Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10821740 | Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology | 2012 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Arsenic (As) exposure has been associated with serious chronic health risk to humans including cancer and neurological disturbances. However, there are limited studies about the mechanisms behind its toxicity. In this study, adult zebrafish were exposed to several concentrations of As (0.05, 5, and 15Â mg As/L; Na2HAsO4 as AsV) during 96Â h to evaluate the zebrafish locomotor activity, anxiety, and brain extracellular nucleotide hydrolysis. We showed that 5Â mg/L As is able to promote significant decrease in the locomotor activity as evaluated by the number of line crossings. In addition, animals treated with 5Â mg/L As presented an increase in time spent in the lower zone of the tank test, suggesting an anxiogenic effect. Considering that behavioral parameters, such as anxiety and locomotion, might be modulated by the purinergic system, we also evaluated the ectonucleotidase activities in zebrafish brain after a 96-h As exposure. A significant decrease in ATP, ADP, and AMP hydrolysis was observed at 0.05, 5, and 15Â mg/L when compared to control group. These findings demonstrated that As might affect behavioral parameters and the ectonucleotidase activities in zebrafish, suggesting this enzyme pathway is a target for neurotoxic effects induced by As.
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Authors
Luis Antonio Baldissarelli, Katiucia Marques Capiotti, Mauricio Reis Bogo, Gabriele Ghisleni, Carla Denise Bonan,