Zebrafish as a Model of Cardiac Pathology and Toxicity: Spotlight on Uremic Toxins

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasing health care problem. About 10% of the general population is affected by CKD, representing the sixth cause of death in the world. Cardiovascular events are the main mortality cause in CKD, with a cardiovascular risk 10 times higher in these patients than the rate observed in healthy subjects. The gradual decline of the kidney leads to the accumulation of uremic solutes with a negative effect on every organ, especially on the cardiovascular system. Mammalian models, sharing structural and functional similarities with humans, have been widely used to study cardiovascular disease mechanisms and test new therapies, but many of them are rather expensive and difficult to manipulate. Over the last few decades, zebrafish has become a powerful non-mammalian model to study alterations associated with human disease. The high conservation of gene function, low cost, small size, rapid growth, and easiness of genetic manipulation are just some of the features of this experimental model. More specifically, embryonic cardiac development and physiological responses to exposure to numerous toxin substances are similar to those observed in mammals, making zebrafish an ideal model to study cardiac development, toxicity, and cardiovascular disease.

Fabry Disease in Women: Genetic Basis, Available Biomarkers, and Clinical Manifestations

“…Apart from pain, exhaustion, exercise intolerance, and a decreased intake of oxygen are frequently experienced by heterozygous Fabry women [11]. FD appears to be an interesting genetically determined model of chronic kidney disease, chronic neurodegenerative disease, and chronic heart failure (CHF) to investigate the mechanisms of progression of these common diseases [108,109]. Apart from other clinical manifestations, a retrospective analysis of pregnancies among women with FD revealed an increased prevalence of specific pregnancy complications when compared to the broader population of pregnant women.…”

“…Clinical, radiological, and laboratory analyses play a crucial role in determining the onset and progression of a disease. Nevertheless, establishing the effectiveness of a clinical treatment can be challenging at times, given the substantial variability observed among patients [109]. Nonetheless, biomarkers are crucial for disease and treatment monitoring.…”

(−)‐Epicatechin gallate ameliorates cyprodinil‐induced cardiac developmental defects through inhibiting aryl hydrocarbon receptor in zebrafish

“…Notably, cyprodinil has been detected in aquatic environments at concentrations ranging from 0.73 to 2.89 μg/L, indicating its potential for environmental exposure (Tang et al, 2020). Increasing evidence suggests that cyprodinil, acting as an agonist for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), exerts detrimental effects on cardiac development, raising concerns about potential cardiac developmental injuries associated with cyprodinil exposure (Fang et al, 2013). This highlights the significance of understanding the impact of cyprodinil on cardiac development.…”

“…Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a non-mammalian vertebrate model that has gained prominence in developmental genetics, functional genomics, and cardiac morphology-function studies (Coppola et al, 2023;Genge et al, 2016). This is attributed to the transparency of their larval stages, which allows for the easy observation of critical developmental milestones and direct examination of the heart (Chang et al, 2023).…”

(-)-Epicatechin gallate ameliorates cyprodinil-induced cardiac developmental defects through inhibiting aryl hydrocarbon receptor in zebrafish

“…Zebra sh (Danio rerio) is a non-mammalian vertebrate model that has gained prominence in developmental genetics, functional genomics, and cardiac morphology-function studies (Genge et al, 2016;Coppola et al, 2023). This is attributed to the transparency of their larval stages, which allows for the easy observation of critical developmental milestones and direct examination of the heart (Chang et al, 2023).…”