Fine structure of the canal neuromasts of the lateral line system in the adult zebrafish

The mechanosensory lateral line system of fish is responsible for several functions such as balance, hearing, and orientation in water flow and is formed by neuromast receptor organs distributed on head, trunk and tail. Superficial and canal neuromasts can be distinguished for localization and morphological differences. Several information is present regarding the superficial neuromasts of zebrafish and other teleosts especially during larval and juvenile stages, while not as numerous data are so far available about the ultrastructural characteristics of the canal neuromasts in adult zebrafish. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate by transmission electron microscopy the ultrastructural aspects of cells present in the canal neuromasts. Besides the typical cellular aspects of the neuromast, different cellular types of hair cells were observed that could be identified as developing hair cells during the physiological turnover. The knowledge of the observed cellular types of the canal neuromasts and their origin could give a contribution to studies carried out on adult zebrafish used as model in neurological and non‐neurological damages, such as deafness and vestibular disorders.     

Bioprospecting of Less-Polar Fractions of Ericaria crinita and Ericaria amentacea: Developmental Toxicity and Antioxidant Activity

Ericaria crinita and Ericaria amentacea from the Adriatic Sea (Croatia) were investigated with respect to the presence of less-polar compounds for the first time after fractionation by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The composition of less-polar fractions of freeze-dried E. crinita (FdEc) and E. amentacea (FdEa) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (UHPLC-ESI-HRMS). The major identified compounds were: amides of higher aliphatic acids (palmitoleamide, linoleamide, palmitamide, oleamide and erucamide) and related compounds, carotenoid (fucoxanthin), chlorophyll derivatives (pheophytin a and b and their derivatives) and higher terpenes (loliolide, isoamijiol with its oxidation product), β-stigmasterol and (3β,6α)-14-methylergosta-8,24(28)-diene-3,6-diol). The toxic effects observed on the less-polar fractions obtained from Ericaria species on zebrafish Danio rerio embryos could be associated with the high abundance of all five detected amides. The antioxidant activity of the fractions was evaluated by means of five independent assays, including the reduction of the radical cation (ABTS), the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the Folin–Ciocalteu method. A higher antioxidant activity of E. amentacea in comparison to that of the E. crinita fractions was found with IC₅₀ concentrations of 0.072 and 1.177 mg/mL, respectively. The correlation between the activity and the chemical composition revealed that the synergistic effect of different compounds impacted their antioxidant response.     

斑马鱼幼鱼嗜中性粒细胞对副溶血弧菌清除的动态变化

副溶血弧菌(Vibrio parahaemolyticus)是人-兽-鱼共患的致病菌,严重威胁食品安全和人类的健康。为了研究宿主嗜中性粒细胞清除细菌感染的动态变化过程,利用红色荧光蛋白标记的副溶血弧菌Vp57~(RFP)菌株感染受精后48 h(hours post fertilization,hpf)的斑马鱼(Danio rerio)幼鱼耳泡,建立局部感染模型,并以大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)Ec01菌株为对照,系统比较了副溶血弧菌和大肠杆菌的半数致死剂量(median lethal dose,LD_(50))、存活曲线以及和嗜中性粒细胞相互作用的动态过程,RT-qPCR验证炎症相关基因il1b和il10在感染前后的表达量变化。结果显示副溶血弧菌和大肠杆菌感染斑马鱼幼鱼的LD_(50)分别为7.90×10~8 CFU/mL和1.14×10~(11) CFU/mL,与感染大肠杆菌相比,斑马鱼感染副溶血弧菌后招募嗜中性粒细胞的速度更快,且数量更多。RT-qPCR结果发现斑马鱼感染副溶血弧菌后在相同时间点能够激活更高的il1b和il10基因的表达,引起强烈的炎症反应。基于以上研究,我们建立的副溶血弧菌-斑马鱼幼鱼耳泡局部感染模型,为进一步研究嗜中性粒细胞清除副溶血弧菌感染的动态过程,以及深入揭示天然免疫应答机制提供了依据。     

低温胁迫诱导斑马鱼ZF4细胞ROS及MAPK相关蛋白表达的影响

为了研究鱼类低温下分子调控机制及其与活性氧(reactive oxygen species,ROS)之间的关系,本实验对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎成纤维ZF4细胞进行不同程度的低温胁迫(18℃和10℃),监测其在不同低温胁迫时间下(1 d、3 d和5 d)ROS的变化以及丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinase,MAPK)通路中蛋白的表达情况。结果显示:(1)DCFH-DA探针法表明在低温胁迫作用下,细胞内ROS含量增加。细胞内ROS上升水平与外界胁迫压力成正相关。低温处理3 d后,18℃和10℃的细胞,其ROS含量与对照组(28℃)相比分别显著升高到(1.23±0.04)倍(P0.05)和(2.31±0.08)倍(P0.05)。(2)Western Blot检测磷酸化的p38(p-p38)和磷酸化的JNK(p-JNK p54和p-JNK p46)的水平变化,结果显示低温胁迫可以使p38和JNK的活性增强,且均在10℃处理3 d达到最高水平。(3)进一步检测DNA断裂标记蛋白γH2A.X的表达水平,结果显示,无论在18℃还是10℃,其在第3天呈现高表达。本实验初步证实低温胁迫能够诱导斑马鱼细胞ROS的产生;通过对不同时间点的蛋白表达水平检测,发现p-JNK、p-p38和γH2A.X激活时间点与低温诱导ROS表达时间点相吻合。该研究为后期对斑马鱼细胞低温胁迫实验奠定基础,其中低温下处理3 d可以作为一个检测各个蛋白变化的关键时间点。     

Aquatic birnavirus induces apoptosis through activated caspase-8 and -3 in a zebrafish cell line

In this study, the possible influence of temperature on infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV)-induced apoptosis in a zebrafish liver epithelium (ZLE) cell line was investigated. At a lower temperature (18 degrees C), there was expression of viral proteins VP2 and VP3 at 4 h post-infection (p.i.). At this time no expression was found in the high temperature group at 28 degrees C. The cell survival ratio was 52 and 18% at 24 and 48 h p.i., respectively, during IPNV infection at 18 degrees C. In addition, we assayed for apoptosis in IPNV-infected cells with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated end labelling (TUNEL) of DNA at different dosages of virus. We found a ratio of apoptotic cells of 8 and 25% at 12 and 18 h p.i., respectively, in the multiplicity of infection (MOI) 1 group. The MOI 10 group had 20 and 45% apoptotic cells at 12 and 18 h, respectively. Furthermore, at 18 degrees C IPNV activated the caspase-8 and 3 from 1.5 to 2 times at 12 and 18 h p.i., respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that successful virus replication occurs at the low temperature (18 degrees C) compared with the non-permissive temperature of 28 degrees C. Thus, IPNV replication is capable of activating caspase-8 and -3 and inducing host apoptosis.     

斑马鱼早期胚胎发育囊胚sphere时期的蛋白组学研究

斑马鱼(Danio rerio)早期胚胎发育囊胚时期是胚胎发育过程的关键时期,利用i TRAQ蛋白质质谱分析技术,检测斑马鱼早期胚胎发育过程中囊胚sphere时期的蛋白质表达情况,并分析该时期表达的蛋白质的相应功能和参与调控的生物过程。以野生型斑马鱼发育至sphere时期即4 hpf的胚胎为样本,利用i TRAQ标记与LC-MS/MS串联质谱技术,结合数据库比对,对该时期表达的蛋白质进行定性和定量的鉴定分析。检测结果共鉴定到的总蛋白数为1 178个,利用生物信息学进行功能分析,发现这些蛋白广泛参与了细胞信号传递、细胞运动和细胞骨架构建、细胞增殖、细胞分化、物质合成与代谢等各项重要的生命活动过程。研究表明,利用i TRAQ标记的方法可以对4hpf时期的斑马鱼胚胎中的蛋白质进行有效的分离和鉴定,并初步建立了斑马鱼早期发育关键阶段sphere时期的蛋白质组表达图谱,以期为斑马鱼胚胎发育过程中蛋白质组学和调控机制的研究提供参考。     

Effects of the prebiotic mannan‐oligosaccharide on feed deprived zebrafish: Growth and reproduction

This study was designed to investigate whether the prebiotic mannan‐oligosaccharides (MOS) can reduce the deleterious impacts of feed deprivation on growth and reproduction in zebrafish. In the growth performance experiment, juvenile fish were distributed in the following four treatments: normal‐control (NC), starved‐control (SC), normal‐prebiotic (NP) and starved‐prebiotic (SP). After 8 weeks, NP and SC fish showed the highest and lowest growth patterns, respectively among treatments. Standard length, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio did not differ significantly between NC and SP treatments. Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were significantly higher in NP and SP than the NC and SP treatments. Feed restriction resulted in significantly lower concentrations of thyroxine. In the reproductive performance experiment, additional juveniles were fed as in the growth experiment. Crossing in the final week of the experiment resulted in successful spawning in only NP fish, which showed mature sperm and oocytes in histological examinations. The number of spermatozoa was significantly lower in the fish that experienced feed restriction; however, the oocytes of SP females were at the same maturation level to that observed in NC females. Sex‐steroids changed after both starvation and MOS supplementation where NC and SP showed no differences in the levels of testosterone and female's 17β‐estradiol. These results indicate that MOS supplemented diet reduced some side effects of feed deprivation (final weight and length, SGR, FCR and levels of LAB and T3), and suggest that supplementation of the diet with MOS may ameliorate some of the negative effects of feed deprivation in zebrafish.     

斑马鱼雄核发育技术研究

为探索人工诱导斑马鱼雄核发育二倍体克隆鱼的途径和方法,运用紫外线照射卵子使其遗传物质失活,利用斑马鱼体表花纹形态作为遗传标记,使用热休克技术阻止受精卵的第一次卵裂加倍染色体。试验结果表明总辐射剂量为120mJ cm2紫外线照射斑马鱼卵可以使雌核遗传物质完全失活;体表花纹为豹斑花纹被证实是由纯合隐性基因控制的性状,可以作为雄核发育遗传标记;遗传失活卵受精后经2min,(41 5±0 5)℃的热休克后出现两个染色体加倍的高峰期,分别为受精后的11min和23min,且后一时期效果优于前一时期,最高二倍体诱导率达46 15%;经遗传分析,共获得正常存活的雄核发育二倍体克隆鱼19尾,说明经过优化的紫外线结合热休克等染色体操作技术,可以成为诱导雄核发育二倍体克隆鱼的有效手段。     

斑马鱼报警反应产生发育阶段的研究

鱼类在遭受捕食后,受损的表皮会释放大量的化学信号物质,同种其它个体嗅到这些化学信号后会作出躲避反应,称为报警反应(alarm response),报警反应通常出现在一定的发育阶段。采用斑马鱼(Dinio rerio)同种碾碎提取物(处理组,质量浓度为10-6g·L-1)作为报警物质,并设3个对照组:罗非鱼碾碎提取物组、双蒸水组、空白对照组,通过暴露处理实验,检测沉底累积时间(time of bottom)、呆滞累积时间(time of freezing)两项指标,研究了28 dpf(days post fertilization,受精后天数)、35 dpf、42 dpf 3个不同发育时期幼鱼的报警反应。结果显示:28 dpf时,处理组与3个对照组相比,在沉底累积时间、呆滞累积时间两项指标上均无显著差异,这个时期处理组有2 ind斑马鱼出现"沉底",其中1 ind出现"呆滞";35 dpf时,处理组与3个对照组相比,在沉底累积时间上有显著差异(P0.05),在呆滞累积时间上无显著差异,这个时期有5 ind斑马鱼出现"沉底",其中1 ind出现"呆滞";42 dpf时,处理组与对照组相比,在沉底累积时间、呆滞累积时间两项指标均有显著差异(P0.05),这个时期有8 ind斑马鱼出现"沉底",且8 ind全部出现"呆滞",与此对应的是这个时期大部分个体出现明显的报警反应。研究表明,斑马鱼报警反应产生的发育阶段为35~42 dfp之间,结合已知的野外斑马鱼生活史,推测斑马鱼在特定的阶段产生报警反应可能与栖息地的迁移有关。     

敌草快对斑马鱼组织损伤及慢性肝脏损害作用

探讨敌草快对斑马鱼(Brachydanio rerio)的毒性效应及其致毒机理。观察敌草快对斑马鱼鳃和肝脏组织的急性损伤效应,并分析慢性敌草快胁迫对斑马鱼肝脏超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、谷胱甘肽-S转移酶(GST)、丙二醛(MDA)和甘油三酯(TG)的影响。敌草快对斑马鱼的96 h半致死浓度(LC50)为16.92 mg·L~(-1);斑马鱼暴露于8.46、4.23、1.69 mg·L~(-1)敌草快中96 h后,苏木精-伊红(H-E)染色显示鳃小片出现卷曲变形、上皮细胞排列不规则和细胞脱落现象,肝细胞呈现明显的肿大,胞质产生空泡化,局部区域细胞坏死、溶解,斑马鱼鳃和肝脏组织的损伤程度随着敌草快浓度的增加而加重;暴露于1.69、0.84 mg·L~(-1)和0.34 mg·L~(-1)敌草快中28 d后,斑马鱼肝脏的SOD活性变化表现为降-升-降,并呈现出剂量效应;1.69 mg·L~(-1)和0.84 mg·L~(-1)敌草快处理组肝脏的GST活性表现为先升后降,28 d时显著低于对照组(P0.01),0.34 mg·L~(-1)敌草快处理组肝脏的GST活性无显著变化(P0.05);与对照组相比,处理组肝脏的MDA含量在第7 d和14 d变化均不明显(P0.05),在第28 d时0.84 mg·L~(-1)和1.69 mg·L~(-1)敌草快处理组肝脏的MDA含量极显著升高(P0.01);处理组斑马鱼肝脏中TG的含量均从14 d开始出现增加。水体中的敌草快对斑马鱼有较严重的急性损伤作用,长时间暴露于低浓度敌草快中的斑马鱼,其肝脏会发生氧化应激反应,肝脏代谢功能也会受到影响。