What is it about?
This study aimed to explore behavioral changes of embryonic and larval zebrafsh caused by pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (PSE) and its underlying mechanism.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Zebrafsh embryos were exposed to 0.5 µM, 2 µM, and 8 µM PSE at 4 h postfertilization (4 hpf) or 22–23 hpf. Mortality, hatching rate, coiling frequency, heart rate, behavior changes, and related gene expression were observed at diferent developmental stages. PSE below 8 µM did not afect zebrafsh mortality, hatching rate, and heart rate compared with the control group. For embryos, PSE caused an increase at 16–32 hpf in zebrafsh coiling frequency which could be rescued by serotonin antagonist WAY100635. Similarly, PSE caused an increase in the swimming distance of zebrafsh larvae at 120 hpf. PSE also elevated the expression of serotonin (5-HT)-related genes 5-htr1ab and tph2 and dopamine-related gene dbh. Behavioral changes in zebrafsh embryos and larvae caused by PSE may be closely associated with increased expression of 5-HT and dopamine-related genes. This may be refected that the behavioral changes in zebrafsh are a possible PSE monitoring indicator.
Perspectives
PSE caused an increase in the movement distance and a decrease in thigmotaxis in zebrafsh embryos. These changes may be closely related to the signifcant increase in the 5-HT synthesis-related tph2 gene, htr1s, and DA synthesis-related dbh gene caused by PSE. These results are helpful to understand the behavioral changes of psychoactive substances in aquatic organisms and have guiding signifcance for studying their toxicity mechanism to aquatic organisms and assessing ecological risks.
Full Professor Ahmed R. G.
Division of Anatomy and Embryology, Zoology department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride causes hyperactivity in zebrafish via modulation of the serotonin pathway, Metabolic Brain Disease, July 2022, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s11011-022-01042-0.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
