Login
Help

ARTICLE

Submit your Data

  1. Pub 'PMID:30218549'

Title

Bisphenol A affects neural development of the ascidian Ciona robusta.

Authors

Messinetti S, Mercurio S, Pennati R

Journal

J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol 2019; 331(1):5-16

PubMed ID

PMID:30218549

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic pollutant derived from plastic degradation that has numerous and variable adverse effects on human health and wildlife. In particular, it has been reported that BPA can alter reproductive processes and nervous system development in vertebrates. Considering BPA presence in marine environment and the scant data available on its interaction with nervous system development, we analyzed the effect of BPA exposure on sperm viability, fertilization, embryogenesis, and neural differentiation of the ascidian Ciona robusta. Ascidians are members of the Phylum Tunicata, the sister group of Vertebrata, sharing with them fundamental developmental processes. Our results showed that first cell division was altered starting from 5 µM concentration. Lethal concentration (LC ) was estimated to be 5.2 µM. Larvae developed from treated embryos showed specific malformations to the pigment cells even at 0.1 µM, corresponding to the highest environmental concentration reported so far. Moreover, GABAergic and dopaminergic neurons proved to be target organs of BPA teratogenic action, in accordance with similar results reported in vertebrate animal models. Overall, our results suggest that BPA can exert its effects on nervous system acting on different pathways and underline that C. robusta is a valuable invertebrate animal model for preliminary screenings of effects of pollutants on vertebrates.

Data related to this article

Fates affected

No result

Gene involved Fates

Genes functionally analyzed

No result

Gene Name Experimental evidence

Genes whose regulation was studied

No result

Gene Name Experimental evidence

Molecular Tools

No result

Molecular Tool Name

Cis-regulatory regions

No result

Cis-reg Name

Constructs

No result

Construct Name Experimental evidence

RNA-Seq data

No result

Studied Transcriptome Experiment ID