PUBLICATION

Nickel exposure alters behavioral parameters in larval and adult zebrafish

Authors
Nabinger, D.D., Altenhofen, S., Bitencourt, P.E.R., Nery, L.R., Leite, C.E., Vianna, M.R.M.R., Bonan, C.D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-171106-3
Date
2017
Source
The Science of the total environment   624: 1623-1633 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Bonan, Carla Denise, Vianna, Mônica Ryff Moreira Roca
Keywords
Behavior, Locomotion, Nickel chloride, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal/drug effects*
  • Heart Rate
  • Larva/drug effects*
  • Locomotion*
  • Nickel/toxicity*
  • Toxicity Tests
  • Zebrafish*
PubMed
29102187 Full text @ Sci. Total Environ.
Abstract
Nickel is a heavy metal that, at high concentrations, leads to environmental contamination and causes health problems. We evaluated the effects of NiCl2 exposure on cognition and behavior in larval and adult zebrafish. Larval and adult zebrafish were exposed to NiCl2 concentrations (0.025, 2.0, 5.0, and 15.0mg/L) or water (control) in two treatment regimens: acute and subchronic. Larvae were exposed to NiCl2 for 2h (acute treatment: 5-day-old larvae treated for 2h, tested after treatment) or 11days (subchronic treatment: 11-day-old larvae treated since fertilization, tested at 5, 8 and 11days post-fertilization, dpf). Adults were exposed for 12h (acute treatment) or 96h (subchronic treatment) and were tested after the treatment period. In both regimens, exposed zebrafish showed concentration-dependent increases in body nickel levels compared with controls. For larvae, delayed hatching, decreased heart rate and morphological alterations were observed in subchronically treated zebrafish. Larvae from subchronic treatment tested at 5dpf decrease distance and mean speed at a low concentration (0.025mg/L) and increased at higher concentrations (5.0 and 15.0mg/L). Subchronic treated larvae decrease locomotion at 15.0mg/L at 8 and 11dpf, whereas decreased escape responses to an aversive stimulus was observed at 2.0, 5.0 and 15.0mg/L in all developmental stages. For adults, the exploratory behavior test showed that subchronic nickel exposure induced anxiogenic-like behavior and decrease aggression, whereas impaired memory was observed in both treatments. These results indicate that exposure to nickel in early life stages of zebrafish leads to morphological alterations, avoidance response impairment and locomotor deficits whereas acute and subchronic exposure in adults resulst in anxiogenic effects, impaired memory and decreased aggressive behavior. These effects may be associated to neurotoxic actions of nickel and suggest this metal may influence animals' physiology in doses that do not necessarily impact their survival.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping