Ethanol alters microNA expression in zebrafish embryos
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ABSTRACT: Prenatal exposure to ethanol leads to a myriad of developmental disorders known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, often characterized by growth and mental retardation, central nervous system damage and specific craniofacial dysmorphic features. Although the exact mechanisms of ethanol toxicity are not well understood it is known that ethanol exposure during development affects the expression of several genes involved in cell cycle control, apoptosis and transcription. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in some of these processes however it is unclear if they are involved in ethanol-induced toxicity. Here we tested whether ethanol deregulates miRNA expression in zebrafish embryos and if a miRNA deregulation signature could be inferred. For this, zebrafish embryos were exposed to two different ethanol concentrations (1% and 1.5%) from 4 hours post-fertilization (hpf) to 24hpf. MicroRNA expression profiles revealed that ethanol exposure induces deregulation of miRNA expression significantly. Seven miRNAs are commonly up-regulated after both ethanol treatments, namely miR-153a, miR-725, miR-30d, let-7k, miR-100, miR-738 and miR-732, whereas downregulation of miR-23a, miR-203, let-7c, miR-128 and miR-193b is detected after 1% ethanol exposure only. Target prediction of deregulated miRNAs shows that putative targets are involved in cell cycle control, apoptosis and transcription, which are the main processes affected by ethanol toxicity. The overall study shows that the effects of ethanol on miRNA deregulation are dose-dependent and that miRNAs are relevant in the context of alcohol toxicity. Moreover, a miRNA toxicity signature for embryonic ethanol exposure was obtained.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus Rattus norvegicus Takifugu rubripes Danio rerio Gallus gallus Homo sapiens Caenorhabditis elegans Drosophila melanogaster
PROVIDER: GSE32632 | GEO | 2012/06/18
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA146975
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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