The influence of temperature on adult zebrafish sensitivity to pentylenetetrazole

Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) is one of the most valuable drugs used to induce seizure-like state in zebrafish especially considering the pharmacological screening for anticonvulsants and the study of basic mechanisms of epilepsy. Here, the effect of gender, weight and changes in temperature on latency to adult zebrafish reach classical seizure states induced by PTZ (10mM) was evaluated. Gender and weight (200-250mg versus 400-500mg) did not affect the profile of response to PTZ. When water temperature was changed from 22 to 30°C the lower temperature increased the latency time to reach seizure states and the higher temperature significantly decreased it, in comparison to the control group maintained at 26°C. The blockage of kainate receptors by DNQX (10μM) were unable to prevent the increased susceptibility of adult zebrafish exposed to hyperthermia and PTZ-induced seizures. The NMDA block by MK-801 (2.5μM) prevented the additive effect of hyperthermia on PTZ effects in adult zebrafish. This report emphasize that PTZ model in adult zebrafish exhibits no confounder factors from gender and weight, but water temperature is able to directly affect the response to PTZ, especially through a mechanism related to NMDA receptors.