Effect and mechanism of waterborne prolonged Zn exposure influencing hepatic lipid metabolism in javelin goby Synechogobius hasta.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect and mechanism of waterborne Zn exposure influencing hepatic lipid deposition and metabolism in javelin goby Synechogobius hasta. S. hasta were exposed to four waterborne Zn concentrations (Zn 0.005 [control], 0.18, 0.36 and 0.55 mg l(-1) , respectively) for 60 days. Sampling occurred at days 20, 40 and 60, respectively. Zn exposure increased Zn content, declined hepatic lipid content and reduced viscerosomatic and hepatosomatic indices and lipogenic enzyme activities, including 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), malic enzyme (ME) and fatty acid synthase (FAS). At days 20 and 60, Zn exposure decreased hepatic mRNA levels of 6PGD, G6PD, ME, FAS, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC)α, ACCβ, hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)a, HSLb, sterol-regulator element-binding protein (SREBP)-1, peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR)α and PPARγ. However, the mRNA levels of CPT 1 and adipose triglyceride lipase increased following Zn exposure. On day 40, Zn exposure reduced hepatic mRNA expression of 6PGD, G6PD, ME, FAS, ACCα, ACCβ, HSLa, HSLb, SREBP-1 and PPARγ but increased mRNA expression of CPT 1, adipose triglyceride lipase and PPARα. General speaking, Zn exposure reduced hepatic lipid content by inhibiting lipogenesis and stimulating lipolysis. For the first time, the present study provided evidence that chronic Zn exposure differentially influenced mRNA expression and activities of genes and enzymes involved in lipogenic and lipolytic metabolism in a duration-dependent manner, and provided new insight into the relationship between metal elements and lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.