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Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Metabolic Profile Analysis of Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: January 14, 2013
Metabolic pathway modulation and oxidative imbalance triggered by decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) in zebrafish
Ítalo B L Andrade1, Lílian C Pereira2, Carla Quintaneiro3
1São Paulo State University (Unesp), Medical School, Department of Pathology, Av. Prof Mário Rubens Guimarães, Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil; Center for Evaluation of Environmental Impact on Human Health (TOXICAM), Av. Prof Mário Rubens Guimarães, Botucatu 18618-687, Brazil.
Abstract:
Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), a cyclic volatile methylsiloxane widely used in personal care products, is frequently detected in aquatic environments, yet its early-life sublethal toxicity remains poorly understood. This study investigated how increasing nominal concentrations of D5 (0.01-10 μM) affect cardiac physiology, oxidative biomarkers, and energy metabolism in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos after 120 h of exposure. D5 induced concentration-dependent metabolic adjustments rather than overt toxicity. At 0.1 μM, glutathione S-transferase activity increased, suggesting activation of detoxification pathways. At 1.0 μM, heart rate was elevated, indicating physiological stimulation. Higher concentrations enhanced electron transport system and lactate dehydrogenase activities, reflecting increased energetic demand and partial metabolic shift toward anaerobic pathways, accompanied by reduced cellular energy allocation. No acute behavioral alterations were observed. Overall, D5 exposure triggered coordinated metabolic reprogramming without evidence of structural oxidative damage, indicating that early biochemical perturbations may precede functional impairment.
