PUBLICATION

Acidified water promotes silver-induced toxicity in zebrafish embryos

Authors
Horng, J.L., Kung, G.X., Lin, L.Y.
ID
ZDB-PUB-240222-5
Date
2024
Source
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)   268: 106865106865 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Horng, Jiun-Lin, Kung, Geng-Xin
Keywords
Acidosis, Gill, Heavy metal, Ion regulation, pH regulation
MeSH Terms
  • Acids/metabolism
  • Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism
  • Animals
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Silver/toxicity
  • Water/pharmacology
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*/toxicity
  • Zebrafish*/metabolism
PubMed
38377931 Full text @ Aquat. Toxicol.
Abstract
Freshwater acidification is a global environmental challenge, yet the effects of acidic water on fish resistance to toxic Ag+ remain an unexplored area. To address this knowledge gap, zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations (0 (control), 0.1, and 0.25 mg/L) of AgNO3 under pH 5 or 7 for 7 days. Notably, AgNO3 at 0.25 mg/L resulted in 100 % mortality in both pH conditions, while AgNO3 at 0.1 mg/L resulted in higher mortality at pH 5 (85 %) compared to pH 7 (20 %), indicating that acidic water enhanced Ag+ toxicity. Several parameters, including body length, inner ear (otic vesicle and otolith) and yolk sac areas, lateral line hair cell number and morphology, the number of ionocytes (H+-ATP-rich cells and Na+/K+-ATP-rich cells), and ion contents (Ag+, Na+, and Ca2+) were assessed at 96 h (day 4) to investigate individual and combined effects of Ag+ and acid on embryos. Acid alone did not significantly alter most parameters, but it decreased the yolk sac area and increased the ionocyte number. Conversely, Ag+ alone caused reductions in most parameters, including body length, the inner ear area, hair cell number, and ionocyte number. Combining acid and Ag+ resulted in greater suppression of the otolith area, hair cell number, and Na+/Ca2+ contents. In conclusion, acidification of freshwater poses a potential risk to fish embryo viability by increasing their susceptibility to silver toxicity, specifically affecting sensory function and ion regulation.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping