Protective effects of resveratrol against the cardiac developmental toxicity of trichloroethylene in zebrafish embryos

Toxicology. 2021 Mar 30:452:152697. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152697. Epub 2021 Jan 29.

Abstract

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a prevalent environmental contaminant, has been shown to induce cardiac malformations. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural polyphenolic compound exhibiting protective effects on heart development. To investigate if RSV could protect against TCE-induced heart defects, we exposed zebrafish embryos to TCE (10 ppb) in the presence or absence of RSV (1 μg/mL). Our results showed that RSV significantly attenuated TCE-induced heart defects in zebrafish embryos. The TCE-induced ROS (reactive oxygen species) generation, 8-OHdG (8-hydroxy-2`-deoxyguanosine) formation and cell proliferation were significantly counteracted by RSV. Moreover, RSV attenuated the TCE-induced changes in mRNA expression or activity of genes involved in AHR and Nrf2 signal pathways. We further showed that RSV might inhibit TCE-enhanced cell proliferation by rescuing the downregulation of the p53/p21 axis. In conclusion, our data demonstrates that RSV protects against the cardiac developmental toxicity of TCE by inhibiting AHR activity, oxidative stress and cell proliferation.

Keywords: AHR; Heart development; Oxidative stress; Resveratrol; Trichloroethylene; Zebrafish.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cardiotonic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Embryonic Development / drug effects*
  • Embryonic Development / physiology
  • Heart / drug effects*
  • Heart / embryology*
  • Resveratrol / pharmacology*
  • Solvents / toxicity
  • Trichloroethylene / toxicity*
  • Zebrafish

Substances

  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • Solvents
  • Trichloroethylene
  • Resveratrol