Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.

<h4>Background</h4>In humans, ethanol exposure during pregnancy causes a spectrum of developmental defects (fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS). Individuals vary in phenotypic expression. Zebrafish embryos develop FAS-like features after ethanol exposure. In this study, we ask whether stage-s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shaukat Ali, Danielle L Champagne, Alia Alia, Michael K Richardson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2011-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0020037&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850197123330473984
author Shaukat Ali
Danielle L Champagne
Alia Alia
Michael K Richardson
author_facet Shaukat Ali
Danielle L Champagne
Alia Alia
Michael K Richardson
author_sort Shaukat Ali
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>In humans, ethanol exposure during pregnancy causes a spectrum of developmental defects (fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS). Individuals vary in phenotypic expression. Zebrafish embryos develop FAS-like features after ethanol exposure. In this study, we ask whether stage-specific effects of ethanol can be identified in the zebrafish, and if so, whether they allow the pinpointing of sensitive developmental mechanisms. We have therefore conducted the first large-scale (>1500 embryos) analysis of acute, stage-specific drug effects on zebrafish development, with a large panel of readouts.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Zebrafish embryos were raised in 96-well plates. Range-finding indicated that 10% ethanol for 1 h was suitable for an acute exposure regime. High-resolution magic-angle spinning proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that this produced a transient pulse of 0.86% concentration of ethanol in the embryo within the chorion. Survivors at 5 days postfertilisation were analysed. Phenotypes ranged from normal (resilient) to severely malformed. Ethanol exposure at early stages caused high mortality (≥88%). At later stages of exposure, mortality declined and malformations developed. Pharyngeal arch hypoplasia and behavioral impairment were most common after prim-6 and prim-16 exposure. By contrast, microphthalmia and growth retardation were stage-independent.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our findings show that some ethanol effects are strongly stage-dependent. The phenotypes mimic key aspects of FAS including craniofacial abnormality, microphthalmia, growth retardation and behavioral impairment. We also identify a critical time window (prim-6 and prim-16) for ethanol sensitivity. Finally, our identification of a wide phenotypic spectrum is reminiscent of human FAS, and may provide a useful model for studying disease resilience.
format Article
id doaj-art-385f7a28db3a43769102d741d5c26e20
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2011-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-385f7a28db3a43769102d741d5c26e202025-08-20T02:13:15ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-0165e2003710.1371/journal.pone.0020037Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.Shaukat AliDanielle L ChampagneAlia AliaMichael K Richardson<h4>Background</h4>In humans, ethanol exposure during pregnancy causes a spectrum of developmental defects (fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS). Individuals vary in phenotypic expression. Zebrafish embryos develop FAS-like features after ethanol exposure. In this study, we ask whether stage-specific effects of ethanol can be identified in the zebrafish, and if so, whether they allow the pinpointing of sensitive developmental mechanisms. We have therefore conducted the first large-scale (>1500 embryos) analysis of acute, stage-specific drug effects on zebrafish development, with a large panel of readouts.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Zebrafish embryos were raised in 96-well plates. Range-finding indicated that 10% ethanol for 1 h was suitable for an acute exposure regime. High-resolution magic-angle spinning proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that this produced a transient pulse of 0.86% concentration of ethanol in the embryo within the chorion. Survivors at 5 days postfertilisation were analysed. Phenotypes ranged from normal (resilient) to severely malformed. Ethanol exposure at early stages caused high mortality (≥88%). At later stages of exposure, mortality declined and malformations developed. Pharyngeal arch hypoplasia and behavioral impairment were most common after prim-6 and prim-16 exposure. By contrast, microphthalmia and growth retardation were stage-independent.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our findings show that some ethanol effects are strongly stage-dependent. The phenotypes mimic key aspects of FAS including craniofacial abnormality, microphthalmia, growth retardation and behavioral impairment. We also identify a critical time window (prim-6 and prim-16) for ethanol sensitivity. Finally, our identification of a wide phenotypic spectrum is reminiscent of human FAS, and may provide a useful model for studying disease resilience.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0020037&type=printable
spellingShingle Shaukat Ali
Danielle L Champagne
Alia Alia
Michael K Richardson
Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
PLoS ONE
title Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
title_full Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
title_fullStr Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
title_full_unstemmed Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
title_short Large-scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development: a critical time window and resilience.
title_sort large scale analysis of acute ethanol exposure in zebrafish development a critical time window and resilience
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0020037&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT shaukatali largescaleanalysisofacuteethanolexposureinzebrafishdevelopmentacriticaltimewindowandresilience
AT daniellelchampagne largescaleanalysisofacuteethanolexposureinzebrafishdevelopmentacriticaltimewindowandresilience
AT aliaalia largescaleanalysisofacuteethanolexposureinzebrafishdevelopmentacriticaltimewindowandresilience
AT michaelkrichardson largescaleanalysisofacuteethanolexposureinzebrafishdevelopmentacriticaltimewindowandresilience