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Chen J, Lin Y, Gen D, Chen W, Han R, Li H, Tang S, Zheng S, Zhong X. Integrated mRNA- and miRNA-sequencing analyses unveil the underlying mechanism of tobacco pollutant-induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos. J Transl Med 2024; 22:253. [PMID: 38459561 PMCID: PMC10924323 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05050-9] [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: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Tobacco pollutants are prevalent in the environment, leading to inadvertent exposure of pregnant females. Studies of these pollutants' toxic effects on embryonic development have not fully elucidated the potential underlying mechanisms. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the developmental toxicity induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) at concentrations of 0.25, 1, and 2.5% using a zebrafish embryo toxicity test and integrated transcriptomic analysis of microRNA (miRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). The findings revealed that CSE caused developmental toxicity, including increased mortality and decreased incubation rate, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CSE induced malformations and apoptosis, specifically in the head and heart of zebrafish larvae. We used mRNA and miRNA sequencing analyses to compare changes in the expression of genes and miRNAs in zebrafish larvae. The bioinformatics analysis indicates that the mechanism underlying CSE-induced developmental toxicity was associated with compromised genetic material damage repair, deregulated apoptosis, and disturbed lipid metabolism. The enrichment analysis and RT-qPCR show that the ctsba gene plays a crucial function in embryo developmental apoptosis, and the fads2 gene mainly regulates lipid metabolic toxicity. The results of this study improve the understanding of CSE-induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos and contribute insights into the formulation of novel preventive strategies against tobacco pollutants during early embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiasheng Chen
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxin Lin
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Deyi Gen
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanxian Chen
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Han
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shijie Tang
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shukai Zheng
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoping Zhong
- Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Hussen E, Aakel N, Shaito AA, Al-Asmakh M, Abou-Saleh H, Zakaria ZZ. Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) as a Model for the Study of Developmental and Cardiovascular Toxicity of Electronic Cigarettes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:194. [PMID: 38203365 PMCID: PMC10779276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010194] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The increasing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as an alternative to conventional tobacco products has raised concerns regarding their potential adverse effects. The cardiovascular system undergoes intricate processes forming the heart and blood vessels during fetal development. However, the precise impact of e-cigarette smoke and aerosols on these delicate developmental processes remains elusive. Previous studies have revealed changes in gene expression patterns, disruptions in cellular signaling pathways, and increased oxidative stress resulting from e-cigarette exposure. These findings indicate the potential for e-cigarettes to cause developmental and cardiovascular harm. This comprehensive review article discusses various aspects of electronic cigarette use, emphasizing the relevance of cardiovascular studies in Zebrafish for understanding the risks to human health. It also highlights novel experimental approaches and technologies while addressing their inherent challenges and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman Hussen
- Biological Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar;
| | - Nada Aakel
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (N.A.); (M.A.-A.); (H.A.-S.)
| | - Abdullah A. Shaito
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar;
| | - Maha Al-Asmakh
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (N.A.); (M.A.-A.); (H.A.-S.)
| | - Haissam Abou-Saleh
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar; (N.A.); (M.A.-A.); (H.A.-S.)
- Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar;
| | - Zain Z. Zakaria
- Medical and Health Sciences Office, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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Madrid JV, Vera-Colón MKM, zur Nieden NI. Perturbations in Osteogenic Cell Fate Following Exposure to Constituents Present in Tobacco: A Combinatorial Study. TOXICS 2023; 11:998. [PMID: 38133399 PMCID: PMC10747453 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11120998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Tobacco smoke contains between 7000 and 10,000 constituents, and only an evanescently low number of which have been identified, let alone been evaluated for their toxicity. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has published a list of 93 chemical tobacco constituents that are harmful or potentially harmful to a number of cellular processes. However, their effect on developing skeletal cells is unknown. In this study, we used ToxPI, a computational tool, to prioritize constituents on this list for screening in osteogenically differentiating human embryonic stem cells and fibroblasts. In selected endpoint assays, we evaluated the potential of these chemicals to inhibit osteogenic differentiation success as well as their cytotoxicity. Six of these chemicals, which were ascribed an embryotoxic potential in our screen, as well as nicotine, which was not found to be osteotoxic in vitro, were then evaluated in combinatorial exposures, either in pairs of two or three. No one single chemical could be pinpointed as the culprit of reduced calcification in response to tobacco exposure. Combining chemicals at their half-maximal inhibitory concentration of differentiation often elicited expected decreases in calcification over the individual exposures; however, cytotoxicity was improved in many of the dual combinations. A reverse response was also noted, in which calcification output improved in combinatorial exposures. Results from ternary combinations reflected those from double combinations. Thus, the results from this study suggest that it may be difficult to isolate single chemicals as the primary drivers of skeletal embryotoxicity and that the full combination of chemicals in tobacco smoke may produce the hypomineralization phenotype that we have so far observed in vitro in human embryonic stem cells as well as in vivo in zebrafish.
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Huang W, Shi X, Zhang Q, Chen Y, Zheng S, Wu W, Luo C, Wu K. Transgenerational effects of BDE-47 to zebrafish based on histomorphometry and toxicogenomic analyses. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140401. [PMID: 37839753 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to 2, 2', 4, 4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) has been found to have an impact on reproductive output and endocrine function in female zebrafish (Danio rerio). However, the transgenerational effects of BDE-47 have not been fully explored in previous reports. In this study, female zebrafish were exposed to BDE-47 for three consecutive weeks. The oogenesis, sex hormones, reproductive histology, and transcriptional profiles of genes along the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis were assessed in the exposed-F0 generation. After mating with unexposed males, the transgenerational effects of BDE-47 were evaluated on the basis of histopathology, morphometry and toxicogenome of the unexposed F1 generations at the larval stage. Results indicated that exposure to BDE-47 impaired reproductive capacity, disrupted endocrine system in F0 zebrafish, and compromised craniofacial skeletons and vertebrae development in F1 generations. In addition, through the use of toxicogenomics approach, immune-responsive pathways were found to be significantly enriched, and the transcript expression profiling of immune-related DEGs (IRDs) were dramatically inhibited in F1 generations following maternal BDE-47 exposure, indicating its immunotoxicity to offspring larvae. These findings advance our understanding of the transgenerational toxicity of BDE-47 and advocate for a more comprehensive assessment of other PBDE congeners through histomorphometry and toxicogenomic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Huang
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoling Shi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuequn Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shukai Zheng
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenying Wu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Congying Luo
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Kusheng Wu
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Collier AD, Abdulai AR, Leibowitz SF. Utility of the Zebrafish Model for Studying Neuronal and Behavioral Disturbances Induced by Embryonic Exposure to Alcohol, Nicotine, and Cannabis. Cells 2023; 12:2505. [PMID: 37887349 PMCID: PMC10605371 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
It is estimated that 5% of pregnant women consume drugs of abuse during pregnancy. Clinical research suggests that intake of drugs during pregnancy, such as alcohol, nicotine and cannabis, disturbs the development of neuronal systems in the offspring, in association with behavioral disturbances early in life and an increased risk of developing drug use disorders. After briefly summarizing evidence in rodents, this review focuses on the zebrafish model and its inherent advantages for studying the effects of embryonic exposure to drugs of abuse on behavioral and neuronal development, with an emphasis on neuropeptides known to promote drug-related behaviors. In addition to stimulating the expression and density of peptide neurons, as in rodents, zebrafish studies demonstrate that embryonic drug exposure has marked effects on the migration, morphology, projections, anatomical location, and peptide co-expression of these neurons. We also describe studies using advanced methodologies that can be applied in vivo in zebrafish: first, to demonstrate a causal relationship between the drug-induced neuronal and behavioral disturbances and second, to discover underlying molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects. The zebrafish model has great potential for providing important information regarding the development of novel and efficacious therapies for ameliorating the effects of early drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah F. Leibowitz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Du Y, Liu G, Liu Z, Mo J, Zheng M, Wei Q, Xu Y. Avermectin reduces bone mineralization via the TGF-β signaling pathway in zebrafish. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 272:109702. [PMID: 37487806 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109702] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Avermectin, a widely used insecticide, is primarily effective against animal parasites and insects. Given its extensive application in agriculture, a large amount of avermectin accumulates in natural water bodies. Studies have shown that avermectin has significant toxic effects on various organisms and on the nervous system, spine, and several other organs in humans. However, the effects of avermectin on bone development have not been reported yet. In this study, zebrafish embryos were treated with different concentrations of avermectin to explore the effects of avermectin on early bone development. The results showed that avermectin disturbed early bone development in zebrafish, caused abnormal craniofacial chondrogenesis, and reduced bone mineralization. Avermectin treatment significantly reduced mineralization in zebrafish scales and increased osteoclast activity. Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that avermectin decreased the expression of genes related to osteogenesis and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. The TGF-β inhibitor SB431542 rescued avermectin-induced bone mineralization and osteogenesis related gene expression in zebrafish during early development. Thus, this study provides insight into the mechanism of damage caused by avermectin on bone development, thus helping demonstrate its toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongwei Du
- Soochow University, Department Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 2, Suzhou 320505, China; Gannan Medical University, Department Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 1, Ganzhou 341000, China; Soochow University, Department Orthopedics, Suzhou 320505, China
| | - Gongwen Liu
- Suzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Suzhou 320505, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- Gannan Medical University, Department Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 1, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jianwen Mo
- Gannan Medical University, Department Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 1, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Miao Zheng
- Osteoporosis Clinical Center of Second Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 320505, China
| | - Qi Wei
- Osteoporosis Clinical Center of Second Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou 320505, China
| | - Youjia Xu
- Soochow University, Department Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 2, Suzhou 320505, China; Soochow University, Department Orthopedics, Suzhou 320505, China.
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Świątkowski W, Budzyńska B, Maciąg M, Świątkowska A, Tylżanowski P, Rahnama-Hezavah M, Stachurski P, Chałas R. Nicotine and Cytisine Embryotoxicity in the Experimental Zebrafish Model. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12094. [PMID: 37569468 PMCID: PMC10419251 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Tobacco smoking is one of the most serious health problems. Potentially lethal effects of nicotine for adults can occur with as little as 30 to 60 mg, although severe symptoms can arise with lower doses. Furthermore, the route of administration also influences the toxicity. Cytisine is one of the most popular medications in nicotinism treatment. Like nicotine, cytisine is a plant alkaloid, signaling through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Our study evaluated the effects of cytisine in nicotine-induced embryotoxic effects using zebrafish larvae. We examined the teratogenicity of nicotine and cytisine alone or in combination. Nicotine increased mortality and delayed hatching of zebrafish larvae in a dose-dependent manner. Cytisine did not affect mortality in a wide range of concentrations, and hatching delay was observed only at the highest concentrations, above 2 mM. Administering compounds together partially reduced the adverse teratogenic effect induced by nicotine alone. The protective effect of cytisine against the nicotine effect, observed in zebrafish, will contribute to future studies or treatments related to nicotine addiction or prenatal nicotine exposure in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Świątkowski
- Department of Oral Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Barbara Budzyńska
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (B.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Monika Maciąg
- Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland; (B.B.); (M.M.)
| | - Agnieszka Świątkowska
- Department of Jaw Orthopaedics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Przemko Tylżanowski
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland;
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Piotr Stachurski
- Department of Developmental Dentistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Renata Chałas
- Department of Oral Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059 Lublin, Poland;
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