Lead Exposure Affects Gene Expression in Zebrafish Development
Author Information
Author(s): Samuel M. Peterson, Jun Zhang, Gregory Weber, Jennifer L. Freeman
Primary Institution: Purdue University
Hypothesis
The developing nervous system would be the most sensitive to Pb-induced alterations and that genes relating to these processes would be among the first to be altered.
Conclusion
Global gene expression alterations associated with developmental Pb exposure were dynamic and dependent on developmental stage.
Supporting Evidence
- 231 probes representing 90 nonredundant genes were altered by Pb exposure at 72 hpf.
- Gene expression alterations at 72 hpf were highly enriched with genes associated with neurological development and disease.
- Significant alterations in protein levels were observed for three of the four molecular targets analyzed.
Takeaway
When baby zebrafish were exposed to lead, their genes changed in ways that could affect their brain development, especially at certain early stages.
Methodology
Zebrafish embryos were exposed to lead at different concentrations, and gene expression was analyzed using microarray technology and confirmed with qPCR.
Limitations
The study focused only on two developmental time points and did not assess long-term effects of lead exposure.
Participant Demographics
Zebrafish embryos of the wild-type AB strain were used.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p ≤ 0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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