Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Contributes to Arecoline and Its Secondary Metabolites-Induced Dyskinesia in Zebrafish Embryos.

Areca nut has been listed as one of the most addictive substances, along with tobacco, alcohol and caffeine. Areca nut contains seven psychoactive alkaloids; however, the effects of these alkaloids on embryonic development and motor behavior are rarely addressed in zebrafish embryo-larvae. Herein, we investigated the effects of exposure to three alkaloids (arecoline and secondary metabolites-arecaidine and arecoline N-oxide) on the developmental parameters, locomotive behavior, oxidative stress and transcriptome of zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos exposed to different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 µM) of arecoline, arecaidine and arecoline N-oxide showed no changes in mortality and hatchability rates, but the malformation rate of zebrafish larvae was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner and accompanied by changes in body length. Moreover, the swimming activity of zebrafish larvae decreased, which may be due to the increase in reactive oxygen species and the imbalance between oxidation and antioxidation. Meanwhile, transcriptome analysis showed that endoplasmic reticulum stress and the apoptosis p53 signaling pathway were significantly enriched after exposure to arecoline and arecoline N-oxide. However, arecaidine exposure focuses on protein synthesis and transport. These findings provide an important reference for risk assessment and early warning of areca nut alkaloid exposure.

Tri-n-butyl phosphate delays tissue repair by dysregulating neutrophil function in zebrafish.

Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP) is a widely used organophosphate ester, but its effects on the regenerative process under damaging circumstances remain unknown. In the present study, zebrafish larvae were exposed to 0, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 µg/L TnBP, and the caudal fins were cut at 72 hours post fertilization (hpf). First, after exposure to TnBP, the number of total neutrophils decreased together with decreased neutrophils in the tail, and TnBP inhibited chemotaxis. Second, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the zebrafish decreased greatly. Following exposure to TnBP, transcription levels of many genes regulating fin regeneration, such as fgf20a, fgfr1a, bmp2a and bmp4, were significantly downregulated, while inflammatory factors such as cxcl8a, cxcl18b, il-6, and tnfa were abnormally upregulated. In addition, TnBP inhibited the regenerative area after caudal fin amputation. The inflammatory state was adverse during the regenerative process. In summary, TnBP exposure is immunotoxic and decreases oxidative stress in injured zebrafish larvae.

Caspase-8 dependent apoptosis contributes to dyskinesia caused by muscle defects and neurotoxicity in zebrafish exposed to zearalenone.

Zearalenone (ZEA), one of the usual mycotoxins, has been recognized in many areas and crops, posing a significant threat to the living organisms even to human beings. However, the mechanisms of locomotive defects remain unknown. Herein, zebrafish larvae was employed to investigate ZEA effects on developmental indexes, muscle and neural toxicity, apoptosis, transcriptome and motor behaviors of zebrafish larvae. Zebrafish larvae exposed to ZEA (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µM) showed no change in survival rate, but the malformation rate of zebrafish larvae increased dramatically manifesting with severe body bending and accomplished with adverse effects on hatching rate and body length. Moreover, the larvae manifested with defective muscle and abnormal neural development, resulting in decreased swimming ability, which probably due to the abnormal overactivation of apoptosis. And this was confirmed by enriched caspase 8-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway in the following transcriptome analysis. Meanwhile, there was a recovery in swimming behaviors in the larvae co-exposed in ZEA and caspase 8 inhibitor. These findings provide an important evidence for risk assessment and potential treatment target of ZEA exposure.

Four novel mutations identification in 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-3 deficiency and our clinical experience: possible benefits of early treatment.

Introduction: Individuals with 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17ß-HSD3) deficiency face a multitude of challenges, primarily concerning genital appearance, potential malignancy risks, and fertility issues. This study reports our findings from an investigation involving five individuals affected by 17ß-HSD3 deficiency, ranging in age from pre-adolescence to adolescence. Notably, we identified four previously unreported mutations in these subjects. Methods: Our study included a comprehensive evaluation to determine the potential occurrence of testicular tumors. The methods involved clinical examinations, genetic testing, hormone profiling, and patient history assessments. We closely monitored the progress of the study subjects throughout their treatment. Results: The results of this evaluation conclusively ruled out the presence of testicular tumors among our study subjects. Moreover, four of these individuals successfully underwent gender transition. Furthermore, we observed significant improvements in genital appearance following testosterone treatment, particularly among patients in the younger age groups who received appropriate treatment interventions. Discussion: These findings underscore the critical importance of early intervention in addressing concerns related to genital appearance, based on our extensive clinical experience and assessments. In summary, our study provides insights into the clinical aspects of 17ß-HSD3 deficiency, emphasizing the vital significance of early intervention in addressing genital appearance concerns. This recommendation is supported by our comprehensive clinical assessments and experience.

OsNAR2.2 plays a vital role in the root growth and development by promoting nitrate uptake and signaling in rice.

Plants in soil faces great fluctuations of external mineral nutrient availability, and they have developed sophisticated nutrient sensing systems to regulate their physiological responses to prevent nutrient deficiency. However, complete knowledge of the regulatory system is required to maximize inorganic nitrogen (N) uptake and utilization. In this study, we report a partner protein for high-affinity nitrate transport, OsNAR2.2. OsNAR2.2 was involved in the root growth in a nitrate-dependent manner in rice, and this process was closely associated with auxin. Expression analysis showed that OsNAR2.2 responded to nitrate and various plant hormone signals. Knockdown of OsNAR2.2 by T-DNA insertion not only significantly repressed the primary root elongation, but also severely reduced the number of lateral root and adventitious root. Further research indicated that the size of meristematic zone and epidermal cell length of mature zone in the primary root tip were remarkably reduced, and the formation of lateral root primordial was constrained in osnar2.2 mutant. Interestingly, the repression of root growth in osnar2.2 mutant was observed when NO3- but not NH4+ was used as N source in the medium. The NO3- content in osnar2.2 root was significantly reduced under NO3- conditions, in comparison with that of wild type. Meanwhile, the free IAA accumulation as well as the expression of auxin biosynthesis and transport genes was altered in osnar2.2 root, suggesting there might be a crosslink between the nitrate and auxin signaling. Together, OsNAR2.2 plays a vital role in rice root growth and development in a nitrate-dependent manner, which might be associated with auxin signaling.