PCB1254 exposure contributes to the abnormalities of optomotor responses and influence of the photoreceptor cell development in zebrafish larvae.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of highly toxic environmental pollutants, have been report to influence the visual system development in children. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. The study was aim to investigate the effects of continuous PCBs exposure on optomotor response (OMR) and retinal photoreceptor cell development-related gene expression in zebrafish larvae. The fertilized zebrafish embryos were exposed to PCBs at concentrations of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1mg/L until 7 days post-fertilization. Control groups with blank and 0.01% methanol were also prepared. OMR test was used to detect the visual behavior. The mRNA expression of the CRX, RHO, SWS1, and SWS2 was assessed by the Quantitative Real-Time PCR. The OMR test showed that the visual behavior of the larvae was most sensitive when the grating spatial frequency was 0.20LP/mm and the moving speed was 25cm/s. Moreover, the proportion of positively swimming fish was significantly reduced in the 0.5 and 1mg/L PCB1254 treatment group (P<0.05) compared with the controls. In addition, the expression of SWS2 was significantly down-regulated in all PCB1254 treatment groups (P<0.05), whereas the decreased expression of the CRX, RHO and SWS1 was found in the 0.5 and 1mg/L PCB1254 groups (P<0.05). This is the first report to demonstrate that continue exposure of zebrafish larvae to PCBs causes photoreceptor cell development-related gene expression changes that lead to OMR behavioral alterations. Analysis of these visual behavioral paradigms may be useful in predicting the adverse effects of toxicants on visual function in fish.
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, NO.140, Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China.
Xin
X
Zhang
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China.
Qin
Q
Hong
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China.
Lei
L
Yang
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, NO.140, Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China.
Min
M
Zhang
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, NO.140, Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China.
Xirong
X
Guo
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, NO.140, Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China. Electronic address: chixia2001@njmu.edu.com.
Xia
X
Chi
Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Medical University, NO.140, Hanzhong Road, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Pediatrics, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, NO.123, Tianfei Road, Mochou Street, Nanjing 210004, China. Electronic address: meilingtong111@126.com.
Meiling
M
Tong
D000818:Animals; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000633:toxicity*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Optomotor responses; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Zebrafish larvae