Developmental bisphenol S toxicity in two freshwater animal models

Area of Science:

• Environmental toxicology
• Developmental biology
• Comparative toxicology

Background:

• Freshwater animals serve as biomonitors for anthropogenic contaminants.
• Sponges (Ephydatia muelleri) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) are valuable models for assessing contaminant impacts due to shared genetic elements and differing exposure routes.
• Bisphenol S (BPS) is an emerging contaminant with largely unknown toxicity and mechanisms of action.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the developmental toxicity and mechanisms of action of bisphenol S (BPS) in freshwater organisms.
• To compare the effects of BPS exposure in phylogenetically distant species, sponges and zebrafish.
• To identify shared toxicological responses and potential overlapping mechanisms of BPS action.

Main Methods:

• Water-borne exposure experiments were conducted using Ephydatia muelleri and Danio rerio.
• Developmental endpoints including hatching rates and morphological changes were assessed.
• Gene expression analysis was performed to identify shared toxicologically-relevant gene changes.

Main Results:

• Bisphenol S exposure resulted in differential hatching rates in the studied species.
• Morphological abnormalities were observed in BPS-exposed organisms.
• Shared changes in the expression of toxicologically-relevant genes were identified between sponges and zebrafish.

Conclusions:

• Bisphenol S exerts adverse developmental effects in both sponges and zebrafish.
• The study indicates overlapping mechanisms of action for BPS toxicity across different freshwater animal models.
• These findings highlight the utility of diverse aquatic organisms in understanding the toxicological impacts of emerging contaminants.