title: Expression of miRNA-122 Induced by Liver Toxicants in Zebrafish.
abstract: MicroRNA-122 (miRNA-122), also known as liver-specific miRNA, has recently been shown to be a potent biomarker in response to liver injury in mammals. The objective of this study was to examine its expression in response to toxicant treatment and acute liver damage, using the zebrafish system as an alternative model organism. For the hepatotoxicity assay, larval zebrafish were arrayed in 24-well plates. Adult zebrafish were also tested and arrayed in 200 mL cages. Animals were exposed to liver toxicants (tamoxifen or acetaminophen) at various doses, and miRNA-122 expression levels were analyzed using qRT-PCR in dissected liver, brain, heart, and intestine, separately. Our results showed no significant changes in miRNA-122 expression level in tamoxifen-treated larvae; however, miRNA-122 expression was highly induced in tamoxifen-treated adults in a tissue-specific manner. In addition, we observed a histological change in adult liver (0.5 μM) and cell death in larval liver (5 μM) at different doses of tamoxifen. These results indicated that miRNA-122 may be utilized as a liver-specific biomarker for acute liver toxicity in zebrafish.
authors: New Drug Development Center, Osong Medical Innovation Foundation, Chungbuk 28160, Republic of Korea; Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyun-Sik
authors: 0000-0003-0960-6837
authors: HS
authors: Nam
authors: Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kyu-Seok
authors: 0000-0003-3954-9677
authors: KS
authors: Hwang
authors: Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yun-Mi
authors: YM
authors: Jeong
authors: Department of Drug Discovery Platform Technology, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jeong-Im
authors: JI
authors: Ryu
authors: Department of Drug Discovery Platform Technology, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.
authors: Tae-Young
authors: TY
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Drug Discovery Platform Technology, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea.
authors: Myung-Ae
authors: MA
authors: Bae
authors: Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
authors: Woo-Chan
authors: WC
authors: Son
authors: Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kwan-Hee
authors: 0000-0001-8526-3405
authors: KH
authors: You
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hwa-Young
authors: 0000-0003-4388-0952
authors: HY
authors: Son
authors: Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
authors: Cheol-Hee
authors: 0000-0002-3019-0699
authors: CH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000235:genetics*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D013629:Tamoxifen; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000082:Acetaminophen