Anxiety-Related Behavior and Associated Brain Transcriptome and Epigenome Alterations in Adult Female Zebrafish Exposed to Atrazine During Embryogenesis

Details

• Personal Author:
  Freeman JL ; Horzmann KA ; Lin LF ; Taslakjian B ; Yuan C
• Description:
  Atrazine often contaminates drinking water sources, exceeding the maximum contaminant level established by the US Environmental Protection Agency at 3 parts per billion (ppb; µg/L). Atrazine is linked to endocrine disruption, neurotoxicity, and cancer, with delayed health effects observed after developmental exposure in line with the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis. To test the hypothesis that embryonic atrazine exposure induces delayed neurotoxicity in adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio), embryos were exposed to 0, 0.3, 3, or 30 ppb atrazine during embryogenesis (1-72 h post fertilization (hpf)) and raised to adults with no additional atrazine exposure. Behavioral outcomes were tested through a novel tank test, light-dark box, and open field test and indicated female zebrafish had more anxious phenotypes at 9 months post fertilization (mpf). Female brain transcriptomic analysis at 9 mpf found altered gene expression pathways related to organismal injury and cancer with beta-estradiol and estrogen receptor as top upstream regulators. These results were compared to 9 mpf male and 6 mpf female groups with the same atrazine embryonic exposures and showed differences in specific genes that were altered, but similarities in top molecular pathways. Molecular pathways associated with behavior were observed only in the 6 mpf transcriptomic profiles, suggesting prediction of observed behavioral outcomes at 9 mpf. The expression of genes associated with serotonin neurotransmission was also evaluated at 14 mpf to determine persistence; however, no significant changes were observed. Brain global methylation in 12 mpf zebrafish observed an increased percent 5 mC in females with embryonic 0.3 ppb atrazine exposure. Finally, the body length, body weight, and brain weight were determined at 14 mpf and were altered in all treatment groups. These results indicate that embryonic atrazine exposure does cause delayed neurotoxicity within the DOHaD framework, which is significant given atrazine's presence and persistence in the environment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Pollution Nervous System Occupational Health Pregnancy Safety
• Keywords:
  Atrazine Author Keywords: Atrazine Developmental Origins Of Health And Disease Drinking Water Environmental Contamination Gene Expression Methylation Molecular Biology Neurotoxicity Prenatal Exposure Transcriptomics Water Supply Zebrafish

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• ISSN:
  0045-6535
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Alabama ; Illinois ; Indiana ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  308
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067828
• Citation:
  Chemosphere 2022 Dec; 308(Pt 3):136431
• Contact Point Address:
  Jennifer L. Freeman, School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
• Email:
  jfreema@purdue.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Atrazine (CAS RN 1912-24-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Performing Organization:
  University of Illinois at Chicago
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Part Number:
  3
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Chemosphere
• End Date:
  20290630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:68ba32e607f13ed6af1cf3ce95ff4206527d17b8b83ecffa4dcd367e5029c16d164a4ef88c4b6a118c945aadff35a1a6a338a66e23765ef7a2599a52a4b31189
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230083/cdc_230083_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.60 MB ]