Zebrafish as a Model to Assess the Teratogenic Potential of Nitrite

Abstract

High nitrate levels in the environment may result in congenital defects or miscarriages in humans. Presumably, this is due to the conversion of nitrate to nitrite by gut and salivary bacteria. However, in other mammalian studies, high nitrite levels do not cause birth defects, although they can lead to poor reproductive outcomes. Thus, the teratogenic potential of nitrite is not clear. It would be useful to have a vertebrate model system to easily assess teratogenic effects of nitrite or any other chemical of interest. Here, we demonstrate the utility of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to screen compounds for toxicity and embryonic defects. Zebrafish embryos are fertilized externally and have rapid development, making them a good model for teratogenic studies. We show that increasing the time of exposure to nitrite negatively affects survival. Increasing the concentration of nitrite also adversely affects survival, whereas nitrate does not. For embryos that survive nitrite exposure, various defects can occur, including pericardial and yolk sac edema, swim bladder noninflation, and craniofacial malformation. Our results indicate that the zebrafish is a convenient system for studying the teratogenic potential of nitrite. This approach can easily be adapted to test other chemicals for their effects on early vertebrate development.

Systematic review on the effect of chemical compounds on craniofacial development of a zebrafish embryo

“…In comparison, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as pyrene, dibenzothiophene or phenanthrene reduced the size of the jaw and affect other craniofacial skeleton structures of zebrafish embryo [22]. Nitrite treatment at 1, 000 mg/L and hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers at concentration greater than 50 nM on zebrafish embryo caused craniofacial malformation, decrease in head trunk angle, lower jaw deformities and craniofacial cartilage malformations [32,33].…”

Potenciais usos do modelo animal Zebrafish Danio rerio em pesquisas na Medicina Veterinária

“…No âmbito da segurança alimentar, nos últimos anos, muitos estudos têm sido conduzidos para a avaliação da inocuidade de alimentos de origem animal com o modelo Zebrafish, tais como aditivos e conservantes alimentares, como nitrito e nitrato de sódio, utilizados no preparo de produtos como bacon, presunto, linguiça, salsicha e salame (KESHARI et al, 2016;BAILONE et al, 2019). Também têm sido testados com agroquímicos e antibióticos que deixam resíduos em alimentos caso não respeitados o período de carência, como glifosato (BRIDI et al 2017), tetraciclina (ZHANG; CHENG; XIN, 2015), cefalosporina (ZHANG et al, 2010), fluoroquinolone (ZHANG et al, 2016), sulfonamidas (LIN; CHEN, Y. Q.; CHEN, W., 2013), amoxicilina, oxitetraciclina (OLIVEIRA et al, 2013), assim como metais pesados comumente encontrados em produtos de origem animal, como mercúrio (GLYNN; NORRGREN; MÜSSENER, 1994), cádmio (ZHANG et al, 2012), chumbo (DAVE; XIU, 1991), arsênio (LI et al 2016), dentre outros.…”

Embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of polyethylene microbeads found in facial wash products in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)using the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity Test

“…Danio rerio is the chosen test organism of the study. Danio rerio is a tropical freshwater fish and is readily available, inexpensive, exhibits high fecundity [12] and rapid development [13].…”

“…Its genes are also likened to 70% of genes in humans [14]. Furthermore, transparency of Danio rerio embryos allows researchers to observe teratogenesis in the embryonic development of the zebrafish [13]. In this study, Danio rerio were subjected to the Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity Test [15].…”