Transcriptome profiling analysis of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) gills after waterborne cadmium exposure.
Rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) is a widely used experimental fish in risk assessments of aquatic pollutants in China. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the world; however, few studies have used fish gills, a multi-functional organ. In this study, we characterized the differential expression of adult female rare minnow gills after sub-chronic waterborne Cd (75μg/L CdCl2) exposure for 35d. A total of 452 genes (209 up-regulated and 243 down-regulated) were identified by gene expression profiling using RNA-Seq before and after treatment. Of these differentially expressed genes, 75, 21, and 54 differentially expressed genes are related to ion transport, oxidation-reduction processes, and the immune response, respectively. The results of GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, together with the altered transcript levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules and the significant increases in the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL1β) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), indicated a disruption of the immune system, particularly the induction of inflammation and autoimmunity. The significant down-regulation of coagulation factor XIII A1 polypeptide (F13A1), tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), and Golgi-associated plant pathogenesis-related protein (GAPr) during both acute (≤96h) and sub-chronic (35d) waterborne Cd exposure, as well as their dosage dependence, suggested that these three genes could be used as sensitive biomarkers for aquatic Cd risk assessment.
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China.
Zhi-Jian
ZJ
Wang
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China.
Xiao-Hong
XH
Liu
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China.
Li
L
Jin
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China.
De-Yong
DY
Pu
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China.
Jing
J
Huang
Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, Southwest University School of Life Sciences, 400715 Chongqing, China. Electronic address: zhangyg@swu.edu.cn.
Yao-Guang
YG
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019295:Computational Biology; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D023281:Genomics; D005880:Gills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000187:drug effects*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium
Cadmium; Digital gene expression; Inflammation; Rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus); Transcriptome