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Anti-oxidative functions of mt2 and smtB mRNA expression in the gills and brain of zebrafish (Danio rerio) upon cadmium exposure

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Abstract

There were not any past studies about metallothionein isoforms (smtB and mt2) having anti-oxidative functions on zebrafish after Cd2+ exposure. On the other hand, the anti-oxidative enzymatic factors such as superoxide dismutase (sod), glutathione peroxidase (gpx1a), and catalase (cat) are used as references to investigate whether the smtB and mt2 have anti-oxidative responses on the gills and brain of zebrafish after 1–6 h of 0 and 1.78 μM Cd2+ exposure. The anti-oxidative system such as sod, cat, and gpx1a mRNA expressions demonstrated a cascade response upon Cd2+-induced oxidative stress in the present study. Interestingly, the smtB mRNA expression levels increased by 3.2- to 6.1-fold, and mt2 raised by 4.1- to 11.3-fold in gills at 1 and 3 h after exposure to Cd2+, respectively. On the other hand, the smtB mRNA levels increased by 10.6- to 58.6-fold, but mt2 mRNA levels increased by 2.3- to 11.1-fold in brain at 1 and 3 h after exposure to Cd2+, respectively. In addition, both tissues showed increased apoptosis levels at 3 h, and recovery after 6 h of Cd2+ exposure. From the results, we suggest that both mt2 and smtB play a role in anti-oxidation responses within 6 h after exposure to Cd2+. In conclusion, the smtB mRNA levels have a higher response than mt2 in the brain, but both mRNA expressions appear to have a similar pattern in the gill. We suggest that smtB plays an important role to defend oxidative stress in the brain of adult zebrafish upon acute Cd2+ exposure.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Science Council, Taiwan (NSC101-2313-B-415-003-MY3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University, 300 University Road, Chiayi, 600, Taiwan

    Su Mei Wu, Li-Hsin Shu & Jia-Hao Liu

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  1. Su Mei Wu
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  2. Li-Hsin Shu
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  3. Jia-Hao Liu
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Correspondence to Su Mei Wu.

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Wu, S.M., Shu, LH. & Liu, JH. Anti-oxidative functions of mt2 and smtB mRNA expression in the gills and brain of zebrafish (Danio rerio) upon cadmium exposure. Fish Physiol Biochem 42, 1709–1720 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-016-0251-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-016-0251-1

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