the diurnal zebrafish. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011172. [PMID: 38408087 PMCID: PMC10919856 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The eye is instrumental for controlling circadian rhythms in mice and human. Here, we address the conservation of this function in the zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate. Using lakritz (lak) mutant larvae, which lack retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), we show that while a functional eye contributes to masking, it is largely dispensable for the establishment of circadian rhythms of locomotor activity. Furthermore, the eye is dispensable for the induction of a phase delay following a pulse of white light at CT 16 but contributes to the induction of a phase advance upon a pulse of white light at CT21. Melanopsin photopigments are important mediators of photoentrainment, as shown in nocturnal mammals. One of the zebrafish melanopsin genes, opn4xa, is expressed in RGCs but also in photosensitive projection neurons in the pineal gland. Pineal opn4xa+ projection neurons function in a LIGHT ON manner in contrast to other projection neurons which function in a LIGHT OFF mode. We generated an opn4xa mutant in which the pineal LIGHT ON response is impaired. This mutation has no effect on masking and circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, or for the induction of phase shifts, but slightly modifies period length when larvae are subjected to constant light. Finally, analysis of opn4xa;lak double mutant larvae did not reveal redundancy between the function of the eye and opn4xa in the pineal for the control of phase shifts after light pulses. Our results support the idea that the eye is not the sole mediator of light influences on circadian rhythms of locomotor activity and highlight differences in the circadian system and photoentrainment of behaviour between different animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clair Chaigne
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Cellulaire et du Développement (MCD, UMR5077) Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse 3/UPS, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Dora Sapède
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Cellulaire et du Développement (MCD, UMR5077) Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse 3/UPS, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
- IRMB, Université de Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Xavier Cousin
- MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, INRAE, Route de Maguelone, Palavas, France
| | - Laurent Sanchou
- Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse 3/UPS, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Patrick Blader
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Cellulaire et du Développement (MCD, UMR5077) Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse 3/UPS, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Elise Cau
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Cellulaire et du Développement (MCD, UMR5077) Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI, FR 3743), Université de Toulouse 3/UPS, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
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20
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Lee HS, Jang S, Eom Y, Kim KT. Comparing Ocular Toxicity of Legacy and Alternative Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Zebrafish Larvae. TOXICS 2023; 11:1021. [PMID: 38133422 PMCID: PMC10747198 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11121021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Studies comparing the ocular toxicity potential between legacy and alternative PFAS are lacking. To address this research gap, zebrafish larvae were exposed to both legacy PFAS (i.e., perfluorooctanesulfonic acid [PFOS] and perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA]) and their corresponding alternatives (i.e., perfluorobutanesulfonic acid [PFBS] and perfluorobutanoic acid [PFBA]). Alterations in their visual behaviors, such as phototactic and optomotor responses (OMR), were assessed at sublethal concentrations. Gene expression variations in visual function-associated pathways were also measured. Visual behavioral assessment revealed that PFOS exposure resulted in concentration-dependent reductions in phototactic responses at 10-1000 μg/L, with PFOA exerting reduction effects only at 100 mg/L. However, their two alternatives had no effect at all tested concentrations. Following an improved contrast-OMR (C-OMR) assessment, PFOS decreased the OMR to a water flow stimulus at 10, 100, and 1000 μg/L. The gene expression analysis revealed that PFOS exposure markedly downregulated most genes involved in the opsins in the photoreceptor and phototransduction cascade, which explains the observed visual behavior changes well. Our findings indicate that PFOS is the most likely PFAS to cause visual toxicity, with PFOA present but less likely, and their substitutes, PFBS and PFBA, cannot be classified as visually toxic to zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-seul Lee
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea
| | - Soogyeong Jang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngsub Eom
- Zebrafish Translational Medical Research Center, Korea University, Ansan 15355, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan 15355, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Tae Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea
- Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul 01811, Republic of Korea
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21
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Zapilko V, Moisio S, Parikka M, Heinäniemi M, Lohi O. Generation of a Zebrafish Knock-In Model Recapitulating Childhood ETV6::RUNX1-Positive B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5821. [PMID: 38136366 PMCID: PMC10871125 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 25% of children with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pB-ALL) harbor the t(12;21)(p13;q22) translocation, leading to the ETV6::RUNX1 (E::R) fusion gene. This translocation occurs in utero, but the disease is much less common than the prevalence of the fusion in newborns, suggesting that secondary mutations are required for overt leukemia. The role of these secondary mutations remains unclear and may contribute to treatment resistance and disease recurrence. We developed a zebrafish model for E::R leukemia using CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce the human RUNX1 gene into zebrafish etv6 intron 5, resulting in E::R fusion gene expression controlled by the endogenous etv6 promoter. As seen by GFP fluorescence at a single-cell level, the model correctly expressed the fusion protein in the right places in zebrafish embryos. The E::R fusion expression induced an expansion of the progenitor cell pool and led to a low 2% frequency of leukemia. The introduction of targeted pax5 and cdkn2a/b gene mutations, mimicking secondary mutations, in the E::R line significantly increased the incidence in leukemia. Transcriptomics revealed that the E::R;pax5mut leukemias exclusively represented B-lineage disease. This novel E::R zebrafish model faithfully recapitulates human disease and offers a valuable tool for a more detailed analysis of disease biology in this subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Zapilko
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland;
| | - Sanni Moisio
- The Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland; (S.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Mataleena Parikka
- Laboratory of Infection Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland;
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- The Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland; (S.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Olli Lohi
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland;
- Department of Pediatrics and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, 33520 Tampere, Finland
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22
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Chen S, Qin Y, Ye X, Liu J, Yan X, Zhou L, Wang X, Martyniuk CJ, Yan B. Neurotoxicity of the Cu(OH) 2 Nanopesticide through Perturbing Multiple Neurotransmitter Pathways in Developing Zebrafish. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19407-19418. [PMID: 37988762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The copper hydroxide [Cu(OH)2] nanopesticide is an emerging agricultural chemical that can negatively impact aquatic organisms. This study evaluated the behavioral changes of zebrafish larvae exposed to the Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide and assessed its potential to induce neurotoxicity. Metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling was also conducted to uncover the molecular mechanisms related to potential neurotoxicity. The Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide at 100 μg/L induced zebrafish hypoactivity, dark avoidance, and response to the light stimulus, suggestive of neurotoxic effects. Altered neurotransmitter-related pathways (serotoninergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic) and reduction of serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), glutamate (GLU), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and several of their precursors and metabolites were noted following metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were associated with the synthesis, transport, receptor binding, and metabolism of 5-HT, DA, GLU, and GABA. Transcripts (or protein levels) related to neurotransmitter receptors for 5-HT, DA, GLU, and GABA and enzymes for the synthesis of GLU and GABA were downregulated. Effects on both the glutamatergic and GABAergic pathways in zebrafish were specific to the nanopesticide and differed from those in fish exposed to copper ions. Taken together, the Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide induced developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish by inhibiting several neurotransmitter-related pathways. This study presented a model for Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide-induced neurotoxicity in developing zebrafish that can inform ecological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siying Chen
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yingju Qin
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaolin Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiliang Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Christopher J Martyniuk
- Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, UF Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences in Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Bing Yan
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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23
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Cai H, Zhang Y, Xiong Y, Liu Y, Sun F, Zhou Q, Wu Y, Ma H, Sun Y. Preference of juvenile tiger puffer for light spectrum and tank colours based on different body size and breeding background. Animal 2023; 17:101021. [PMID: 38061178 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.101021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
As important environmental factors, the light spectra and tank colours have not received sufficient attention. Most fishes have the ability to perceive environment, distinguish colours, and exhibit preferences or aversions towards different environments, which can provide a reference for the design of their rearing environment. Tiger puffer (Takifugu rubripes) is an important mariculture species in China and East Asia, but its preference for illumination spectra and tank colours is unclear. This study focuses on the preferences of juvenile tiger puffers for different spectra and tank background colours in different rearing backgrounds and body sizes. The experiments were conducted in a preference testing device, and the behavioural videos were recorded and analysed using a motion behaviour tracking system (EthoVision XT 12). The results show that the puffers showed preference for short-wavelength lights ((i.e., cyan, green, etc.), avoidance of long-wavelength light (i.e., red) and less stay time in the full light spectrum and dark. For tank colours, the puffers showed a preference for light background colours (i.e., white), and avoidance of deep background colours (i.e., dark, red, etc.). Fish body sizes and original breeding environment could significantly affect the selective preference of juvenile puffer (P < 0.05). Large puffers preferred green tank colour than small ones, while small ones preferred grey and red. The puffers reared in green light and grey tank for 3 months preferred green light spectrum and green tank colour compared with those reared in full spectrum and grey tank, while the fish reared in full spectrum preferred grey tank colour and area without light. It was also found that the movement rate of juvenile puffers was affected by the light spectra and tank colours and was positively correlated with light wavelength (P < 0.05). Therefore, for tiger puffer breeding, short-wavelength light spectrums (cyan, green, etc.) and light-coloured tank backgrounds (white) are recommended. Long-wavelength Light-emitting diodes and dark tank colours should be avoided in breeding. This study would provide a reference basis for fish light spectra and background colour preference studies, as well as for the improvement of breeding welfare and production efficiency of juvenile tiger puffer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Cai
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yining Zhang
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yuyu Xiong
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China; College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fei Sun
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Qiming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China; College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yanling Wu
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - He Ma
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Yan Sun
- College of Marine Science, Technology and Environment, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture, Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
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24
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Pan D, Wang Z, Chen Y, Cao J. Melanopsin-mediated optical entrainment regulates circadian rhythms in vertebrates. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1054. [PMID: 37853054 PMCID: PMC10584931 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05432-7] [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: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanopsin (OPN4) is a light-sensitive protein that plays a vital role in the regulation of circadian rhythms and other nonvisual functions. Current research on OPN4 has focused on mammals; more evidence is needed from non-mammalian vertebrates to fully assess the significance of the non-visual photosensitization of OPN4 for circadian rhythm regulation. There are species differences in the regulatory mechanisms of OPN4 for vertebrate circadian rhythms, which may be due to the differences in the cutting variants, tissue localization, and photosensitive activation pathway of OPN4. We here summarize the distribution of OPN4 in mammals, birds, and teleost fish, and the classical excitation mode for the non-visual photosensitive function of OPN4 in mammals is discussed. In addition, the role of OPN4-expressing cells in regulating circadian rhythm in different vertebrates is highlighted, and the potential rhythmic regulatory effects of various neuropeptides or neurotransmitters expressed in mammalian OPN4-expressing ganglion cells are summarized among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deng Pan
- Laboratory of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Zixu Wang
- Laboratory of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Yaoxing Chen
- Laboratory of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Laboratory of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, 100193, Beijing, China.
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25
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Andrabi M, Upton BA, Lang RA, Vemaraju S. An Expanding Role for Nonvisual Opsins in Extraocular Light Sensing Physiology. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2023; 9:245-267. [PMID: 37196422 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-100820-094018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
We live on a planet that is bathed in daily and seasonal sunlight cycles. In this context, terrestrial life forms have evolved mechanisms that directly harness light energy (plants) or decode light information for adaptive advantage. In animals, the main light sensors are a family of G protein-coupled receptors called opsins. Opsin function is best described for the visual sense. However, most animals also use opsins for extraocular light sensing for seasonal behavior and camouflage. While it has long been believed that mammals do not have an extraocular light sensing capacity, recent evidence suggests otherwise. Notably, encephalopsin (OPN3) and neuropsin (OPN5) are both known to mediate extraocular light sensing in mice. Examples of this mediation include photoentrainment of circadian clocks in skin (by OPN5) and acute light-dependent regulation of metabolic pathways (by OPN3 and OPN5). This review summarizes current findings in the expanding field of extraocular photoreception and their relevance for human physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutahar Andrabi
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian A Upton
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Richard A Lang
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Shruti Vemaraju
- The Visual Systems Group, Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; ,
- Science of Light Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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26
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Lee H, Shams S, Dang Thi VH, Boyum G, Modhurima R, Hall E, Green I, Cervantes E, Miguez F, Clark K. The canonical HPA axis facilitates and maintains light adaptive behavior. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3240080. [PMID: 37720015 PMCID: PMC10503838 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3240080/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate stress response (SR) is mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and contributes to generating context appropriate physiological and behavioral changes. Although the HPA axis plays vital roles both in stressful and basal conditions, research has focused on the response under stress. To understand broader roles of the HPA axis in a changing environment, we characterized an adaptive behavior of larval zebrafish during ambient illumination changes. The glucocorticoid receptor (nr3c1) was necessary to maintain basal locomotor activity in light and darkness. The HPA axis was required to adapt to light more efficiently but became dispensable when longer illumination was provided. Light adaptation was more efficient in dimmer light and did not require the mineralocorticoid receptor (nr3c2). Our findings show that the HPA axis contributes to the SR at various stages, facilitating the phasic response and maintaining an adapted basal state, and that certain adaptations occur without HPA axis activity.
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27
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Rialto TCR, Marino RV, Abe FR, Dorta DJ, Oliveira DP. Comparative Assessment of the Toxicity of Brominated and Halogen-Free Flame Retardants to Zebrafish in Terms of Tail Coiling Activity, Biomarkers, and Locomotor Activity. TOXICS 2023; 11:732. [PMID: 37755743 PMCID: PMC10534375 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11090732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BDE-47, a flame retardant that is frequently detected in environmental compartments and human tissues, has been associated with various toxic effects. In turn, information about the effects of aluminum diethyl-phosphinate (ALPI), a halogen-free flame retardant from a newer generation, is limited. This study aims to assess and compare the toxicity of BDE-47 and ALPI to zebrafish by analyzing the tail coiling, locomotor, acetylcholinesterase activities, and oxidative stress biomarkers. At 3000 µg/L BDE-47, the coiling frequency increased at 26-27 h post-fertilization (hpf), but the burst activity (%) and mean burst duration (s) did not change significantly. Here, we considered that the increased coiling frequency is a slight neurotoxic effect because locomotor activity was impaired at 144 hpf and 300 µg/L BDE-47. Moreover, we hypothesized that oxidative stress could be involved in the BDE-47 toxicity mechanisms. In contrast, only at 30,000 µg/L did ALPI increase the catalase activity, while the motor behavior during different developmental stages remained unaffected. On the basis of these findings, BDE-47 is more toxic than ALPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taisa Carla Rizzi Rialto
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil; (T.C.R.R.); (F.R.A.)
| | - Renan Vieira Marino
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil; (T.C.R.R.); (F.R.A.)
| | - Flavia Renata Abe
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil; (T.C.R.R.); (F.R.A.)
| | - Daniel Junqueira Dorta
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy Science and Letters at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-901, SP, Brazil;
- National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM), Araraquara 14800-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Danielle Palma Oliveira
- Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil; (T.C.R.R.); (F.R.A.)
- National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM), Araraquara 14800-900, SP, Brazil
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28
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Altbürger C, Holzhauser J, Driever W. CRISPR/Cas9-based QF2 knock-in at the tyrosine hydroxylase ( th) locus reveals novel th-expressing neuron populations in the zebrafish mid- and hindbrain. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1196868. [PMID: 37603776 PMCID: PMC10433395 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1196868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Catecholaminergic neuron clusters are among the most conserved neuromodulatory systems in vertebrates, yet some clusters show significant evolutionary dynamics. Because of their disease relevance, special attention has been paid to mammalian midbrain dopaminergic systems, which have important functions in motor control, reward, motivation, and cognitive function. In contrast, midbrain dopaminergic neurons in teleosts were thought to be lost secondarily. Here, we generated a CRISPR/Cas9-based knock-in transgene at the th locus, which allows the expression of the Q-system transcription factor QF2 linked to the Tyrosine hydroxylase open reading frame by an E2A peptide. The QF2 knock-in allele still expresses Tyrosine hydroxylase in catecholaminergic neurons. Coexpression analysis of QF2 driven expression of QUAS fluorescent reporter transgenes and of th mRNA and Th protein revealed that essentially all reporter expressing cells also express Th/th. We also observed a small group of previously unidentified cells expressing the reporter gene in the midbrain and a larger group close to the midbrain-hindbrain boundary. However, we detected no expression of the catecholaminergic markers ddc, slc6a3, or dbh in these neurons, suggesting that they are not actively transmitting catecholamines. The identified neurons in the midbrain are located in a GABAergic territory. A coexpression analysis with anatomical markers revealed that Th-expressing neurons in the midbrain are located in the tegmentum and those close to the midbrain-hindbrain boundary are located in the hindbrain. Our data suggest that zebrafish may still have some evolutionary remnants of midbrain dopaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Altbürger
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS and BIOSS - Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jens Holzhauser
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Driever
- Developmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Biology I, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS and BIOSS - Centres for Biological Signalling Studies, Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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29
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Fujiyabu C, Sato K, Ohuchi H, Yamashita T. Diversification processes of teleost intron-less opsin genes. J Biol Chem 2023:104899. [PMID: 37295773 PMCID: PMC10339062 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Opsins are universal photosensitive proteins in animals. Vertebrates have a variety of opsin genes for visual and non-visual photoreceptions. Analysis of the gene structures shows that most opsin genes have introns in their coding regions. However, teleosts exceptionally have several intron-less opsin genes which are presumed to have been duplicated by an RNA-based gene duplication mechanism, retroduplication. Among these retrogenes, we focused on the Opn4 (melanopsin) gene responsible for non-image-forming photoreception. Many teleosts have five Opn4 genes including one intron-less gene, which is speculated to have been formed from a parental intron-containing gene in the Actinopterygii. In this study, to reveal the evolutionary history of Opn4 genes, we analyzed them in teleost (zebrafish and medaka) and non-teleost (bichir, sturgeon and gar) fishes. Our synteny analysis suggests that the intron-less Opn4 gene emerged by retroduplication after branching of the bichir lineage. In addition, our biochemical and histochemical analyses showed that, in the teleost lineage, the newly acquired intron-less Opn4 gene became abundantly used without substantial changes of the molecular properties of the Opn4 protein. This stepwise evolutionary model of Opn4 genes is quite similar to that of rhodopsin genes in the Actinopterygii. The unique acquisition of rhodopsin and Opn4 retrogenes would have contributed to the diversification of the opsin gene repertoires in the Actinopterygii and the adaptation of teleosts to various aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Fujiyabu
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Keita Sato
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Hideyo Ohuchi
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yamashita
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
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30
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Wu Q, Zhang Y. Neural Circuit Mechanisms Involved in Animals' Detection of and Response to Visual Threats. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:994-1008. [PMID: 36694085 PMCID: PMC10264346 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01021-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Evading or escaping from predators is one of the most crucial issues for survival across the animal kingdom. The timely detection of predators and the initiation of appropriate fight-or-flight responses are innate capabilities of the nervous system. Here we review recent progress in our understanding of innate visually-triggered defensive behaviors and the underlying neural circuit mechanisms, and a comparison among vinegar flies, zebrafish, and mice is included. This overview covers the anatomical and functional aspects of the neural circuits involved in this process, including visual threat processing and identification, the selection of appropriate behavioral responses, and the initiation of these innate defensive behaviors. The emphasis of this review is on the early stages of this pathway, namely, threat identification from complex visual inputs and how behavioral choices are influenced by differences in visual threats. We also briefly cover how the innate defensive response is processed centrally. Based on these summaries, we discuss coding strategies for visual threats and propose a common prototypical pathway for rapid innate defensive responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiwen Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yifeng Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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31
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Parab S, Card OA, Chen Q, America M, Buck LD, Quick RE, Horrigan WF, Levkowitz G, Vanhollebeke B, Matsuoka RL. Local angiogenic interplay of Vegfc/d and Vegfa controls brain region-specific emergence of fenestrated capillaries. eLife 2023; 12:e86066. [PMID: 37191285 PMCID: PMC10229134 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Fenestrated and blood-brain barrier (BBB)-forming endothelial cells constitute major brain capillaries, and this vascular heterogeneity is crucial for region-specific neural function and brain homeostasis. How these capillary types emerge in a brain region-specific manner and subsequently establish intra-brain vascular heterogeneity remains unclear. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of vascularization across the zebrafish choroid plexuses (CPs), circumventricular organs (CVOs), and retinal choroid, and show common angiogenic mechanisms critical for fenestrated brain capillary formation. We found that zebrafish deficient for Gpr124, Reck, or Wnt7aa exhibit severely impaired BBB angiogenesis without any apparent defect in fenestrated capillary formation in the CPs, CVOs, and retinal choroid. Conversely, genetic loss of various Vegf combinations caused significant disruptions in Wnt7/Gpr124/Reck signaling-independent vascularization of these organs. The phenotypic variation and specificity revealed heterogeneous endothelial requirements for Vegfs-dependent angiogenesis during CP and CVO vascularization, identifying unexpected interplay of Vegfc/d and Vegfa in this process. Mechanistically, expression analysis and paracrine activity-deficient vegfc mutant characterization suggest that endothelial cells and non-neuronal specialized cell types present in the CPs and CVOs are major sources of Vegfs responsible for regionally restricted angiogenic interplay. Thus, brain region-specific presentations and interplay of Vegfc/d and Vegfa control emergence of fenestrated capillaries, providing insight into the mechanisms driving intra-brain vascular heterogeneity and fenestrated vessel formation in other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Parab
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
| | - Olivia A Card
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
| | - Qiyu Chen
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Neuroscience, The Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Michelle America
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de BruxellesGosseliesBelgium
| | - Luke D Buck
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
| | - Rachael E Quick
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
| | - William F Horrigan
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
| | - Gil Levkowitz
- Departments of Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Neuroscience, The Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Benoit Vanhollebeke
- Laboratory of Neurovascular Signaling, Department of Molecular Biology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université libre de BruxellesGosseliesBelgium
| | - Ryota L Matsuoka
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland ClinicClevelandUnited States
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve UniversityClevelandUnited States
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Coomer C, Naumova D, Talay M, Zolyomi B, Snell N, Sorkac A, Chanchu JM, Cheng J, Roman I, Li J, Robson D, Barnea G, Halpern ME. Transsynaptic labeling and transcriptional control of zebrafish neural circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535421. [PMID: 37066422 PMCID: PMC10103993 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering the connectome, the ensemble of synaptic connections that underlie brain function is a central goal of neuroscience research. The trans-Tango genetic approach, initially developed for anterograde transsynaptic tracing in Drosophila, can be used to map connections between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners and to drive gene expression in target neurons. Here, we describe the successful adaptation of trans-Tango to visualize neural connections in a living vertebrate nervous system, that of the zebrafish. Connections were validated between synaptic partners in the larval retina and brain. Results were corroborated by functional experiments in which optogenetic activation of retinal ganglion cells elicited responses in neurons of the optic tectum, as measured by trans-Tango-dependent expression of a genetically encoded calcium indicator. Transsynaptic signaling through trans-Tango reveals predicted as well as previously undescribed synaptic connections, providing a valuable in vivo tool to monitor and interrogate neural circuits over time.
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Starkey J, Hageter J, Kozol R, Emmerich K, Mumm JS, Dubou ER, Horstick EJ. Thalamic neurons drive distinct forms of motor asymmetry that are conserved in teleost and dependent on visual evolution. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.20.533538. [PMID: 36993391 PMCID: PMC10055245 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.20.533538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Brain laterality is a prominent feature in Bilateria, where neural functions are favored in a single brain hemisphere. These hemispheric specializations are thought to improve behavioral performance and are commonly observed as sensory or motor asymmetries, such as handedness in humans. Despite its prevalence, our understanding of the neural and molecular substrates instructing functional lateralization is limited. Moreover, how functional lateralization is selected for or modulated throughout evolution is poorly understood. While comparative approaches offer a powerful tool for addressing this question, a major obstacle has been the lack of a conserved asymmetric behavior in genetically tractable organisms. Previously, we described a robust motor asymmetry in larval zebrafish. Following the loss of illumination, individuals show a persistent turning bias that is associated with search pattern behavior with underlying functional lateralization in the thalamus. This behavior permits a simple yet robust assay that can be used to address fundamental principles underlying lateralization in the brain across taxa. Here, we take a comparative approach and show that motor asymmetry is conserved across diverse larval teleost species, which have diverged over the past 200 million years. Using a combination of transgenic tools, ablation, and enucleation, we show that teleosts exhibit two distinct forms of motor asymmetry, vision-dependent and - independent. These asymmetries are directionally uncorrelated, yet dependent on the same subset of thalamic neurons. Lastly, we leverage Astyanax sighted and blind morphs, which show that fish with evolutionarily derived blindness lack both retinal-dependent and -independent motor asymmetries, while their sighted surface conspecifics retained both forms. Our data implicate that overlapping sensory systems and neuronal substrates drive functional lateralization in a vertebrate brain that are likely targets for selective modulation during evolution.
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A tapt1 knock-out zebrafish line with aberrant lens development and impaired vision models human early-onset cataract. Hum Genet 2023; 142:457-476. [PMID: 36697720 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02518-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Bi-allelic mutations in the gene coding for human trans-membrane anterior-posterior transformation protein 1 (TAPT1) result in a broad phenotypic spectrum, ranging from syndromic disease with severe skeletal and congenital abnormalities to isolated early-onset cataract. We present here the first patient with a frameshift mutation in the TAPT1 gene, resulting in both bilateral early-onset cataract and skeletal abnormalities, in addition to several dysmorphic features, in this way further expanding the phenotypic spectrum associated with TAPT1 mutations. A tapt1a/tapt1b double knock-out (KO) zebrafish model generated by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing revealed an early larval phenotype with eye malformations, loss of vision, increased photokinetics and hyperpigmentation, without visible skeletal involvement. Ultrastructural analysis of the eyes showed a smaller condensed lens, loss of integrity of the lens capsule with formation of a secondary lens and hyperplasia of the cells in the ganglion and inner plexiform layers of the retina. Transcriptomic analysis pointed to an impaired lens development with aberrant expression of many of the crystallin and other lens-specific genes. Furthermore, the phototransduction and visual perception pathways were found to be significantly disturbed. Differences in light perception are likely the cause of the increased dark photokinetics and generalized hyperpigmentation observed in this zebrafish model. In conclusion, this study validates TAPT1 as a new gene for early-onset cataract and sheds light on its ultrastructural and molecular characteristics.
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Sato K, Liu Y, Yamashita T, Ohuchi H. The medaka mutant deficient in eyes shut homolog exhibits opsin transport defects and enhanced autophagy in retinal photoreceptors. Cell Tissue Res 2023; 391:249-267. [PMID: 36418571 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-022-03702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Eyes shut homolog (EYS) encodes a proteoglycan and the human mutation causes retinitis pigmentosa type 25 (RP25) with progressive retinal degeneration. RP25 most frequently affects autosomal recessive RP patients with many ethnic backgrounds. Although studies using RP models have facilitated the development of therapeutic medications, Eys has been lost in rodent model animals. Here we examined the roles for Eys in the maintenance of photoreceptor structure and function by generating eys-null medaka fish using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Medaka EYS protein was present near the connecting cilium of wild-type photoreceptors, while it was absent from the eys-/- retina. The mutant larvae exhibited a reduced visual motor response compared with wild-type. In contrast to reported eys-deficient zebrafish at the similar stage, no retinal cell death was detected in the 8-month post-hatching (8-mph) medaka eys mutant. Immunohistochemistry showed a significant reduction in the length of cone outer segments (OSs), retention of OS proteins in the inner segments of photoreceptors, and abnormal filamentous actin network at the base of cone OSs in the mutant retina by 8 mph. Electron microscopy revealed aberrant structure of calyceal processes, numerous vesiculation and lamellar interruptions, and autophagosomes in the eys-mutant cone photoreceptors. In situ hybridization showed an autophagy component gene, gabarap, was ectopically expressed in the eys-null retina. These results suggest eys is required for regeneration of OS, especially of cone photoreceptors, and transport of OS proteins by regulating actin filaments. Enhanced autophagy may delay the progression of retinal degeneration when lacking EYS in the medaka retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Sato
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan
| | - Takahiro Yamashita
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hideyo Ohuchi
- Department of Cytology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, 700-8558, Japan.
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Rocco L, Pisera-Fuster A, Faillace MP, Bernabeu R. Evaluation of drug seeking behavior on nicotine conditioned place preference in zebrafish. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 119:110593. [PMID: 35777525 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Seeking of drugs is commonly evaluated in a specific environment for assessing drug preference. However, cognitive strategies involved in drug seeking are mostly unknown. To assess the strength of environmental cues that can be associated with nicotine in the zebrafish brain reward circuitry, we have designed herein a modified conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. This task was devised to identify salient environmental cues relevant for strong nicotine-environment association and drug seeking induction. During test sessions, background colors of the CPP tank chambers were shifted and preference for colors associated to nicotine was assessed. We have compared several tank designs and different compartment colors. Our findings indicated that zebrafish seeking behavior was strongly dependent on compartment color shades. Combination of red and yellow environments, which were preferred and avoided compartments, respectively, was the most effective design presenting the highest CPP-score. Interestingly, animals that stayed for longer periods in the environment conditioned to nicotine during a first testing interval were also able to follow the background color shade conditioned to nicotine to the other compartment immediately after background colors were relocated between compartments. During a second testing period, zebrafish also stayed for longer periods in the colored compartment paired to nicotine during conditioning. These findings suggest that under salient environmental conditions, zebrafish voluntarily followed a shifting visual cue previously associated with nicotine delivery. Furthermore, our findings indicate that zebrafish exhibit spatial associative learning and memory, which generates a repertoire of conspicuous locomotor behaviors induced by nicotine preference in the CPP task.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rocco
- Department of Physiology and Institute of Physiology and Biophysics (IFIBIO-Houssay, UBA-CONICET), School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Pisera-Fuster
- Department of Physiology and Institute of Physiology and Biophysics (IFIBIO-Houssay, UBA-CONICET), School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M P Faillace
- Department of Physiology and Institute of Physiology and Biophysics (IFIBIO-Houssay, UBA-CONICET), School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - R Bernabeu
- Department of Physiology and Institute of Physiology and Biophysics (IFIBIO-Houssay, UBA-CONICET), School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Eilertsen M, Dolan DWP, Bolton CM, Karlsen R, Davies WIL, Edvardsen RB, Furmanek T, Sveier H, Migaud H, Helvik JV. Photoreception and transcriptomic response to light during early development of a teleost with a life cycle tightly controlled by seasonal changes in photoperiod. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010529. [PMID: 36508414 PMCID: PMC9744326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Light cues vary along the axis of periodicity, intensity and spectrum and perception of light is dependent on the photoreceptive capacity encoded within the genome and the opsins expressed. A global approach was taken to analyze the photoreceptive capacity and the effect of differing light conditions on a developing teleost prior to first feeding. The transcriptomes of embryos and alevins of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to different light conditions were analyzed, including a developmental series and a circadian profile. The results showed that genes mediating nonvisual photoreception are present prior to hatching when the retina is poorly differentiated. The clock genes were expressed early, but the circadian profile showed that only two clock genes were significantly cycling before first feeding. Few genes were differentially expressed between day and night within a light condition; however, many genes were significantly different between light conditions, indicating that light environment has an impact on the transcriptome during early development. Comparing the transcriptome data from constant conditions to periodicity of white light or different colors revealed overrepresentation of genes related to photoreception, eye development, muscle contraction, degradation of metabolites and cell cycle among others, and in constant light, several clock genes were upregulated. In constant white light and periodicity of green light, genes associated with DNA replication, chromatin remodeling, cell division and DNA repair were downregulated. The study implies a direct influence of light conditions on the transcriptome profile at early developmental stages, by a complex photoreceptive system where few clock genes are cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariann Eilertsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- * E-mail: (ME); (JVH)
| | | | - Charlotte M. Bolton
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Karlsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Wayne I. L. Davies
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- School of Life Sciences, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Herve Migaud
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Vidar Helvik
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- * E-mail: (ME); (JVH)
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Hossainian D, Shao E, Jiao B, Ilin VA, Parris RS, Zhou Y, Bai Q, Burton EA. Quantification of functional recovery in a larval zebrafish model of spinal cord injury. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:2044-2054. [PMID: 35986577 PMCID: PMC10695274 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Human spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by permanent loss of damaged axons, resulting in chronic disability. In contrast, zebrafish can regenerate axonal projections following central nervous system injury and re-establish synaptic contacts with distant targets; elucidation of the underlying molecular events is an important goal with translational potential for improving outcomes in SCI patients. We generated transgenic zebrafish with GFP-labeled axons and transected their spinal cords at 10 days post-fertilization. Intravital confocal microscopy revealed robust axonal regeneration following the procedure, with abundant axons bridging the transection site by 48 h post-injury. In order to analyze neurological function in this model, we developed and validated new open-source software to measure zebrafish lateral trunk curvature during propulsive and turning movements at high temporal resolution. Immediately following spinal cord transection, axial movements were dramatically decreased caudal to the lesion site, but preserved rostral to the injury, suggesting the induction of motor paralysis below the transection level. Over the subsequent 96 h, the magnitude of movements caudal to the lesion recovered to baseline, but the rate of change of truncal curvature did not fully recover, suggesting incomplete restoration of caudal strength over this time course. Quantification of both morphological and functional recovery following SCI will be important for the analysis of axonal regeneration and downstream events necessary for restoration of motor function. An extensive array of genetic and pharmacological interventions can be deployed in the larval zebrafish model to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darius Hossainian
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Enhua Shao
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Tsinghua University Medical School, Beijing, China
| | - Binxuan Jiao
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Tsinghua University Medical School, Beijing, China
| | - Vladimir A. Ilin
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Ritika S. Parris
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Yangzhong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Tsinghua University Medical School, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Bai
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Edward A. Burton
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
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Cho HJ, Lee WS, Jeong J, Lee JS. A review on the impacts of nanomaterials on neuromodulation and neurological dysfunction using a zebrafish animal model. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2022; 261:109428. [PMID: 35940544 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2022.109428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Nanomaterials have been widely employed from industrial to medical fields due to their small sizes and versatile characteristics. However, nanomaterials can also induce unexpected adverse effects on health. In particular, exposure of the nervous system to nanomaterials can cause serious neurological dysfunctions and neurodegenerative diseases. A number of studies have adopted various animal models to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of nanomaterials. Among them, zebrafish has become an attractive animal model for neurotoxicological studies due to several advantages, including the well-characterized nervous system, efficient genome editing, convenient generation of transgenic lines, high-resolution in vivo imaging, and an array of behavioral assays. In this review, we summarize recent studies on the neurotoxicological effects of nanomaterials, particularly engineered nanomaterials and nanoplastics, using zebrafish and discuss key findings with advantages and limitations of the zebrafish model in neurotoxicological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Ju Cho
- Microbiome Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Wang Sik Lee
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Jeong
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jeong-Soo Lee
- Microbiome Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School, University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
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40
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Silva RFO, Pinho BR, Santos MM, Oliveira JMA. Disruptions of circadian rhythms, sleep, and stress responses in zebrafish: New infrared-based activity monitoring assays for toxicity assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 305:135449. [PMID: 35750227 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural disruptions are sensitive indicators of alterations to normal animal physiology and can be used for toxicity assessment. The small vertebrate zebrafish is a leading model organism for toxicological studies. The ability to continuously monitor the toxicity of drugs, pollutants, or environmental changes over several days in zebrafish can have high practical application. Although video-recordings can be used to monitor short-term zebrafish behaviour, it is challenging to videorecord prolonged experiments (e.g. circadian behaviour over several days) because of the darkness periods (nights) and the heavy data storage and image processing requirements. Alternatively, infrared-based activity monitors, widely used in invertebrate models such as drosophila, generate simple and low-storage data and could optimize large-scale prolonged behavioural experiments in zebrafish, thus favouring the implementation of high-throughput testing strategies. Here, we validate the use of a Locomotor Activity Monitor (LAM) to study the behaviour of zebrafish larvae, and we characterize the behavioural phenotypes induced by abnormal light conditions and by the Parkinsonian toxin MPP+. When zebrafish were deprived from daily light-cycle synchronization, the LAM detected various circadian disruptions, such as increased activity period, phase shifts, and decreased inter-daily stability. Zebrafish exposed to MPP+ (10, 100, 500 μM) showed a concentration-dependent decrease in activity, sleep disruptions, impaired habituation to repetitive startles (visual-motor responses), and a slower recovery to normal activity after the startle-associated stress. These phenotypes evidence the feasibility of using infrared-based LAM to assess multi-parameter behavioural disruptions in zebrafish. The procedures in this study have wide applicability and may yield standard methods for toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui F O Silva
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Brígida R Pinho
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel M Santos
- CIMAR/CIIMAR - LA - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Group of Endocrine Disruptors and Emerging Contaminants and FCUP- Dep. Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge M A Oliveira
- UCIBIO-REQUIMTE - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal; Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Department of Drug Sciences, Pharmacology Lab, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal.
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41
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Bhandiwad AA, Chu NC, Semenova SA, Holmes GA, Burgess HA. A cerebellar-prepontine circuit for tonic immobility triggered by an inescapable threat. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo0549. [PMID: 36170356 PMCID: PMC9519051 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sudden changes in the environment are frequently perceived as threats and provoke defensive behavioral states. One such state is tonic immobility, a conserved defensive strategy characterized by powerful suppression of movement and motor reflexes. Tonic immobility has been associated with multiple brainstem regions, but the underlying circuit is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a strong vibratory stimulus evokes tonic immobility in larval zebrafish defined by suppressed locomotion and sensorimotor responses. Using a circuit-breaking screen and targeted neuron ablations, we show that cerebellar granule cells and a cluster of glutamatergic ventral prepontine neurons (vPPNs) that express key stress-associated neuropeptides are critical components of the circuit that suppresses movement. The complete sensorimotor circuit transmits information from sensory ganglia through the cerebellum to vPPNs to regulate reticulospinal premotor neurons. These results show that cerebellar regulation of a neuropeptide-rich prepontine structure governs a conserved and ancestral defensive behavior that is triggered by an inescapable threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin A. Bhandiwad
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Svetlana A. Semenova
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - George A. Holmes
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Salgado D, Mariluz BR, Araujo M, Lorena J, Perez LN, Ribeiro RDL, Sousa JDF, Schneider PN. Light-induced shifts in opsin gene expression in the four-eyed fish Anableps anableps. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:995469. [PMID: 36248668 PMCID: PMC9556854 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.995469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of the vertebrate eye is a complex process orchestrated by several conserved transcriptional and signaling regulators. Aside from partial or complete loss, examples of exceptional modifications to this intricate organ are scarce. The unique eye of the four-eyed fish Anableps anableps is composed of duplicated corneas and pupils, as well as specialized retina regions associated with simultaneous aerial and aquatic vision. In a previous transcriptomic study of the A. anableps developing eye we identified expression of twenty non-visual and eleven visual opsin genes. Here, we surveyed the expression territories of three non-visual melanopsins genes (opn4×1, opn4×2, opn4m3), one teleost multiple tissue opsin (tmt1b) and two visual opsins (lws and rh2-1) in dorsal and ventral retinas. Our data showed that asymmetry of non-visual opsin expression is only established after birth. During embryonic development, while inside pregnant females, the expression of opn4×1, opn4×2, and tmt1b spans the whole retina. In juvenile fish (post birth), the expression of opn4×1, opn4×2, opn4m3, and tmt1b genes becomes restricted to the ventral retina, which receives aerial light. Raising juvenile fish in clear water instead of the murky waters found in its natural habitat is sufficient to change gene expression territories of opn4×1, opn4×2, opn4m3, tmt1b, and rh2-1, demonstrating that different lighting conditions can shift opsin expression and potentially contribute to changes in spectral sensitivity in the four eyed fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Salgado
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Bertha R. Mariluz
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Maysa Araujo
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Jamily Lorena
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Louise N. Perez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | | | - Josane de F. Sousa
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Patricia N. Schneider
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Patricia N. Schneider,
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Lloyd E, McDole B, Privat M, Jaggard JB, Duboué ER, Sumbre G, Keene AC. Blind cavefish retain functional connectivity in the tectum despite loss of retinal input. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3720-3730.e3. [PMID: 35926509 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Sensory systems display remarkable plasticity and are under strong evolutionary selection. The Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, consists of eyed river-dwelling surface populations and multiple independent cave populations that have converged on eye loss, providing the opportunity to examine the evolution of sensory circuits in response to environmental perturbation. Functional analysis across multiple transgenic populations expressing GCaMP6s showed that functional connectivity of the optic tectum largely did not differ between populations, except for the selective loss of negatively correlated activity within the cavefish tectum, suggesting positively correlated neural activity is resistant to an evolved loss of input from the retina. Furthermore, analysis of surface-cave hybrid fish reveals that changes in the tectum are genetically distinct from those encoding eye loss. Together, these findings uncover the independent evolution of multiple components of the visual system and establish the use of functional imaging in A. mexicanus to study neural circuit evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Lloyd
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; Harriet Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Brittnee McDole
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Martin Privat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - James B Jaggard
- Department of Biological Science, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Erik R Duboué
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - German Sumbre
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Alex C Keene
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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Wagle M, Zarei M, Lovett-Barron M, Poston KT, Xu J, Ramey V, Pollard KS, Prober DA, Schulkin J, Deisseroth K, Guo S. Brain-wide perception of the emotional valence of light is regulated by distinct hypothalamic neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3777-3793. [PMID: 35484242 PMCID: PMC9613822 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01567-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Salient sensory stimuli are perceived by the brain, which guides both the timing and outcome of behaviors in a context-dependent manner. Light is such a stimulus, which is used in treating mood disorders often associated with a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress axis. Relationships between the emotional valence of light and the hypothalamus, and how they interact to exert brain-wide impacts remain unclear. Employing larval zebrafish with analogous hypothalamic systems to mammals, we show in free-swimming animals that hypothalamic corticotropin releasing factor (CRFHy) neurons promote dark avoidance, and such role is not shared by other hypothalamic peptidergic neurons. Single-neuron projection analyses uncover processes extended by individual CRFHy neurons to multiple targets including sensorimotor and decision-making areas. In vivo calcium imaging uncovers a complex and heterogeneous response of individual CRFHy neurons to the light or dark stimulus, with a reduced overall sum of CRF neuronal activity in the presence of light. Brain-wide calcium imaging under alternating light/dark stimuli further identifies distinct and distributed photic response neuronal types. CRFHy neuronal ablation increases an overall representation of light in the brain and broadly enhances the functional connectivity associated with an exploratory brain state. These findings delineate brain-wide photic perception, uncover a previously unknown role of CRFHy neurons in regulating the perception and emotional valence of light, and suggest that light therapy may alleviate mood disorders through reducing an overall sum of CRF neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahendra Wagle
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2811, USA
| | - Mahdi Zarei
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2811, USA
| | - Matthew Lovett-Barron
- Department of Bioengineering, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Neurobiology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kristina Tyler Poston
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2811, USA
| | - Jin Xu
- Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Vince Ramey
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Invitae Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine S Pollard
- Gladstone Institute of Data Science & Biotechnology, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David A Prober
- Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- Department of Bioengineering, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Su Guo
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2811, USA.
- Programs in Human Genetics and Biological Sciences, Kavli Institute of Fundamental Neuroscience, The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Bakar Aging Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143-2811, USA.
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Tan JXM, Ang RJW, Wee CL. Larval Zebrafish as a Model for Mechanistic Discovery in Mental Health. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:900213. [PMID: 35813062 PMCID: PMC9263853 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.900213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models are essential for the discovery of mechanisms and treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, complex mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are difficult to fully recapitulate in these models. Borrowing from the field of psychiatric genetics, we reiterate the framework of 'endophenotypes' - biological or behavioral markers with cellular, molecular or genetic underpinnings - to reduce complex disorders into measurable behaviors that can be compared across organisms. Zebrafish are popular disease models due to the conserved genetic, physiological and anatomical pathways between zebrafish and humans. Adult zebrafish, which display more sophisticated behaviors and cognition, have long been used to model psychiatric disorders. However, larvae (up to 1 month old) are more numerous and also optically transparent, and hence are particularly suited for high-throughput screening and brain-wide neural circuit imaging. A number of behavioral assays have been developed to quantify neuropsychiatric phenomena in larval zebrafish. Here, we will review these assays and the current knowledge regarding the underlying mechanisms of their behavioral readouts. We will also discuss the existing evidence linking larval zebrafish behavior to specific human behavioral traits and how the endophenotype framework can be applied. Importantly, many of the endophenotypes we review do not solely define a diseased state but could manifest as a spectrum across the general population. As such, we make the case for larval zebrafish as a promising model for extending our understanding of population mental health, and for identifying novel therapeutics and interventions with broad impact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Caroline Lei Wee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
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Zebrafish Larvae Behavior Models as a Tool for Drug Screenings and Pre-Clinical Trials: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126647. [PMID: 35743088 PMCID: PMC9223633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
To discover new molecules or review the biological activity and toxicity of therapeutic substances, drug development, and research relies on robust biological systems to obtain reliable results. Phenotype-based screenings can transpose the organism’s compensatory pathways by adopting multi-target strategies for treating complex diseases, and zebrafish emerged as an important model for biomedical research and drug screenings. Zebrafish’s clear correlation between neuro-anatomical and physiological features and behavior is very similar to that verified in mammals, enabling the construction of reliable and relevant experimental models for neurological disorders research. Zebrafish presents highly conserved physiological pathways that are found in higher vertebrates, including mammals, along with a robust behavioral repertoire. Moreover, it is very sensitive to pharmacological/environmental manipulations, and these behavioral phenotypes are detected in both larvae and adults. These advantages align with the 3Rs concept and qualify the zebrafish as a powerful tool for drug screenings and pre-clinical trials. This review highlights important behavioral domains studied in zebrafish larvae and their neurotransmitter systems and summarizes currently used techniques to evaluate and quantify zebrafish larvae behavior in laboratory studies.
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Fluid mechanics of the zebrafish embryonic heart trabeculation. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010142. [PMID: 35666714 PMCID: PMC9203006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic heart development is a mechanosensitive process, where specific fluid forces are needed for the correct development, and abnormal mechanical stimuli can lead to malformations. It is thus important to understand the nature of embryonic heart fluid forces. However, the fluid dynamical behaviour close to the embryonic endocardial surface is very sensitive to the geometry and motion dynamics of fine-scale cardiac trabecular surface structures. Here, we conducted image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to quantify the fluid mechanics associated with the zebrafish embryonic heart trabeculae. To capture trabecular geometric and motion details, we used a fish line that expresses fluorescence at the endocardial cell membrane, and high resolution 3D confocal microscopy. Our endocardial wall shear stress (WSS) results were found to exceed those reported in existing literature, which were estimated using myocardial rather than endocardial boundaries. By conducting simulations of single intra-trabecular spaces under varied scenarios, where the translational or deformational motions (caused by contraction) were removed, we found that a squeeze flow effect was responsible for most of the WSS magnitude in the intra-trabecular spaces, rather than the shear interaction with the flow in the main ventricular chamber. We found that trabecular structures were responsible for the high spatial variability of the magnitude and oscillatory nature of WSS, and for reducing the endocardial deformational burden. We further found cells attached to the endocardium within the intra-trabecular spaces, which were likely embryonic hemogenic cells, whose presence increased endocardial WSS. Overall, our results suggested that a complex multi-component consideration of both anatomic features and motion dynamics were needed to quantify the trabeculated embryonic heart fluid mechanics. In the embryonic heart, the mechanical forces that blood fluid imposes on the cardiac tissues are known to be important biological stimuli that affect the proper heart development. We thus perform careful quantification of these forces, using the zebrafish embryo as a model. To do this, we perform high resolution imaging of zebrafish embryonic hearts and image-based flow simulations. We find that the use of a particular fish line that expresses fluorescence at the exact boundary between heart tissue and blood, that is the endocardial cell membrane boundary, is important to give high quality results. The heart’s inner surface has uneven trabeculation structures. We find that they cause fluid forces to have spatial variability and an oscillatory nature. We also find that there is a squeezing motion of cardiac tissues on the trabeculation fluid spaces, which is the main mechanism that generated fluid forces. Fluid forces are also affected by a number of cardiac cells that were developing into blood cells, lodged in the trabeculation fluid spaces. Our investigations provide an understanding of the complexity of the fluid forces on the inner surface of the embryonic heart, and our quantifications will be useful to future studies on the biology elicited by these fluid forces.
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Tuschl K, White RJ, Trivedi C, Valdivia LE, Niklaus S, Bianco IH, Dadswell C, González-Méndez R, Sealy IM, Neuhauss SCF, Houart C, Rihel J, Wilson SW, Busch-Nentwich EM. Loss of slc39a14 causes simultaneous manganese hypersensitivity and deficiency in zebrafish. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:dmm044594. [PMID: 35514229 PMCID: PMC9227717 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.044594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Manganese neurotoxicity is a hallmark of hypermanganesemia with dystonia 2, an inherited manganese transporter defect caused by mutations in SLC39A14. To identify novel potential targets of manganese neurotoxicity, we performed transcriptome analysis of slc39a14-/- mutant zebrafish that were exposed to MnCl2. Differentially expressed genes mapped to the central nervous system and eye, and pathway analysis suggested that Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and activation of the unfolded protein response are key features of manganese neurotoxicity. Consistent with this interpretation, MnCl2 exposure led to decreased whole-animal Ca2+ levels, locomotor defects and changes in neuronal activity within the telencephalon and optic tectum. In accordance with reduced tectal activity, slc39a14-/- zebrafish showed changes in visual phototransduction gene expression, absence of visual background adaptation and a diminished optokinetic reflex. Finally, numerous differentially expressed genes in mutant larvae normalised upon MnCl2 treatment indicating that, in addition to neurotoxicity, manganese deficiency is present either subcellularly or in specific cells or tissues. Overall, we assembled a comprehensive set of genes that mediate manganese-systemic responses and found a highly correlated and modulated network associated with Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and cellular stress. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Tuschl
- UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, IoPPN, Kings College London, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Richard J. White
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Chintan Trivedi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Leonardo E. Valdivia
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Center for Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba 8580745, Chile
- Escuela de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba 8580745, Chile
| | - Stephanie Niklaus
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isaac H. Bianco
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Chris Dadswell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QJ, UK
| | | | - Ian M. Sealy
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Stephan C. F. Neuhauss
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Houart
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, IoPPN, Kings College London, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Jason Rihel
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stephen W. Wilson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Elisabeth M. Busch-Nentwich
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Puddicombe Way, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
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49
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Rurale G, Gentile I, Carbonero C, Persani L, Marelli F. Short-Term Exposure Effects of the Environmental Endocrine Disruptor Benzo(a)Pyrene on Thyroid Axis Function in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105833. [PMID: 35628645 PMCID: PMC9148134 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzo(a)Pyrene (BaP) is one of the most widespread polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with endocrine disrupting properties and carcinogenic effects. In the present study, we tested the effect of BaP on thyroid development and function, using zebrafish as a model system. Zebrafish embryos were treated with 50 nM BaP from 2.5 to 72 h post fertilization (hpf) and compared to 1.2% DMSO controls. The expression profiles of markers of thyroid primordium specification, thyroid hormone (TH) synthesis, hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, TH transport and metabolism, and TH action were analyzed in pools of treated and control embryos at different developmental stages. BaP treatment did not affect early markers of thyroid differentiation but resulted in a significant decrease of markers of TH synthesis (tg and nis) likely secondary to defective expression of the central stimulatory hormones of thyroid axis (trh, tshba) and of TH metabolism (dio2). Consequently, immunofluorescence of BaP treated larvae showed a low number of follicles immunoreactive to T4. In conclusion, our results revealed that the short-term exposure to BaP significantly affects thyroid function in zebrafish, but the primary toxic effects would be exerted at the hypothalamic-pituitary level thus creating a model of central hypothyroidism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuditta Rurale
- Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy;
| | - Ilaria Gentile
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20100 Milan, Italy; (I.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Camilla Carbonero
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20100 Milan, Italy; (I.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Luca Persani
- Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20100 Milan, Italy; (I.G.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (F.M.); Tel.: +39-02-61911-2432 (F.M.)
| | - Federica Marelli
- Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic Research, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy;
- Correspondence: (L.P.); (F.M.); Tel.: +39-02-61911-2432 (F.M.)
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50
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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; 10:256. [PMID: 35622669 PMCID: PMC9145655 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10050256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [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
| | - 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.)
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