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Updated: Aug 18, 2025
Metabolic Profile Analysis of Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: January 14, 2013
Dydrogesterone disrupts lipid metabolism in zebrafish brain: A study based on metabolomics and Fourier transform
Yu-Xia Jiang1, Wen-Jun Shi2, Li-Xin Hu2
1SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Guangzhou 510535, China; State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.
Abstract:
Brain is a potential target for neuroprogestogens and/or peripheral progestogens. Previous studies reported that expression of genes about steroidogenesis, reproduction, cell cycle, and circadian rhythm in zebrafish brain could be affected by progestogens. However, there are limited information from metabolites or biomacromolecules aspects, leaving an enormous gap in understanding toxic effects of progestogens on fish brain. In this study, we exposed zebrafish embryos to 2.8, 27.6, and 289.8 ng/L dydrogesterone (DDG, a synthetic progestogen) until sexual maturity (140 days). LC-MS and GC-MS based untargeted metabolomics and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were then performed to investigate the metabolic profiles and macromolecular changes of brain of these zebrafish. The results from multivariate statistical analysis of metabolite features showed a clear separation between different treatment groups of both female and male zebrafish brains. DDG exposure increased the levels of cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, and nucleoside monophosphates, but decreased the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), lysophosphatides, and nucleosides in dose-dependent manner. FTIR results indicated that DDG exposure led to accumulation of saturated lipids, reduction of nucleic acids and carbohydrates, and alteration of protein secondary structures. The findings from this study demonstrated that DDG could affect contents of metabolites and biomacromolecules of zebrafish brain, which may finally lead to brain dysfunctions.
