PUBLICATION

Role of neurexin2a in lead-induced locomotor defect in developing zebrafish

Authors
Tu, H., Peng, T., Liu, J., Chen, X., Fan, C., Huang, Z., Zhang, Y., Zou, F., Meng, X.
ID
ZDB-PUB-171204-43
Date
2017
Source
Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)   194: 167-175 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Chen, Xiaohui, Huang, Zhibin, Zhang, Yiyue
Keywords
Lead (Pb), Locomotor behavior, Neurexin2a, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis/drug effects*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal/genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects*
  • Lead/toxicity*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger/genetics
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Swimming*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity*
  • Zebrafish/genetics*
  • Zebrafish/metabolism
PubMed
29195096 Full text @ Aquat. Toxicol.
CTD
29195096
Abstract
Low-dose chronic lead (Pb) exposure interferes with the development of the nervous system, which may lead to learning disabilities, behavioral abnormalities, and mental retardation. Neurexins (Nrxns) are synaptic cell-adhesion molecules associated with neurological disorders. We hypothesized that Pb can affect the expression of nrxns during synapse formation and alter the phenotype behavior. Here, apoptosis, nrxns mRNA expression, and alterations of locomotion were examined after exposure to Pb in zebrafish embryos/larvae. To confirm the function of nrxn2a, rescue experiments were performed using β-nrxn2a mRNA microinjection. Pb exposure increased apoptosis and altered locomotor behavior in zebrafish larvae. Quantitative PCR showed that among several synaptic adhesion molecules, only nrxn2a were affected by Pb exposure. Moreover, exposure to Pb at 10μmol/L upregulated mRNA expression of nrxn1a and nrxn3a at 24h post fertilization (hpf) and downregulated expression at 48 hpf, whereas the expression remained unchanged at 72 hpf. Only the two isoforms of nrxn2a were downregulated by Pb at 10μmol/L at all three time points. Rescue experiments showed that β-nrxn2a mRNA injection recovered the decreased locomotor activity and the increased apoptosis induced by Pb. In addition, overexpression of β-nrxn2a mRNA upregulated α-nrxn2a. These data indicated that Pb inhibited the expression of nrxn2a genes, which play a critical role in neural development, and further altered the behavior of zebrafish embryos/larvae.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping