PUBLICATION
Sublethal effects of methylmercury on lateral line sensory and ion-regulatory functions in zebrafish embryos
- Authors
- Hung, G.Y., Pan, Y.C., Horng, J.L., Lin, L.Y.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-230715-38
- Date
- 2023
- Source
- Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP 271: 109700 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Horng, Jiun-Lin
- Keywords
- Hair cell, Ionocyte, Lateral line, Mercury, Methylmercury, Toxicity, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Lateral Line System*
- Methylmercury Compounds*/toxicity
- Skin
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- PubMed
- 37442313 Full text @ Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C Toxicol. Pharmacol.
Citation
Hung, G.Y., Pan, Y.C., Horng, J.L., Lin, L.Y. (2023) Sublethal effects of methylmercury on lateral line sensory and ion-regulatory functions in zebrafish embryos. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP. 271:109700.
Abstract
Methylmercury can interfere with the normal functioning of the nervous system, causing a variety of behavioral and physiological changes in fish. However, the influence of MeHg on the lateral line sensory and ion-regulatory functions of fish is not clear. Zebrafish embryos were utilized as a model to address this question. After exposure to water-borne MeHg (5, 10, 50, or 100 ppb) for 96 h (4-100 h post-fertilization), the survival rate declined by ca. 50 % at 100 ppb. However, MeHg at sublethal concentrations delayed hatching and decreased heart rates and body length. As to effects on the lateral line sensory system, MeHg at ≥10 ppb decreased the number of hair cells and impaired hair bundles and Ca2+-mediated mechanical transduction. As to ion regulation, MeHg at ≥10 ppb decreased the densities of skin stem cells and ionocytes, leading to declines in ion (Na+, K+, and Ca2+) contents and H+/NH4+ excretion levels. A gene expression analysis also revealed declines in messenger RNA levels of several ion-regulatory genes (ncc2b, trpv6v1a, trpv5/6, ncx1b, and rhcg1). This study demonstrated that the lateral line sensory and ion regulatory functions of fish are extremely sensitive to MeHg.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping