PUBLICATION

Modulation of estrogen causes disruption of craniofacial chondrogenesis in Danio rerio

Authors
Cohen, S.P., Lachappelle, A.R., Walker, B.S., Lassiter, C.S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-140513-122
Date
2014
Source
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)   152C: 113-120 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Lassiter, Christopher S.
Keywords
Aromatase inhibitor, Cartilage, Craniofacial, Estrogen, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Aromatase Inhibitors/toxicity*
  • Chondrogenesis/drug effects*
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities/chemically induced*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/drug effects
  • Estradiol/toxicity*
  • Jaw/drug effects
  • Signal Transduction/drug effects
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/growth & development
PubMed
24747083 Full text @ Aquat. Toxicol.
Abstract
Estrogen is a steroid hormone that is ubiquitous in vertebrates, but its role in cartilage formation has not been extensively studied. Abnormalities of craniofacial cartilage and bone account for a large portion of birth defects in the United States. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been used as models of human disease, and their transparency in the embryonic period affords additional advantages in studying craniofacial development. In this study, zebrafish embryos were treated with 17-β estradiol (E2) or with an aromatase inhibitor and observed for defects in craniofacial cartilage. Concentrations of E2 greater than 2 μM caused major disruptions in cartilage formation. Concentrations below 2 μM caused subtle changed in cartilage morphology that were only revealed by measurement. The angles formed by cartilage elements in fish treated with 1.5 and 2 μM E2 were increasingly wide, while the length of the primary anterior-posterior cartilage element in these fish decreased significantly from controls. These treatments resulted in fish with shorter, flatter faces as estrogen concentration increased. Inhibition of aromatase activity also resulted in similar craniofacial disruption indicating that careful control of estrogen signaling is required for appropriate development. Further investigation of the phenomena described in this study could lead to a better understanding of the etiology of craniofacial birth defects and endocrine disruption of cartilage formation.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping