title: Generation of fluorescent zebrafish to study endocrine disruption and potential crosstalk between thyroid hormone and corticosteroids.
abstract: Several environmental chemicals disrupt thyroid function, a key regulator of normal development involved in many physiological processes in fish. We studied the effects of such chemicals in vivo using transient transgenic zebrafish (Danio rerio), expressing Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) under the control of a TH/bZIP promoter from Xenopus laevis. Exposure to thyroid hormone (T3) at 10(-8)M increased GFP fluorescence in F0 embryos and larvae. Transient transgenic embryos were exposed to a T3 signaling agonist (TRIAC) or antagonists (NH(3) or NaClO(4)), or to the endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA). When tested alone, TRIAC increased fluorescence, confirming the specificity of our model. Exposure to NH(3) or NaClO(4) decreased fluorescence, reflecting inhibition of thyroid function. When tested alone, BPA did not modify fluorescence, but when tested with T3, it significantly reduced T3-induced fluorescence, suggesting disruption of the thyroid function by BPA. The expression of genes involved in the TH axis (TR-alpha, TR-beta, TSH) and the corticoid axis (GR and MR) was followed by q-PCR after T3 or BPA exposure (24 or 48h) and at different developmental stages (0, 1, or 5 days post-fertilization). Expression of TR-alpha, TR-beta, and TSH genes increased after 48h T3 exposure in 1-day-old larvae. When tested alone, BPA only slightly affected gene expression. When applied with T3, BPA decreased expression of all candidate genes in 1-day-old embryos compared to the T3 treated group, in agreement with data obtained with the TH/bZIP-eGFP zebrafish model. Finally, we show that T3 exposure leads to up-regulation of MR and GR genes. This study provides a new rapid diagnostic tool for characterizing the disrupting effects of toxicants on thyroid function and suggests possible crosstalk between the TR and Corticoid Signaling system.
authors.affiliation: INRA UR 1037 SCRIBE, IFR 140, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France. xavier.terrien@rennes.inra.fr
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Terrien
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Fini
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Demeneix
authors.forename: Karl-Werner
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prunet
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000378:metabolism; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010636:Phenols / Q000633:toxicity*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000378:metabolism; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D010636:Phenols; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds