Effects of low-concentration glyphosate and aminomethyl phosphonic acid on zebrafish embryo development

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety 2021-12, Vol.226, p.112854, Article 112854
• Main Authors: Zhang, Weidong, Wang, Jiachao, Song, Jianshi, Feng, Yanru, Zhang, Shujuan, Wang, Na, Liu, Shufeng, Song, Zhixue, Lian, Kaoqi, Kang, Weijun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aminomethyl phosphonic acid; Animals; Development; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Embryonic Development; Glycine - analogs & derivatives; Glyphosate; Humans; Phosphorous Acids; Toxicity; Zebrafish
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112854

Glyphosate (GLY) is the most widely used broad-spectrum, non-selective herbicide in the world, whose main degradation product is aminomethyl phosphonic acid (AMPA). Because of long-term and large-scale use, residual GLY and AMPA in the environment pose great environmental and human health threats. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects and mechanism of residual low-concentrations of GLY and AMPA in the environment on the development of zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 1, 10, 100, and 700 ng·mL−1 GLY and AMPA for 72 h (from 2 to 74 h post-fertilization). With increasing exposure dose, heart rates of both embryos and larvae showed a rising trend and obvious arrhythmia appeared. Defects in cardiac development and function of zebrafish juveniles may be related to altered transcription levels of cardiac development genes (TBX5, NKX2.5, BMP4) and apoptosis genes (Bcl-2, Bax). In addition, pericardial edema and bone deformation of zebrafish embryos may be caused by inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase after exposure to GLY and AMPA. The present results demonstrated that at typical environmental residual concentrations of GLY and AMPA had similar developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos. [Display omitted] •The toxicity of AMPA and precursor substance GLY have been conducted a comparative study.•GLY and AMPA exposure resulted in cardiac defects.•The transcription of genes related to cardiac development and apoptosis been altered.•The activities of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase were inhibited.•The results suggest that AMPA showed greater toxicity in some ways than GLY.