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Microbead Implantation in the Zebrafish Embryo
Published on: July 30, 2015
Retinoic acid signaling pathway perturbation impacts mesodermal-tissue development in the zebrafish embryo: Biomarker
Laura M M Samrani1, Florent Dumont2, Nina Hallmark3
1Centre for Health Protection, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Université Paris-Saclay, Inflammation, Microbiome and Immunosurveillance, INSERM, Faculté Pharmacie, 91104 Orsay, France; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
Zebrafish embryos exposed to teratogens revealed gene expression biomarkers for mesodermal development disruption. These findings offer insights into early vertebrate organ formation and potential molecular markers.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Toxicology
- Genomics
Background:
- The zebrafish embryo (ZE) model is highly conserved in vertebrate embryogenesis, making it relevant for studying early human development.
- Investigating gene expression biomarkers for compound-induced disruption of mesodermal development is crucial for understanding developmental toxicity.
- The retinoic acid signaling pathway (RA-SP) is a key regulator of morphogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify gene expression biomarkers associated with compound-induced disruption of mesodermal development in zebrafish embryos.
- To investigate the role of the retinoic acid signaling pathway in teratogen-induced mesodermal defects.
- To discover molecular markers for early vertebrate organ (mal)formation.
Main Methods:
- Zebrafish embryos were exposed to teratogenic concentrations of valproic acid (VPA) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), with folic acid (FA) as a control.
- Gene expression analysis was performed using RNA sequencing.
- Bioinformatic analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment and pathway analysis, were conducted.
Main Results:
- 248 genes were identified as specifically regulated by both VPA and ATRA, but not by FA.
- 54 GO terms related to mesodermal tissue development (paraxial, intermediate, lateral plate) were revealed.
- 47 regulated genes associated with the RA-SP were differentially expressed across various mesodermal tissues, including somites, muscle, bone, kidney, and circulatory system.
Conclusions:
- Specific gene expression patterns in zebrafish embryos can serve as biomarkers for mesodermal development disruption.
- The retinoic acid signaling pathway is implicated in teratogen-induced mesodermal defects.
- These identified genes offer potential molecular biomarkers for assessing early vertebrate organ formation and malformation.
