Modelling acrylamide acute neurotoxicity in zebrafish larvae

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Toxicology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Acrylamide (ACR) exposure causes neurotoxicity, including ataxia and muscle weakness.
• Current treatments are limited, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• A robust model is needed to study ACR neurotoxicity and screen for effective compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a zebrafish model for acrylamide neurotoxicity.
• To investigate the pathological mechanisms of ACR-induced neuropathy in vivo.
• To establish a platform for identifying potential therapeutic agents against ACR toxicity.

Main Methods:

• Zebrafish larvae (5 days post-fertilization) were exposed to 1 mM acrylamide for 3 days.
• Behavioral assays were used to assess motor function.
• Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and neurotransmitter analysis were performed.

Main Results:

• The zebrafish model exhibited altered motor function and presynaptic nerve terminal damage.
• ACR-induced changes were observed in synaptic vesicle proteins and neurotransmitter systems (cholinergic and dopaminergic).
• Proteomic analysis confirmed acrylamide adducts on synaptic proteins.

Conclusions:

• The developed zebrafish model accurately recapitulates key features of human and mammalian acrylamide neurotoxicity.
• This model is suitable for high-throughput screening of potential therapeutic molecules.
• The findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying ACR-induced synaptopathy.