Transcriptome analysis of the effects of Cd and nanomaterial-loaded Cd on the liver in zebrafish

The wide application of engineered nanoparticles to remove heavy metals in aquatic environments has raised concerns over nanomaterial-adsorbed heavy metal toxicity. To ensure safe use of nanomaterial-heavy metal composites, understanding their biological effects at the molecular level is crucial. In the present study, we used the Illumina HiSeq technology to study the transcriptome changes induced by Cd²⁺ and nano-manganese dioxide- or nano-hydroxyapatite-adsorbed CdCl₂ composites (nMnO₂-Cd, nHAP₂₀-Cd, and nHAP₄₀-Cd) in zebrafish liver cells. We identified 545 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 33 of which were in common between the nMnO₂-Cd, nHAP₂₀-Cd, and nHAP₄₀-Cd groups. The DEGs could be classified in four categories: hydrolases (enzymes involved in various physiological functions, including digestion, immune response, blood coagulation, and reproduction), biological binding (FMN-, actin- and metal ion-binding), metabolic enzymes (e.g., ceramidase, alpha-amylase, carboxylic ester hydrolase, and carboxypeptidase), and cell structure (cell surface, intermediate filament, and muscle myopen protein). The DEGs identified in this study are potentially useful markers to understand the physiological responses induced by Cd²⁺ and nano-Cd composites in zebrafish liver.