Name: studying neurobehavioral effects of environmental pollutants on zebrafish larvae
Uploaded: 2020-02-05T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Studying Neurobehavioral Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Zebrafish Larvae at JoVE.com

The authors are grateful for the financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21876135 and 21876136), the National Major Science and Technology Project of China (2017ZX07502003-03, 2018ZX07701001-22), the Foundation of MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children&#39;s Environmental Health (CEH201807-5), and Swedish Research Council (No. 639-2013-6913).

The protocol is in accordance with guidelines approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Tongji University.
1. Zebrafish embryo collection
<ol>
	<li>Put two pairs of healthy adult Tubingen zebrafish into the spawning box on the night before exposure, keeping the sex ratio at 1:1.</li>
	<li>Remove the adult fish back to the system 30-60 min after daylight the next morning.</li>
	<li>Remove the embryos out of the spawning box.</li>
	<li>Rinse the embryos with system water.</li>
	<li>Transfer t...

<ol>
	<li>Sun, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Developmental+neurotoxicity+of+organophosphate+flame+retardants+in+early+life+stages+of+Japanese+medaka+(Oryzias+latipes).">Developmental neurotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants in early life stages of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes).</a> Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 35 (12), 2931-2940 (2016).</li><li>Tian, L., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neurotoxicity+induced+by+zinc+oxide+nanoparticles:+age-related+differences+and+interaction.">Neurotoxicity induced by zinc oxide nanoparticles: age-related differences and interaction.</a> Scientific Reports. 5, 16117 (2015).</li><li>Rauh, V. A., Margolis, A. 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M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Environmental Organic Chemistry. , (2016).</li><li>Akortia, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+review+of+sources,+levels,+and+toxicity+of+polybrominated+diphenyl+ethers+(PBDEs)+and+their+transformation+and+transport+in+various+environmental+compartments.">A review of sources, levels, and toxicity of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their transformation and transport in various environmental compartments.</a> Environmental Reviews. 24 (3), 253-273 (2016).</li><li>Shaw, B. J., Liddle, C. C., Windeatt, K. M., Handy, R. 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Q. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Locomotor+activity+changes+on+zebrafish+larvae+with+different+2,+2?,+4,+4?-tetrabromodiphenyl+ether+(PBDE-47)+embryonic+exposure+modes.">Locomotor activity changes on zebrafish larvae with different 2, 2?, 4, 4?-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) embryonic exposure modes.</a> Chemosphere. 94, 53-61 (2014).</li><li>Zhang, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neurobehavioral+effects+of+two+metabolites+of+BDE-47+(6-OH-BDE-47+and+6-MeO-BDE-47)+on+zebrafish+larvae.">Neurobehavioral effects of two metabolites of BDE-47 (6-OH-BDE-47 and 6-MeO-BDE-47) on zebrafish larvae.</a> Chemosphere. 200, 30-35 (2018).</li><li>Yang, X., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+chlorine+contents+and+chain+lengths+influence+the+neurobehavioral+effects+of+commercial+chlorinated+paraffins+on+zebrafish+larvae.">The chlorine contents and chain lengths influence the neurobehavioral effects of commercial chlorinated paraffins on zebrafish larvae.</a> Journal of Hazardous Materials. 377, 172-178 (2019).</li><li>Schmitt, C., McManus, M., Kumar, N., Awoyemi, O., Crago, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Comparative+analyses+of+the+neurobehavioral,+molecular,+and+enzymatic+effects+of+organophosphates+on+embryo-larval+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio).">Comparative analyses of the neurobehavioral, molecular, and enzymatic effects of organophosphates on embryo-larval zebrafish (Danio rerio).</a> Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 73, 67-75 (2019).</li><li>Li, X., Kong, H., Ji, X., Gao, Y., Jin, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Zebrafish+behavioral+phenomics+applied+for+phenotyping+aquatic+neurotoxicity+induced+by+lead+contaminants+of+environmentally+relevant+level.">Zebrafish behavioral phenomics applied for phenotyping aquatic neurotoxicity induced by lead contaminants of environmentally relevant level.</a> Chemosphere. 224, 445-454 (2019).</li><li>Leuthold, D., Klu&#776;ver, N., Altenburger, R., Busch, W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Can+environmentally+relevant+neuroactive+chemicals+specifically+be+detected+with+the+locomotor+response+test+in+zebrafish+embryos?.">Can environmentally relevant neuroactive chemicals specifically be detected with the locomotor response test in zebrafish embryos?.</a> Environmental Science &amp; Technology. 53 (1), 482-493 (2018).</li><li>Kinch, C. D., Ibhazehiebo, K., Jeong, J. H., Habibi, H. R., Kurrasch, D. 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Effect of swimming speed.</a> Journal of Experimental Biology. 207 (19), 3265-3279 (2004).</li><li>Westerfield, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+guide+for+the+laboratory+use+of+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio).">A guide for the laboratory use of zebrafish (Danio rerio).</a> The Zebrafish Book. 4, (2000).</li><li>Ying, L., Jiang, L., Bo, P., Yong, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Teratogenic+effects+of+embryonic+exposure+to+pretilachlor+on+the+larvae+of+zebrafish.">Teratogenic effects of embryonic exposure to pretilachlor on the larvae of zebrafish.</a> Journal of Agro-Environment Science. 36 (3), 481-486 (2017).</li><li>Macphail, R. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Locomotion+in+larval+zebrafish:+Influence+of+time+of+day,+lighting+and+ethanol.">Locomotion in larval zebrafish: Influence of time of day, lighting and ethanol.</a> Neurotoxicology. 30 (1), 52-58 (2009).</li><li>Kais, B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=DMSO+modifies+the+permeability+of+the+zebrafish+(Danio+rerio)+chorion-implications+for+the+fish+embryo+test+(FET).">DMSO modifies the permeability of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) chorion-implications for the fish embryo test (FET).</a> Aquatic Toxicology. 140, 229-238 (2013).</li><li>Truong, L., Harper, S. L., Tanguay, R. 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This work provides a detailed experimental protocol to evaluate the neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants using zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish go through the process from embryos to larvae during the exposure period, which means that good care of the embryos and larvae is essential. Anything that affects the development of the embryos and larvae can influence the final result. Here the culture environment, exposure process, and experimental conditions are discussed to ensure the success of the whole assay.
<p class=...

In recent years more and more environmental pollutants have been proved neurotoxic1,2,3,4. However, the assessment of neurotoxicity in vivo after exposure to environmental pollutants is not as easy as that of endocrine disruption or developmental toxicity. In addition, early exposure to pollutants, especially at environmentally relevant doses, has attracted increasing attention in toxicity studies5,6,7,8.
Zebrafish is being established as an animal model fit for neurotoxicity studies during early development after exposure to environmental pollutants. Zebrafish are vertebrates that develop faster than other species after fertilization. The larvae do not need to be fed because the nutrients in the chorion are enough for sustain them for 7 days postfertilization (dpf)9. Larvae come out from the chorion at ~2 dpf and develop behaviors such as swimming and turning that can be observed, tracked, quantified, and analyzed automatically using behavior instruments10,11,12,13 starting at 3-4 dpf14,15,16,17,18. In addition, high-throughput tests can also be realized by behavior instruments. Thus, zebrafish larvae are an outstanding model for the neurobehavioral study of environmental pollutants19. Here, a protocol is offered using high-throughput monitoring to study the neurobehavioral toxicity of environmental pollutants on zebrafish larvae under light stimuli.
Our lab has studied the neurobehavioral toxicity of 2,2&#39;,4,4&#39;-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47)20,21, 6&#39;-Hydroxy/Methoxy-2,2&#39;,4,4&#39;-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (6-OH/MeO-BDE-47)22, deca-brominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209), lead, and commercial chlorinated paraffins23 using the presented protocol. Many labs also use the protocol to study the neurobehavioral effects of other pollutants on larvae or adult fish24,25,26,27. This neurobehavioral protocol was used to help provide mechanistic support showing that low-dose exposure to bisphenol A and replacement bisphenol S induced premature hypothalamic neurogenesis in embryonic zebrafish27. In addition, some researchers optimized the protocol to perform corresponding studies. A recent study eliminated the toxicity of amyloid beta (A&#946;) in an easy, high-throughput zebrafish model using casein-coated gold nanoparticles (&#946;Cas AuNPs). It showed that &#946;Cas AuNPs in systemic circulation translocated across the blood-brain barrier of zebrafish larvae and sequestered intracerebral A&#946;42, eliciting toxicity in a nonspecific, chaperone-like manner, which was supported by behavioral pathology28.
Locomotion, path angle, and social activity are three neurobehavioral indicators used to study the neurotoxicity effects of zebrafish larvae after exposure to pollutants in the presented protocol. Locomotion is measured by the swimming distance of larvae and can be damaged after exposure to pollutants. Path angle and social activity are more closely related with the function of the brain and the central nervous system29. The path angle refers to the angle of the path of animal motion relative to the swimming direction30. Eight angle classes from ~-180&#176;-~+180&#176; are set in the system. To simplify the comparison, six classes in the final outcome are defined as routine turns (-10&#176; ~0&#176;, 0&#176; ~+10&#176;), average turns (-10&#176; ~-90&#176;, +10&#176; ~+90&#176;), and responsive turns (-180&#176; ~-90&#176;, +90&#176; ~+180&#176;) according to our previous studies21,22. Two-fish social activity is fundamental of group shoaling behavior; here a distance of &#60; 0.5 cm between two larvae valid is defined as social contact.
The protocol presented here demonstrates a clear process for studying neurobehavioral effects on zebrafish larvae and provides a way to reveal the neurotoxicity effects of various substances or pollutants. The protocol will benefit researchers interested in studying the neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>48-well-microplate</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3548</td>
			<td>Embyros housing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6-well-microplate</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3471</td>
			<td>Embyros housing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BDE-47</td>
			<td>AccuStandard</td>
			<td>5436-43-1</td>
			<td>Pollutant</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DMSO</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>67-68-5</td>
			<td>Cosolvent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td>SZX 16</td>
			<td>Observation instrument</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pipette</td>
			<td>Eppendorf</td>
			<td>3120000267</td>
			<td>Transfer solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zebrabox</td>
			<td>Viewpoint</td>
			<td>ZebraBox</td>
			<td>Behavior instrument</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zebrafish</td>
			<td>Shanghai FishBio Co., Ltd.</td>
			<td>Tubingen</td>
			<td>Zebrafish supplier</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ZebraLab</td>
			<td>Viewpoint</td>
			<td>ZebraLab</td>
			<td>Behavior software</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

studying neurobehavioral effects of environmental pollutants on zebrafish larvae

Recent years more and more environmental pollutants have been proved neurotoxic, especially at the early development stages of organisms. Zebrafish larvae are a preeminent model for the neurobehavioral study of environmental pollutants. Here, a detailed experimental protocol is provided for the evaluation of the neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants using zebrafish larvae, including the collection of the embryos, the exposure process, neurobehavioral indicators, the test process, and data analysis. Also, the culture environment, exposure process, and experimental conditions are discussed to ensure the success of the assay. The protocol has been used in the development of psychopathic drugs, research on environmental neurotoxic pollutants, and can be optimized to make corresponding studies or be helpful for mechanistic studies. The protocol demonstrates a clear operation process for studying neurobehavioral effects on zebrafish larvae and can reveal the effects of various neurotoxic substances or pollutants.

Here, we describe a protocol for studying the neurobehavioral effects of environmental pollutants using zebrafish larvae under light stimuli. The locomotion, path angle, and social activity tests are defined in the introduction. The setup of the microplates in the locomotion and path angle tests and the images of the software are shown below. In addition, our own research results are presented as examples. Two studies present the locomotion and path angle effects after exposure to BDE-47 ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Studying Neurobehavioral Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Zebrafish Larvae at JoVE.com

Studying Neurobehavioral Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Zebrafish Larvae

A detailed experimental protocol is presented in this paper for the evaluation of neurobehavioral toxicity of environmental pollutants using a zebrafish larvae model, including the exposure process and tests for neurobehavioral indicators.

Recent years more and more environmental pollutants have been proved neurotoxic, especially at the early development stages of organisms. Zebrafish larvae ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Environment

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

Evaporation is directly influenced by the interactions between the atmosphere, land surface and soil subsurface. This work aims to experimentally study ...

A Flow-through Exposure System for Evaluating Suspended Sediments Effects on Aquatic Life

This paper describes the Fish Larvae and Egg Exposure System (FLEES). The flow-through exposure system is used to investigate the effects of suspended ...

Evaluating the Effect of Environmental Chemicals on Honey Bee Development from the Individual to Colony Level

The presence of pesticides in the beekeeping environment is one of the most serious problems that impacts the life of a honey bee. Pesticides can be ...

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron (Oxy)Hydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron OxyHydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria

Fate and speciation of trace elements (TEs), such as arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg), in aquifers are closely related to physio-chemical conditions, such as ...

Preparation of DMMTAV and DMDTAV Using DMAV for Environmental Applications: Synthesis, Purification, and Confirmation

Preparation of DMMTAV and DMDTAV Using DMAV for Environmental Applications: Synthesis, Purification, and Confirmation

Dimethylated thioarsenicals such as dimethylmonothioarsinic acid (DMMTAV) and dimethyldithioarsinic acid (DMDTAV), which are produced by the metabolic ...

Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA

Traditional methods of identifying fungal exposures in occupational environments, such as culture and microscopy-based approaches, have several ...

Wastewater Irrigation Impacts on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity: Coupled Field Sampling and Laboratory Determination of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Since the early 1960s, an alternative wastewater discharge practice at The Pennsylvania State University has been researched and its impacts monitored. ...

An Experimental Protocol for Studying Mineral Effects on Organic Hydrothermal Transformations

Organic-mineral interactions are widely occurring in hydrothermal environments, such as hot springs, geysers on land, and the hydrothermal vents in the ...

In Vitro Scratch Assay to Demonstrate Effects of Arsenic on Skin Cell Migration

In Vitro Scratch Assay to Demonstrate Effects of Arsenic on Skin Cell Migration

Understanding the physiologic mechanisms of wound healing has been the focus of ongoing research for many years. This research directly translates into ...

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Using Caenorhabditis elegans for Studying Trans- and Multi-Generational Effects of Toxicants

Information about toxicities of chemicals are essential in their application and waste management. For chemicals at low concentrations, the long-term ...