Vision, Color Vision, and Visually Guided Behavior: The Novel Toxicological Targets of 2,2′,4,4′-Tetrabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-47)

Abstract

Our published studies have revealed that 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) could disrupt retina morphologies and related gene expressions of zebrafish larvae. Its possible effects on fish vision needed to be uncovered since sensory systems, especially eyes, are vital to wildlife. In this paper, two tests for vision development (opsin gene expression and photoreceptor immunostaining) and two tests for visually guided behaviors (optokinetic response and looming-evoked escape) were designed to investigate the potential visual impairments and subsequent ecological consequences caused by BDE-47 exposure in 6 dpf zebrafish larvae. The short wavelength sensitive cone opsins and rhodopsin were significantly inhibited by BDE-47 exposure. Meanwhile, BDE-47 exposure significantly reduced larval optokinetic responses with blue light stimuli and induced less larvae to exhibit escape response with looming stimuli, which confirmed the adverse consequences of visual impairments in zebrafish. Our results indicat...