Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins

Background Uremia is characterized by high mortality and immune dysfunction owing to the accumulation of uremic toxins. Traditional rodent models are complex and time consuming. This study aimed to develop a simple and rapid zebrafish model for investigating the toxicological effects of uremic toxin...

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Main Authors: Pema Jo, Rui Zhang, Yuhua Zhang, Zhilian Li, Yanhua Wu, Shuqiong Zhang, Tsring Lhamo, Yuanhan Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Renal Failure
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/0886022X.2025.2514183
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author Pema Jo
Rui Zhang
Yuhua Zhang
Zhilian Li
Yanhua Wu
Shuqiong Zhang
Tsring Lhamo
Yuanhan Chen
author_facet Pema Jo
Rui Zhang
Yuhua Zhang
Zhilian Li
Yanhua Wu
Shuqiong Zhang
Tsring Lhamo
Yuanhan Chen
author_sort Pema Jo
collection DOAJ
description Background Uremia is characterized by high mortality and immune dysfunction owing to the accumulation of uremic toxins. Traditional rodent models are complex and time consuming. This study aimed to develop a simple and rapid zebrafish model for investigating the toxicological effects of uremic toxins.Methods Uremic solutions containing small (SUT) and medium-to-large (MLUT) uremic toxins were prepared using waste solution of peritoneal dialysis by a dialysis method. Wild-type zebrafish larvae were used to assess mortality, whereas transgenic (TG) (zlyz:EGFP) zebrafish, with macrophages labeled with green fluorescent protein, were used to evaluate immune status through macrophage migration assays.Results The mortality rates were significantly higher in the SUT- and MLUT-treated groups than in the controls, with SUT showing the strongest lethal effect. Macrophage migration was significantly inhibited in both SUT- and MLUT-treated groups, indicating an immunocompromise. This model effectively mimicked the lethal and immunosuppressive effects of uremia.Conclusion This zebrafish model provides a simple and rapid platform for studying the toxicological effects of uremic toxins and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions.
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publishDate 2025-12-01
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series Renal Failure
spelling doaj-art-c63f3b92421e4840a0c382628fb73d4e2025-08-20T02:08:12ZengTaylor & Francis GroupRenal Failure0886-022X1525-60492025-12-0147110.1080/0886022X.2025.2514183Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxinsPema Jo0Rui Zhang1Yuhua Zhang2Zhilian Li3Yanhua Wu4Shuqiong Zhang5Tsring Lhamo6Yuanhan Chen7Department of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaDivision of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaDivision of Nephrology, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Second Ward, Nyingchi People’s Hospital, Nyingchi, ChinaBackground Uremia is characterized by high mortality and immune dysfunction owing to the accumulation of uremic toxins. Traditional rodent models are complex and time consuming. This study aimed to develop a simple and rapid zebrafish model for investigating the toxicological effects of uremic toxins.Methods Uremic solutions containing small (SUT) and medium-to-large (MLUT) uremic toxins were prepared using waste solution of peritoneal dialysis by a dialysis method. Wild-type zebrafish larvae were used to assess mortality, whereas transgenic (TG) (zlyz:EGFP) zebrafish, with macrophages labeled with green fluorescent protein, were used to evaluate immune status through macrophage migration assays.Results The mortality rates were significantly higher in the SUT- and MLUT-treated groups than in the controls, with SUT showing the strongest lethal effect. Macrophage migration was significantly inhibited in both SUT- and MLUT-treated groups, indicating an immunocompromise. This model effectively mimicked the lethal and immunosuppressive effects of uremia.Conclusion This zebrafish model provides a simple and rapid platform for studying the toxicological effects of uremic toxins and evaluating potential therapeutic interventions.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/0886022X.2025.2514183Zebrafishuremic toxinsskin inflammationimmunocompromised statusmacrophage migrationmortality
spellingShingle Pema Jo
Rui Zhang
Yuhua Zhang
Zhilian Li
Yanhua Wu
Shuqiong Zhang
Tsring Lhamo
Yuanhan Chen
Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
Renal Failure
Zebrafish
uremic toxins
skin inflammation
immunocompromised status
macrophage migration
mortality
title Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
title_full Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
title_fullStr Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
title_full_unstemmed Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
title_short Development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
title_sort development of a convenient and rapid screening zebrafish model to investigate lethal effects and immunocompromised states of uremic toxins
topic Zebrafish
uremic toxins
skin inflammation
immunocompromised status
macrophage migration
mortality
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/0886022X.2025.2514183
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