title: Maternal exposure to the water soluble fraction of crude oil, lead and their mixture induces autism-like behavioral deficits in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious debilitating mental illness with complex symptoms and multi-factorial pathogenesis. Although the pathogenesis of ASD remains unclear, etiology is thought to involve complex, multigenic interactions and possible environmental contributions. In the present study, we used zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to investigate whether maternal exposure to the water soluble fraction of crude oil (WSF, 5μg/L), lead (Pb, 20μg/L) and their mixture (5 μg/L WSF+20 μg/L Pb) could induce autism-like behavior in larvae. Our results showed that isolated and combined WSF/Pb exposure altered the behavioral pattern of fish swimming. WSF significantly increased anxiety and locomotor activity, decreased repetitive behavior in the open field test, and reduced the level of serotonin. However, co-exposure to WSF/Pb decreased behavioral activity and shoaling behavior, and increased cycle swimming and edge preference. Significant changes in the expression level of the multiple genes potentially critical for regulating environmental factor induced autism-like behavior were found. A gene network regulating ASD disturbed by WSF/Pb exposure was established using computational analysis. The information from the network could provide a clue for further mechanistic studies explaining molecular events regulating WSF/Pb mediated ASD.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China.
authors: Yuanchuan
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Prenatal Diagnosis Center of Xiamen, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Xiamen, Xiamen 361003, China.
authors: Hongxiu
authors: H
authors: Zhong
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China.
authors: Chonggang
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China.
authors: Dongxu
authors: D
authors: Gao
authors: Prenatal Diagnosis Center of Xiamen, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Xiamen, Xiamen 361003, China. Electronic address: zhou_yulin@126.com.
authors: Yulin
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005, China. Electronic address: zuozhenghong@xmu.edu.cn.
authors: Zhenghong
authors: Z
authors: Zuo
keywords: Aquatic models; Autism spectrum disorder; Behavioral testing; Lead; Water soluble fraction of crude oil