1H NMR-metabolomics studies on acute toxicity effect of lead in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) model.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is ideal for studying the effects of toxins like lead or plumbum (Pb) which persist in the environment and harm body systems when absorbed. Increasing Pb concentration could result in a higher mortality rate and alteration of behavior and metabolism. The present study evaluates the acute toxicity effect of Pb on metabolome and behavior in adult zebrafish. The zebrafish were exposed to various Pb concentrations ranging from 0 to 30 mg/L for different periods (24, 48, and 72 h) before the fish samples were subjected to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)-multivariate data analysis (MVDA) with additional support from behavioral assessment. The behavior of zebrafish was significantly altered after Pb inducement and the differential metabolites increased in low (5 mg/L) while decreased in high (10 mg/L) Pb concentrations. An ideal Pb induction could be achieved by 5 mg/L concentration in 24 h, which induced significant metabolite changes without irreversible damage. Continuing research on the effects of lead toxicity is crucial to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Protective effect of Clinacanthus nutans in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity on human kidney cell (PCS-400-010) elucidated by an LCMS-based metabolomics approach.

Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity has been widely reported in numerous studies. The objective of this study is to assess the potential nephroprotective effects of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau (Acanthaceae) leaf extracts on human kidney cells (PCS-400-010) in vitro using an LCMS-based metabolomics approach. Orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis identified 16 significantly altered metabolites when comparing the control and pre-treated C. nutans cisplatin-induced groups. These metabolites were found to be associated with glycerophospholipid, purine, and amino acid metabolism, as well as the glycolysis pathway. Pre-treatment with C. nutans aqueous extract (125 µg/mL) for 24 h, followed by 48 h of cisplatin induction in PCS-400-010 cells, demonstrated a nephroprotective effect, particularly involving the regulation of amino acid metabolism.

Toxicity and teratogenicity effects of valproic acid on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos in relation to autism spectrum disorder.

Valproic acid (VPA) is a widely prescribed antiepileptic drug with various medicinal efficacies. Accumulated evidence implied that prenatal exposure to VPA is highly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, the zebrafish were exposed to a set of VPA concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, 1280, and 2560 µM) at 5 h post fertilization (hpf) to 120 hpf. The adverse effects of VPA were extensively studied through the evaluations on the mortality, heartbeats, spontaneous tail coiling, and hatching rate. Morphological observations were conducted at 120 hpf, following the exposure termination. Basic locomotor responses and anxiety-like behavioral alterations evaluated for behavioral impairments are the hallmark feature of ASD. The exposure to VPA at teratogenic concentrations reduced the aforementioned parameters in a dose-dependent manner (p ≤ .05). At the selected non-teratogenic concentrations of VPA, the treated larvae demonstrated profound alterations of basic locomotor responses. No significant changes of anxiety and thigmotactic behaviors were observed on the VPA-treated fish compared to the control (p ≥ .005). This study depicted that embryonic zebrafish exposure to VPA produced significant toxicity and teratogenicity effects as well as the alterations of basic behavioral responses. Overall, this study provides a fundamental insight of the toxicity effects at morphological and behavioral levels to facilitate the understanding of ASD mechanisms at different molecular levels.

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics studies on non-organic soybeans versus organic soybeans (Glycine max), and their fermentation by Rhizopus oligosporus.

BACKGROUND: Soybeans (Glycine max) are high in proteins and isoflavones, which offer many health benefits. It has been suggested that the fermentation process enhances the nutrients in the soybeans. Organic foods are perceived as better than non-organic foods in terms of health benefits, yet little is known about the difference in the phytochemical content that distinguishes the quality of organic soybeans from non-organic soybeans. This study investigated the chemical profiles of non-organic (G, T, U, UB) and organic (C, COF, A, R, B, Z) soybeans (G. max [L.] Merr.) and their metabolite changes after fermentation with Rhizopus oligosporus. RESULTS: A clear separation was only observed between non-organic G and organic Z, which were then selected for further investigation in the fermentation of soybeans (GF and ZF). All four groups (G, Z, GF, ZF) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy along with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In this way a total of 41 and 47 metabolites were identified respectively, with 12 in common. A clear variation (|log1.5 FC| > 2 and P < 0.05) was observed between Z and ZF: most of the sugars and isoflavone glycosides were found only in Z, while more amino acids and organic acids were found in ZF. An additional four metabolites clustered as C-glycosylflavonoids were discovered from MS/MS-based molecular networking. CONCLUSION: Chemical profiles of non-organic and organic soybeans exhibited no significant difference. However, the metabolite profile of the unfermented soybeans, which were higher in sugars, shifted to higher amino acid and organic acid content after fermentation, thereby potentially enhancing their nutritional value. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.