Transcriptomic Profiles in Zebrafish Liver Permit the Discrimination of Surface Water with Pollution Gradient and Different Discharges

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the potential of transcriptomic profiles in evaluating the impacts of complex mixtures of pollutants at environmentally relevant concentrations on aquatic vertebrates. The changes in gene expression were determined using microarray in the liver of male zebrafish (Danio rerio) exposed to surface water collected from selected locations on the Hun River, China. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each treatment ranged from 728 to 3292, which were positively correlated with chemical oxygen demand (COD). Predominant transcriptomic responses included peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling and steroid biosynthesis. Key pathways in immune system were also affected. Notably, two human diseases related pathways, insulin resistance and Salmonella infection were enriched. Clustering analysis and principle component analysis with DEGs differentiated the upstream and downstream site of Shenyang City, and the mainstream and the tributary sites near the junction. Comparison the gene expression profiles of zebrafish exposed to river surface water with those to individual chemicals found higher similarity of the river water with estradiol than several other organic pollutants and metals. Results suggested that the transcriptomic profiles of zebrafish is promising in differentiating surface water with pollution gradient and different discharges and in providing valuable information to support discharge management.

Are Fish Populations at Risk? Metformin Disrupts Zebrafish Development and Reproductive Processes at Chronic Environmentally Relevant Concentrations

“…Finally, we noted 49 downregulated genes linked to reproductive processes, most of them involved in gametogenesis/sex differentiation (e.g., amh, ddx4, dmrt1, piwil1 , and spata4 ) and sperm motility (e.g., dnaah1, dnai1.1, dnaaf2 , and spef1 ) (Supporting Information – Table S5). Although these reproductive genes are often associated with gonads, they also express in the liver of the control animals, albeit with lower transcript levels. − Interestingly, although our reproductive trials did not find any effects associated with females, a large number of genes associated with energy/lipid metabolism signaling, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and reproductive processes were also observed to have a differential gene expression between the control and MET exposed females. This suggests that several female signaling pathways could also be disrupted by MET (Supporting Information – Table S6).…”

Molecular Methods as Potential Tools in Ecohydrological Studies on Emerging Contaminants in Freshwater Ecosystems

“…Another alternative for single qPCR reactions is based on the use of microarray analysis, which allows tens of thousands of mRNA transcripts to be measured simultaneously. Zebrafish microarray analysis was used to perform efficient surrogate monitoring, using Danio rerio as a model organism, as part of the National Water Pollution Control and Management Project conducted in the Liao River basin of China [85]. This genome-wide transcriptional profiling method was preceded by the extraction of RNA from fish liver tissues.…”

Trails to Research: an Inquiry-Based Course Using Zebrafish To Provide Research Experience to Tribal College Students

“…Zebrafish are a model for human development, due to the similarity of early stages of development across vertebrates ( 20 , 21 ). Thus, zebrafish are widely used for studying the effects of environmental pollutants ( 22 – 24 ). Our program joins the BioEYES program ( http://bioeyes.org/ ) to enrich STEM education.…”