Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders model alters the functionality of glutamatergic neurotransmission in adult zebrafish.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) describe a wide range of ethanol-induced developmental disabilities, including craniofacial dysmorphology, and neurochemical and behavioral impairments. Zebrafish has become a popular animal model to evaluate the long-lasting effects of, both, severe and milder forms of FASD, including alterations to neurotransmission. Glutamate is one of the most affected neurotransmitter systems in ethanol-induced developmental disabilities.

Brain zinc chelation by diethyldithiocarbamate increased the behavioral and mitochondrial damages in zebrafish subjected to hypoxia.

The increase in brain levels of chelatable zinc (Zn) in dysfunctions involving oxygen deprivation has stimulated the treatment with Zn chelators, such as diethyldithiocarbamate (DEDTC). However, DEDTC is a redox-active compound and it should be better evaluated during hypoxia. We use the hypoxia model in zebrafish to evaluate DEDTC effects.

Evaluation of spontaneous recovery of behavioral and brain injury profiles in zebrafish after hypoxia.

Cerebral hypoxia-ischemia can lead to motor and sensory impairments which can be dependent on the extent of infarcted regions. Since a better understanding of the neurochemical mechanisms involved in this injury is needed, the use of zebrafish as a cerebral hypoxia model has become quite promising because it could improve the knowledge about hypoxia-ischemia. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the spontaneous recovery of brain and behavioral impairments induced by hypoxia in adult zebrafish.

Topographical analysis of reactive zinc in the central nervous system of adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Reactive zinc (Zn) is crucial for neuronal signaling and is largely distributed within presynaptic vesicles of some axon terminals of distinct vertebrates. However, the distribution of reactive Zn throughout the central nervous system (CNS) is not fully explored. We performed a topographical study of CNS structures containing reactive Zn in the adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole in the adult zebrafish: a detailed behavioral characterization.

Pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) is a common convulsant agent used in animal models to investigate the mechanisms of seizures. Although adult zebrafish have been recently used to study epileptic seizures, a thorough characterization of the PTZ-induced seizures in this animal model is missing. The goal of this study was to perform a detailed temporal behavior profile characterization of PTZ-induced seizure in adult zebrafish.

Behavioral effects of taurine pretreatment in zebrafish acutely exposed to ethanol.

Taurine (TAU) is an amino sulfonic acid that plays protective roles against neurochemical impairments induced by ethanol (EtOH). Mounting evidence shows the applicability of zebrafish for evaluating locomotor parameters and anxiety-like behavioral phenotypes after EtOH exposure in a large scale manner. In this study, we assess the effects of TAU pretreatment on the behavior of zebrafish in the open tank after acute 1% EtOH (v/v) exposure (20 and 60 min of duration) and on brain alcohol contents.

Chronic ethanol treatment alters purine nucleotide hydrolysis and nucleotidase gene expression pattern in zebrafish brain.

Ethanol is a widely consumed drug that acts on the central nervous system (CNS), modifying several signal transduction pathways activated by hormones and neurotransmitters. The zebrafish is an experimental model for the study of human diseases and the use of this species in biochemical and behavioral studies on alcoholism and alcohol-dependence has increased recently. However, there are no data concerning the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on the purinergic system, where extracellular nucleotides act as signaling molecules.

Differences in spatio-temporal behavior of zebrafish in the open tank paradigm after a short-period confinement into dark and bright environments.

The open tank paradigm, also known as novel tank diving test, is a protocol used to evaluate the zebrafish behavior. Several characteristics have been described for this species, including scototaxis, which is the natural preference for dark environments in detriment of bright ones. However, there is no evidence regarding the influence of "natural stimuli" in zebrafish subjected to novelty-based paradigms.

Zebrafish as a model organism to evaluate drugs potentially able to modulate sirtuin expression.

Sirtuins comprise a unique class of NAD(+)-dependent deacetylases that are key regulators of many physiological processes. They appear to be a potential target set of enzymes for treatment of age-associated diseases and have attracted interest in many research areas involving chemical and cellular investigations to understand them and discover potential ligands. For molecular screening, a cost-effective, easily manipulated, and consolidated model organism is needed, and the zebrafish fits these requirements perfectly.

Aluminum exposure alters behavioral parameters and increases acetylcholinesterase activity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain.

Aluminum is a metal that is known to impact fish species. The zebrafish has been used as an attractive model for toxicology and behavioral studies, being considered a model to study environmental exposures and human pathologies. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of aluminum exposure on brain acetylcholinesterase activity and behavioral parameters in zebrafish.

Evidence that acute taurine treatment alters extracellular AMP hydrolysis and adenosine deaminase activity in zebrafish brain membranes.

Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in excitable tissues. In the brain, extracellular taurine may act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter, neuromodulator, and neuroprotector. Nucleotides are ubiquitous signaling molecules that play crucial roles for brain function.

Influence of mercury chloride on adenosine deaminase activity and gene expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain.

Mercury is a widespread environmental contaminant that is neurotoxic even at very low concentrations. In this study we investigated the effects of mercury chloride on soluble and membrane adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and gene expression in zebrafish brain. Inhibition of ADA activity was observed in the soluble fraction at 5-250 microM HgCl(2) (84.

Expression and functional analysis of Na(+)-dependent glutamate transporters from zebrafish brain.

High-affinity excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) regulate extracellular glutamate levels. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) provides an excellent model to study the function of different neurotransmitter systems. Although the identification of the EAAT family is well established in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), EAAT-related genes and their expression profile in zebrafish have not yet been reported.

NTPDase family in zebrafish: Nucleotide hydrolysis, molecular identification and gene expression profiles in brain, liver and heart.

The nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase) family cleaves tri- and diphosphonucleosides to monophosphonucleosides and is responsible for terminating purinergic transmission. Since the NTPDase family in zebrafish is poorly understood, here we evaluated the nucleotide hydrolysis in three tissues of adult zebrafish (brain, liver, and heart), confirmed the presence of distinct NTPDase members by a phylogenetic analysis and verified their relative gene expression profiles in the respective tissues. A different profile of ATP and ADP hydrolysis in the brain, liver, and heart as a function of time and protein concentration was observed.

Typical and atypical antipsychotics alter acetylcholinesterase activity and ACHE expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain.

Antipsychotic agents are widely used for the treatment of psychotic symptoms in patients with several brain disorders. Antipsychotic drugs principally affect dopamine systems with the newer ones also affecting serotonin, norepinephrine, and histamine systems. Other transmitter systems can be involved with selected antipsychotic drugs but effects on cholinergic system are less known.

Antipsychotic drugs inhibit nucleotide hydrolysis in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain membranes.

Haloperidol (HAL), olanzapine (OLZ), and sulpiride (SULP) are antipsychotic drugs widely used in the pharmacotherapy of psychopathological symptoms observed in schizophrenia or mood-related psychotic symptoms in affective disorders. Here, we tested the in vitro effects of different concentrations of a typical (HAL) and two atypical (OLZ and SULP) antipsychotic drugs on ectonucleotidase activities from zebrafish brain membranes. HAL inhibited ATP (28.

Kinetic characterization of adenosine deaminase activity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain.

Adenosine deaminase (ADA; EC 3.5.4.

Serum S100B but not NSE levels are increased in morbidly obese individuals affected by obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is considered a comorbidity associated with morbid obesity, mainly because of the large neck circumference. Depending on its severity, OSAHS can interfere in many homeostasis systems, for example, the central nervous system (CNS). Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B protein derived from astrocytes are considered sensitive biochemical markers of cerebral injury.

Adenosine deaminase-related genes: molecular identification, tissue expression pattern and truncated alternative splice isoform in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is responsible for cleaving the neuromodulator adenosine to inosine. Two members of ADA subfamilies, known as ADA1 and ADA2, were described and evidence demonstrated another similar protein group named ADAL (adenosine deaminase "like"). Although the identification of ADA members seems to be consistent, the expression profile of ADA1, ADA2 and ADAL genes in zebrafish has not yet been reported.

Ethanol alters acetylcholinesterase activity and gene expression in zebrafish brain.

Alcohol abuse is a health problem throughout the world and alcohol consumption is linked to the occurrence of several pathological conditions. Acute ethanol administration exerts a variety of actions on the central nervous system (CNS). Zebrafish has been used as an attractive model system to investigate behavioral and neurochemical changes promoted by alcohol intoxication.

Ethanol and acetaldehyde alter NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase from zebrafish brain membranes.

Alcohol abuse is an acute health problem throughout the world and alcohol consumption is linked to the occurrence of several pathological conditions. Here we tested the acute effects of ethanol on NTPDases (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases) and 5'-nucleotidase in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain membranes. The results have shown a decrease on ATP (36.

Acute and subchronic copper treatments alter extracellular nucleotide hydrolysis in zebrafish brain membranes.

Copper is a divalent cation with physiological importance since deficiency of copper homeostasis can cause serious neurological diseases. ATP is an important signalling molecule stored at nerve endings and its inactivation is promoted by ecto-nucleotidases. In this study, we verified the effect of acute and subchronic copper treatments on ecto-nucleotidase activities in zebrafish brain membranes.

Exposure to Hg2+ and Pb2+ changes NTPDase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase activities in central nervous system of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Neurotransmission can be affected by exposure to heavy metals, such as mercury and lead. ATP is a signaling molecule that can be metabolized by a group of enzymes called ecto-nucleotidases. Here we investigated the effects of mercury chloride (HgCl(2)) and lead acetate (Pb(CH(3)COO)(2)) on NTPDase (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase activities in zebrafish brain membranes.

Methanol alters ecto-nucleotidases and acetylcholinesterase in zebrafish brain.

Methanol is a neurotoxic compound that is responsible for serious damage on CNS. Besides being found as an environmental contaminant, this alcohol is also employed as a component of cryoprotector solutions for zebrafish embryos. Here we tested the acute effect of methanol on ecto-nucleotidase (NTPDase, ecto-5'-nucleotidase) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in zebrafish brain.

In vitro effect of zinc and cadmium on acetylcholinesterase and ectonucleotidase activities in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brain.

Zinc and cadmium are environmental contaminants that induce a wide range of effects on CNS. Here we tested the in vitro effect of these metals on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ectonucleotidase (NTPDase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase) activities in zebrafish brain. Both zinc and cadmium treatments did not alter significantly the zebrafish brain AChE activity.