Abstract
Recent studies have shown that long-term alcohol intake from food can lead to numerous mental disorders in humans, and the social and health effects of excessive intake of alcohol currently represent serious problems for governments and families worldwide. However, to date, it has not been determined how alcohol affects the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. The zebrafish offers a good model for studying the toxicology of food-grade ethanol. In the present study, using zebrafish larvae exposed to 1% ethanol, we performed zebrafish behavioral analysis. Samples were collected for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments, and statistical analysis was performed. We found that ethanol decreased the locomotor activity of zebrafish larvae, which showed a more intense reaction to external stimuli. Ethanol also increased the level of HPA axis hormones in zebrafish larvae, influenced the level of neurotransmitters, and altered the expression of key genes in neurotransmitter metabolism. Ethanol exposure affects zebrafish behavior, increases the level of HPA axis hormones in zebrafish larvae, affects the level of neurotransmitters, and affects the expression of key genes in dopamine and serotonin metabolism. These findings may help to elucidate the effects of ethanol on HPA axis activity.
Highlights
Ethanol is a substance consumed daily by humans that can cause considerable harm to human health, especially in minors[1]
Because the liver and kidney are the primary organs of alcohol metabolism, acute alcoholism can lead to alcoholic liver and kidney diseases[5]
To investigate whether ethanol affects the autonomous behavior of zebrafish, we selected 120 hpf control and ethanol-exposed zebrafish larvae for behavioral analysis
Summary
Ethanol is a substance consumed daily by humans that can cause considerable harm to human health, especially in minors[1]. Recent studies have found that long-term consumption of ethanol can lead to numerous physical2, behavioral[3], and mental disorders[4]. Zebrafish is a good model for studying the toxicology of ethanol. The HPA axis is an important aspect of the neuroendocrine system, as it controls the stress response and regulates numerous physical activities 16. Clinical studies have shown that many patients with depression exhibit decreased GR expression and increased HPA axis a ctivity[19]. To determine whether the HPA axis is a target of ethanol, in this study, we exposed zebrafish larvae to 1% ethanol and examined their subsequent behavior, hormone levels, neurotransmitter levels, and gene expression levels. We attempted to determine the effects of ethanol as a stress factor on zebrafish behavior related to the HPA axis
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