Muscarinic receptors mediate the endocrine‐disrupting effects of an organophosphorus insecticide in zebrafish |
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| Authors: | João Gabriel Santos da Rosa Heloísa Helena de Alcântara Barcellos Michele Fagundes Cristiane Variani Mainara Rossini Fabiana Kalichak Gessi Koakoski Thiago Acosta Oliveira Renan Idalencio Rafael Frandoloso Angelo L. Piato Leonardo José Gil Barcellos |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Programa de Pós‐gradua??o em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil;2. Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil;3. Programa de Pós‐gradua??o em Bioexperimenta??o, Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil;4. Programa de Pós‐Gradua??o em Farmacologia e Terapêutica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | The glucocorticoid cortisol, the end product of hypothalamus‐pituitary‐interrenal axis in zebrafish (Danio rerio), is synthesized via steroidogenesis and promotes important physiological regulations in response to a stressor. The failure of this axis leads to inability to cope with environmental challenges preventing adaptive processes in order to restore homeostasis. Pesticides and agrichemicals are widely used, and may constitute an important class of environmental pollutants when reach aquatic ecosystems and nontarget species. These chemical compounds may disrupt hypothalamus‐pituitary‐interrenal axis by altering synthesis, structure or function of its constituents. We present evidence that organophosphorus exposure disrupts stress response by altering the expression of key genes of the neural steroidogenesis, causing downregulation of star, hsp70, and pomc genes. This appears to be mediated via muscarinic receptors, since the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine blocked these effects. |
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| Keywords: | acetylcholine receptors Danio rerio methyl‐parathion scopolamine steroidogenesis |
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