title: The Effect of Chronic Arsenic Exposure in Zebrafish.
abstract: Arsenic is a prevalent environmental toxin and a Group one human carcinogenic agent. Chronic arsenic exposure has been associated with many human diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate zebrafish as an animal model to assess arsenic toxicity in elevated long-term arsenic exposure. With prolonged exposure (6 months) to various concentrations of arsenic from 50 ppb to 300 ppb, effects of arsenic accumulation in zebrafish tissues, and phenotypes were investigated. Results showed that there are no significant changes of arsenic retention in zebrafish tissues, and zebrafish did not exhibit any visible tumor formation under arsenic exposure conditions. However, the zebrafish demonstrate a dysfunction in their neurological system, which is reflected by a reduction of locomotive activity. Moreover, elevated levels of the superoxide dismutase (SOD2) protein were detected in the eye and liver, suggesting increased oxidative stress. In addition, the progenies of arsenic-treated parents displayed a smaller biomass (four-fold reduction in body weight) compared with those from their parental controls. This result indicates that arsenic may induce genetic or epigenetic changes that are then passed on to the next generation. Overall, this study demonstrates that zebrafish is a convenient vertebrate model with advantages in the evaluation of arsenic-associated neurological disorders as well as its influences on the offspring.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University , Rochester, Michigan.
authors.forename: Janell
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallauer
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University , Rochester, Michigan.
authors.forename: Xiangrong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: 2 Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University , Taoyuan, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Hung-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pathology, Creighton University School of Medicine , Omaha, Nebraska.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University , Taichung, Taiwan .
authors.forename: Kan-Jen
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University , Rochester, Michigan.
authors.forename: Zijuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001151:Arsenic / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D023421:Models, Animal; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001151:Arsenic