Bisphenol F Impaired Zebrafish Cognitive Ability through Inducing Neural Cell Heterogeneous Responses

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Toxicology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• The central nervous system (CNS) is vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol analogues.
• Bisphenol A (BPA) is linked to neurological diseases; its replacement, bisphenol F (BPF), poses new CNS health risks.
• Understanding BPF's neurotoxic effects is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of bisphenol F (BPF) exposure on cognitive function and neural cell dynamics in zebrafish.
• To identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying BPF-induced neurotoxicity.

Main Methods:

• Zebrafish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of BPF from embryonic stages.
• Cognitive performance was assessed in adulthood.
• Single-cell RNA sequencing and immune staining were used to analyze brain cell composition and inflammatory responses.

Main Results:

• BPF exposure led to suppressed cognitive ability in adult zebrafish.
• A significant shift in brain cell composition was observed, with increased microglia and decreased neurons.
• Inflammatory responses, heightened phagocytic activity, and activated microglia-mediated apoptosis were detected, contributing to neuron loss.

Conclusions:

• Bisphenol F exposure induces abnormal cognitive behavior in zebrafish by causing heterogeneous neural cell changes.
• Microglia play a dominant role in mediating BPF's neurotoxic effects, including neuron loss and potential neurological disease development.
• These findings highlight the neurotoxic potential of BPF and its implications for CNS health.