OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of lead exposure on the gene expression of fibroblast growth factor 3 (Fgf3) in zebrafish embryonic development and the mechanism of lead-induced embryonic developmental toxicity.

METHODSThe embryos of zebrafish (wild types A and B) were exposed to lead acetate (PbAc) at the doses of 0, 0.1, 0.5, 2.5, and 12.5 µmol/L separately. Total RNA was extracted from each treatment group of zebrafish embryos at 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours post fertilization (hpf). The total mRNA expression of Fgf3 was measured by real-time quantitative PCR. The spatial expression of Fgf3 in zebrafish embryos was determined by whole-mount in situ hybridization using synthesized Fgf3 RNA probe.

RESULTSThe mRNA expression of Fgf3 in each group peaked at 12 hpf (P < 0.01). With the increase in PbAc concentration, the mRNA expression of Fgf3 rose. Compared with the mRNA expression level of Fgf3 in the control group, the relative mRNA expression levels of Fgf3 in the 0.1, 0.5, 2.5, and 12.5 µmol/L PbAc exposure groups were 1.02 ± 0.24, 1.05 ± 0.26, 1.22 ± 0.46, and 1.25 ± 0.38, respectively, and the 2.5 and 12.5 µmol/L PbAc exposure groups showed significantly higher Fgf3 expression than the control group (P < 0.05). The whole-mount in situ hybridization results showed that Fgf3 expression occurred mainly in the head and tail in the early stage of embryonic development and in the midbrain, fin bud, and pharyngeal arch in the middle/late stage of embryonic development; there were the most significant regions and intensities of positive hybridization signals at 12 hpf; but no significant differences were found between the control group and exposure groups in the location and intensity of Fgf3 expression

CONCLUSIONLead exposure can result in the upregulation of Fgf3 expression in zebrafish embryonic development, which might contribute to lead-induced embryonic developmental toxicity.