Zebrafish as Versatile Model for Assessing Animal Venoms and Toxins: Current Applications and Future Prospects

Animal venoms and toxins hold promise as sources of novel drug candidates, therapeutic agents, and biomolecules. To fully harness their potential, it is crucial to develop reliable testing methods that provide a comprehensive understanding of their effects and mechanisms of action. However, traditional rodent assays encounter difficulties in mimicking venom-induced effects in human due to the impractical venom dosage levels. The search for reliable testing methods has led to the emergence of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a versatile model organism for evaluating animal venoms and toxins. Zebrafish possess genetic similarities to humans, rapid development, transparency, and amenability to high-throughput assays, making it ideal for assessing the effects of animal venoms and toxins. This review highlights unique attributes of zebrafish and explores their applications in studying venom- and toxin-induced effects from various species, including snakes, jellyfish, cuttlefish, anemones, spiders, and cone snails. Through zebrafish-based research, intricate physiological responses, developmental alterations, and potential therapeutic interventions induced by venoms are revealed. Novel techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, optogenetics, and high-throughput screening hold great promise for advancing venom research. As zebrafish-based insights converge with findings from other models, the comprehensive understanding of venom-induced effects continues to expand, guiding the development of targeted interventions and promoting both scientific knowledge and practical applications.