Micro-injection as a tool to detect the effects of bisphenol A, diethyl phthalate, and 17ß-estradiol on ontogenesis of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Diethyl phthalate (DEP), bisphenol A (BPA), and external estradiol 17β-estradiol (E2) all are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Our previous study has found that the development of ceratohyal cartilage (CH) in embryos could be disrupted when the maternal generation was exposed with 8.06 μM DEP, 2.

Generational effects and abnormalities in craniofacial chondrogenesis in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos upon maternal exposure to estrogen endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Bisphenol A (BPA) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) are estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EEDCs). The present study reconfirmed that the angle of the ceratohyal cartilage (CH) in embryos were larger from maternal BPA and E2, but smaller from DEP compared to the control. However, it is still unknown whether both the BPA and DEP chemicals disrupted the action of E2 and thereby influence the estrogen signaling pathways.

Reproductive and Developmental Alterations on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Upon Long-Term Exposure of Di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-ethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) are all endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) for organisms. However, little research has been done on the effects of long-term EDC exposure. The present study found that the zebrafish barely grew during the 7 months of DINP exposure.

Duration of Induced Metallothionein is a Critical Factor in the Cadmium-Resistance Among Goldfish (Carassius auratus) and Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency in Taiwan, the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one species of fish for acute toxic test. It has been found to be extremely sensitive to the toxicity of Cd; Furthermore, the goldfish (Carassius auratus) has a higher resistance than common carp upon Cd exposure, but both fish are the same family. The aim of the study was to compare the physiological and histo-pathological responses between goldfish and common carp under exposure to sublethal concentrations of Cd in order to understand the reasons behind the Cd-resistance.

Maternal effect and dietary supplementation of estradiol-17β on female zebrafish (Danio rerio) affects the swimming behavior and stress-coping styles of its offspring.

Extrinsic estradiol-17β (E2) is an environmental hormone. Female fish exposure to waterborne E2 might affect the development of craniofacial cartilage of its offspring. The present study investigates the effects of maternal E2 on larval craniofacial cartilage development by administering oral feed containing E2 (F-E2) to female zebrafish, and examines whether the swimming behavior and their stress coping style are influenced by maternal E2.

Effects of bisphenol A or diethyl phthalate on cartilage development and the swimming behavior of zebrafish (Danio rerio) through maternal exposure.

Waterborne bisphenol A (BPA) and diethyl phthalate (DEP) are endocrine disruptive chemicals that impact the reproductive system of fish. The present study checks the effectiveness of the reproductive capacity on zebrafish after BPA and DEP exposure, and consequently investigates its effect on their development and the swimming behavior of its offspring. The exposure of BPA and DEP to zebrafish reveals that the levels of ovarian 17β-estradiol (E2) and relative mRNA expression (RRE) ratios (Treatment/Control) of hepatic vitellogenin (vtg1) could be induced and decreased.

Association between NAFLD and risk of prevalent chronic kidney disease: why there is a difference between east and west?

Backgrounds: There is a discrepancy between west and east on the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to find out the possible reason for this and to clarify the association between NAFLD and CKD by analyzing two population-based datasets from the US and China.

Methods: Two health examination datasets from China and the US were used.

Changes in vitellogenin and estrogen receptor expression and 17β-estradiol concentration in male juvenile tilapia can be used to evaluate endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

The effects of endocrine disruption with respect to potential human toxicities have been extensively evaluated to date. However, the standard testing methods used have not always taken the most pertinent approach. In this study, we used juvenile male tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) as an animal model to test for endocrine disruption by chemicals.

Effects of calcium and estrogen on the development of the ceratohyal cartilage in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae upon embryo and maternal cadmium exposure.

The present study is to investigate the reason why the ceratohyal cartilage (CH) angle of zebrafish larvae were larger compared to the control group after their female parents were treated with cadmium (F-Cd). However, the CH angle was smaller compared to the control group when embryos were directly exposed to Cd for 72 h (D-Cd). Results showed that calcium contents of larvae were lower than the control, but the transporter isoforms trpv4 and trpv6 mRNA expressions were significantly increased upon D-Cd treatment.

Anti-oxidative Responses on Hepatic Tissue of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a Short Duration of Sub-lethal Concentrations of Cadmium Exposure.

The aim of the present study was to identify whether the responses of oxidative stress in zebrafish liver are similar to those in mammalians upon low doses of Cd exposure in short durations. Fish were exposed to 1.78 μM Cd (treatment) and 0.

Anti-oxidative functions of mt2 and smtB mRNA expression in the gills and brain of zebrafish (Danio rerio) upon cadmium exposure.

There were not any past studies about metallothionein isoforms (smtB and mt2) having anti-oxidative functions on zebrafish after Cd exposure. On the other hand, the anti-oxidative enzymatic factors such as superoxide dismutase (sod), glutathione peroxidase (gpx1a), and catalase (cat) are used as references to investigate whether the smtB and mt2 have anti-oxidative responses on the gills and brain of zebrafish after 1-6 h of 0 and 1.78 μM Cd exposure.

Anti-oxidative responses of zebrafish (Danio rerio) gill, liver and brain tissues upon acute cold shock.

The present study seeks to detect oxidative damage and to compare anti-oxidative responses among liver, gills and brain of adult zebrafish that were cooled from 28 °C (control) to 12 °C (treatment) for 0-24 h. The lipid peroxidation of liver, gill and brain tissues significantly increased at 1h after transfer, but reactive oxygen species in the treatment group increased significantly after 24 h as compared to the control. The fish were found to develop a cascading anti-oxidative mechanism beginning with an increase in Cu/Zn-SOD levels, followed by increased CAT and GPx mRNA expressions in the three tissue types.

Analyzing the effectiveness of using branchial NKA activity as a biomarker for assessing waterborne copper toxicity in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus): A damage-based modeling approach.

Branchial Na(＋)-K(＋)-ATPase (NKA) activity has been suggested as a promising biomarker for assessing metal stress in aquatic organisms. However, studies that systematically show the effectiveness of using NKA activity to detect metal exposure and toxicity at the individual level are limited. In this study, we aimed to determine whether branchial NKA activity mechanistically responds to the accumulation of waterborne copper (Cu) and accounts for observed toxicity over time under environmentally-relevant and aquafarming Cu exposure levels (0.

Profiles of thyrotropin, thyroid hormones, follicular cells and type I deiodinase gene expression during ontogenetic development of tilapia larvae and juveniles.

The aims of the present study are to determine whether triiodothyronine (T3) and/or thyroxine (T4) in tilapia larvae is gifted through the mother, and to investigate the change profiles of thyrotropin (TSH), thyroid follicular cells and type I deiodinase (D1) gene expression following larval development. T3 and T4 contents were measured using radioimmunoassay, thyrotropin was observed using immunocytochemistry, and the D1 gene was cloned and measured using real-time PCR. Results indicated that the β-TSH-immunoreactive cells (thyrotropin ICC) signals were detected at 9 dph (i.

Magnetite nanoparticle-induced fluorescence quenching of adenosine triphosphate-BODIPY Conjugates: application to adenosine triphosphate and pyrophosphate sensing.

We report that magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) act as an efficient quencher for boron dipyrromethene-conjugated adenosine 5'-triphosphate (BODIPY-ATP) that is highly fluorescent in bulk solution. BODIPY-ATP molecules attached to the surface of Fe3O4 NPs through the coordination between the triphosphate group of BODIPY-ATP and Fe(3+)/Fe(2+) on the NP surface. The formed complexes induced an apparent reduction in the BODIPY-ATP fluorescence resulting from an oxidative-photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the BODIPY-ATP excited state to an unfilled d shell of Fe(3+)/Fe(2+) on the NP surface.

Effects of maternal cadmium exposure on female reproductive functions, gamete quality, and offspring development in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Impacts of maternal Cd(2+) exposure on female zebrafish (Danio rerio) were observed in females as well as their offspring. In females, Cd disturbed fecundity and other reproductive functions. In their offspring, it retarded gamete development and growth and influenced gene expression.

Maternal cadmium exposure induces mt2 and smtB mRNA expression in zebrafish (Danio rerio) females and their offspring.

The present study aimed to identify the effects of maternal cadmium (Cd(2+)) exposure on the mRNA expression of mt2 (metallothionein-2) and smtB (similar to metallothionein-B) in female zebrafish (Danio rerio) and their offspring (F1 larvae). Zebrafish females were exposed to 0, 8.9, 17.

Effects of ambient cadmium with calcium on mRNA expressions of calcium uptake related transporters in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae.

The mRNA expression levels of Ca²⁺ transporter genes including the epithelial calcium channel (ECaC), sodium/calcium exchanger 1b (NCX1b), and plasma membrane calcium ATPase 2 (PMCA2) were measured in zebrafish larvae after exposure to 0.08 μM Cd²⁺ in either water mixed with 0.2 mM Ca²⁺ (lCa) or 2 mM Ca²⁺ (hCa).

Changes of glycogen metabolism in the gills and hepatic tissue of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) during short-term Cd exposure.

The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that the mechanism of glycogen metabolism has taken place in gills rather than in liver during Cd exposure. Male tilapia were exposed to 44.45 μM ambient Cd for 12h, and we found blood glucose significantly increased, however, lactate levels showed no significant changes.

Spirulina prevents memory dysfunction, reduces oxidative stress damage and augments antioxidant activity in senescence-accelerated mice.

Spirulina has proven to be effective in treating certain cancers, hyperlipidemia, immunodeficiency, and inflammatory processes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Spirulina on memory dysfunction, oxidative stress damage and antioxidant enzyme activity. Three-month-old male senescence-accelerated prone-8 (SAMP8) mice were randomly assigned to either a control group or to one of two experimental groups (one receiving daily dietary supplementation with 50 mg/kg BW and one with 200 mg/kg BW of Spirulina platensis water extract).

Cadmium concentration and metallothionein expression in prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia of humans.

Background/purpose: Cadmium (Cd) causes various genitourinary disorders and is a carcinogen for prostate cancer. Metallothionein (MT) is a protein that detoxifies heavy metals. We evaluated changes in Cd concentration and MT expression in human prostate cancer (CaP) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Cadmium accumulation and metallothionein overexpression in internal spermatic vein of patients with varicocele.

Objectives: To determine the possible molecular mechanism for the thickened wall in the internal spermatic vein (ISV) of patients with varicocele, we examined the cadmium (Cd) content and metallothionein (MT) expression in these diseased vessels. Previous studies have shown that Cd might play a role in the etiology of varicocele-associated infertility. MT, a metal-binding protein, protects against cell apoptosis during hypoxia.

[Clinical application of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy/jejunostomy].

Objective: To summarize the clinical experiences in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)/percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 578 patients who received either PEG or PEJ from July 2001 to December 2007 in our hospital. The data analyzed included the type, aim, duration, success rate, and complications of these procedures.

Expression of mt2 and smt-B upon cadmium exposure and cold shock in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Metallothionein-2 (mt2) and similar to metallothionein-B (smt-B) are included in the MT gene family. The objective of this study was to compare mt2 and smt-B messenger (m)RNA expressions after cadmium exposure and cold shock with whole-mount in situ hybridization in immature zebrafish (Danio rerio) and with a semi-quantitative RT-PCR in mature zebrafish. Three-day post-fertilization (dpf) larvae were treated with 0, 0.

Evaluation of thyroid-mediated otolith growth of larval and juvenile tilapia.

Thyroid-mediated otolith growth in tilapia was evaluated by the ontogenic triiodothyronine (T3) profile revealed by radioimmunoassay during the first month after hatching. Thyroid hormone receptor genes (TRalpha and TRbeta) were cloned and only the expression of TRalpha mRNA, quantified by real-time PCR, was similar to the T3 profile. Variations in otolith growth showed median correlation with the T3 profile and TRalpha mRNA expression pattern.