title: The effect of paclobutrazol on the development of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.
abstract: Paclobutrazol (PBZ), a trazole-containing fungicide, is widely used on food crops. Frequent usage of PBZ may contaminate water, but its toxicity to aquatic organisms is understudied. Although the chronic effects of PBZ exposure on reproductive, antioxidant defense, and liver metabolism systems in rockfish have been reported, the toxic effects of PBZ on aquatic embryos are unknown. Here, we report that PBZ disrupts the development of heart and craniofacial cartilage in zebrafish embryos, and decreases their survival and hatching rates. PBZ affects the normal process of cardiac looping, which may lead to a slower heart beat accompanied by pericardia edema and apoptotic myocytes. PBZ also decreases the population of migratory neural crest cells, which give rise to craniofacial cartilage. Our results reveal high embryonic toxicity of PBZ on aquatic organisms, and thus hold significance for the impact of fungicides on public health and ecology.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of BioAgricultural Science, National Chiayi University , Chiayi, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Aulia Puspita Anugra
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yekti
authors.forename: Hwei-Jan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Wen-Der
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000187:drug effects; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000633:toxicity*; D006257:Head / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D014230:Triazoles / Q000633:toxicity*; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D014230:Triazoles; D014873:Water Pollutants; C053370:paclobutrazol