1. Tiered genotoxicity testing of enriched river water samples using zebrafish in vitro and in vivo models: a joint Danube Survey 4 case studyMargareta Kračun-Kolarević, Bojana Žegura, Katja Kološa, Jovana Jovanović Marić, Andrea Novaković, Peter Oswald, Martina Oswaldova, Jaroslav Slobodnik, Nikiforos Alygizakis, Momir Paunović, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The increasing complexity of aquatic pollution, dominated by diverse and often uncharacterized chemical mixtures, challenges traditional monitoring approaches. In this study, we assessed the genotoxic potential of surface water samples collected during the Joint Danube Survey 4 (JDS4) using large-volume solid-phase extraction (LVSPE) combined with a comprehensive battery of bioassays. Twenty-three enriched water samples from the Danube River and its major tributaries were evaluated for genotoxicity using a tiered testing strategy comprising the SOS/umuC assay, zebrafish liver (ZFL) cell-based assays (cytotoxicity, comet assay, cell cycle), and zebrafish embryo assays. While no genotoxicity was detected in the prokaryotic SOS/umuC assay, ZFL assays revealed significant DNA damage in 16 out of 23 samples, with notable genotoxicity observed in samples from the middle Danube section. In contrast, no teratogenic effects were observed in zebrafish embryo assays at concentrations up to REF100. These findings demonstrate the superior sensitivity of ZFL cells compared to both prokaryotic and in vivo embryo models. The study also highlights a critical gap in available genotoxicity data for detected substances, emphasizing the need for standardized databases and testing frameworks. Overall, our results support zebrafish-based in vitro assays as effective tools for effect-based monitoring, providing early warnings of genotoxic pollution in complex aquatic environments.
Keywords: ZFL cell line, zebrafish embryos, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, Danube River
Published in DiRROS: 28.01.2026; Views: 144; Downloads: 122
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2. Splicing and frameshift variants in QSER1 may be involved in developmental phenotypesMegan C. Fischer, Linda M. Reis, Jerica Lenberg, Karin Writzl, Barbara Golob, Borut Peterlin, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Human development is a complex process that requires precise control of gene expression through regulatory proteins. Recently, heterozygous variants in PRR12, encoding a proline-rich regulatory protein, were found to cause a variable phenotype involving developmental delay/cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric diagnoses, structural eye anomalies, congenital heart and kidney defects, and poor growth. QSER1, encoding glutamine- and serine-rich protein 1, represents a paralog of PRR12 that shares 28% overall identity at the protein level and stronger conservation (43%) in the C-terminal region. QSER1 deficiency in human embryonic stem cells causes hypermethylation of many key transcription factor genes, implicating it in the development of multiple organs. Here, we present three unrelated individuals with neurodevelopmental phenotypes, variable other multisystem anomalies, and heterozygous variants in QSER1. This includes two novel de novo frameshift alleles (p.(Lys1565Argfs∗36) and p.(Phe896fs∗28)) and one ultra-rare canonical splice site variant resulting in a combination of abnormal transcripts, frameshift (p.(Glu1393Glyfs∗26)), and in-frame deletion of a conserved amino acid (p.(Glu1393del)), supported by in silico predictions and minigene assays. In situ hybridization revealed dynamic and broad expression of qser1 in zebrafish embryos, including a strong presence in the developing brain. These data suggest a possible role for QSER1/qser1 in vertebrate development and human disease.
Keywords: QSER1, PRR12, loss of function, neurodevelopmental disorder, Axenfeld-Rieger anomaly, zebrafish
Published in DiRROS: 12.01.2026; Views: 127; Downloads: 96
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3. The posterity of Zebrafish in paradigm of in vivo molecular toxicological profilingSuresh Kr. Verma, Ivan Jerman, Raghuraj S. Chouhan, Mrutyunjay Suar, 2024, review article Abstract: The aggrandised advancement in utility of advanced day-to-day materials and nanomaterials has raised serious concern on their biocompatibility with human and other biotic members. In last few decades, understanding of toxicity of these materials has been given the centre stage of research using many in vitro and in vivo models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish and a member of the minnow family has garnered much attention due to its distinct features, which make it an important and frequently used animal model in various fields of embryology and toxicological studies. Given that fertilization and development of zebrafish eggs take place externally, they serve as an excellent model organism for studying early developmental stages. Moreover, zebrafish possess a comparable genetic composition to humans and share almost 70% of their genes with mammals. This particular model organism has become increasingly popular, especially for developmental research. Moreover, it serves as a link between in vitro studies and in vivo analysis in mammals. It is an appealing choice for vertebrate research, when employing high-throughput methods, due to their small size, swift development, and relatively affordable laboratory setup. This small vertebrate has enhanced comprehension of pathobiology and drug toxicity. This review emphasizes on the recent developments in toxicity screening and assays, and the new insights gained about the toxicity of drugs through these assays. Specifically, the cardio, neural, and, hepatic toxicology studies inferred by applications of nanoparticles have been highlighted.
Keywords: zebrafish, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicty, drug screening
Published in DiRROS: 16.12.2025; Views: 194; Downloads: 157
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4. Mesenchymal stem cells differentially affect the invasion of distinct glioblastoma cell linesBarbara Breznik, Helena Motaln, Miloš Vittori, Ana Rotter, Tamara Lah Turnšek, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme are an aggressive form of brain tumors that are characterized by distinct invasion of single glioblastoma cells, which infiltrate the brain parenchyma. This appears to be stimulated by the communication between cancer and stromal cells. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are part of the glioblastoma microenvironment, and their ‘cross-talk’ with glioblastoma cells is still poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of bone marrow-derived MSCs on two different established glioblastoma cell lines U87 and U373. We focused on mutual effects of direct MSC/glioblastoma contact on cellular invasion in three-dimensional invasion assays in vitro and in a zebrafish embryo model in vivo. This is the first demonstration of glioblastoma cell-type-specific responses to MSCs in direct glioblastoma co-cultures, where MSCs inhibited the invasion of U87 cells and enhanced the invasion of U373. Inversely, direct cross-talk between MSCs and both of glioblastoma cell lines enhanced MSC motility. MSC-enhanced invasion of U373 cells was assisted by overexpression of proteases cathepsin B, calpain1, uPA/uPAR, MMP-2, -9 and -14, and increased activities of some of these proteases, as determined by the effects of their selective inhibitors on invasion. In contrast, these proteases had no effect on U87 cell invasion under MSC co-culturing. Finally, we identified differentially expressed genes, in U87 and U373 cells that could explain different response of these cell lines to MSCs. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MSC/glioblastoma cross-talk is different in the two glioblastoma cell phenotypes, which contributes to tumor heterogeneity.
Keywords: glioblastoma multiforme, proteases, mesenchymal stem cells, tumor heterogeneity, zebrafish model
Published in DiRROS: 24.07.2024; Views: 1186; Downloads: 650
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5. Lethal and sub-lethal effects and modulation of gene expression induced by T kinase inhibitors in zebrafish (Danio Rerio) embryosTina Eleršek, Matjaž Novak, Mateja Mlinar, Igor Virant, Nika Bahor, Karin Leben, Bojana Žegura, Metka Filipič, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are designed for targeted cancer therapy. The consumption of these drugs during the last 20 years has been constantly rising. In the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo toxicity test, we assessed the toxicity of six TKIs: imatinib mesylate, erlotinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, sorafenib and regorafenib. Imatinib mesylate and dasatinib induced lethal effects, while regorafenib, sorfenib and dasatinib caused a significant increase of sub-lethal effects, predominantly oedema, no blood circulation and formation of blood aggregates. The analyses of the changes in the expression of selected genes associated with the hormone system after the exposure to imatinib mesylate, dasatinib and regorafenib demonstrated that all three tested TKIs deregulated the expression of oestrogen receptor esr1, cytochrome P450 aromatase (cypa19b) and hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase (hsd3b), regorafenib, and also thyroglobulin (tg). The expression of genes involved in the DNA damage response (gadd45 and mcm6) and apoptosis (bcl2) was deregulated only by exposure to regorafenib. The data indicate that common mechanisms, namely antiangiogenic activity and interference with steroidogenesis are involved in the TKI induced sub-lethal effects and potential hormone disrupting activity, respectively. The residues of TKIs may represent an environmental hazard; therefore, further ecotoxicological studies focusing also on the effects of their mixtures are warranted.
Keywords: aquatic toxicity, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, zebrafish embryo toxicity test, gene expression, environmental hazard
Published in DiRROS: 16.07.2024; Views: 1016; Downloads: 722
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6. Adverse toxic effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitors on non-target zebrafish liver (ZFL) cellsKatja Kološa, Bojana Žegura, Martina Štampar, Metka Filipič, Matjaž Novak, 2023, original scientific article Keywords: zebrafish liver cells, ZFL, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, cytotoxicity, cell cycle, genotoxicity, environmental hazard
Published in DiRROS: 12.07.2024; Views: 1611; Downloads: 771
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7. The hazard assessment of nanostructured CeO [sub] 2-based mixed oxides on the zebrafish Danio rerio under environmentally relevant UV-A exposureAnita Jemec Kokalj, Petar Djinović, Ilja Gasan Osojnik Črnivec, Albin Pintar, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: The effect of nanomaterials on biota under realistic environmental conditions is an important question. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on how different illumination conditions alter the toxicity of some photocatalytic nanomaterials. We have investigated how environmentally relevant UV-A exposure (intensity 8.50 ± 0.61 W/m2, exposure dose 9.0 J/cm2) affected the toxicity of cerium oxide (CeO2)-based nanostructured materials to the early-life stages of zebrafish Danio rerio. Pure cerium oxide (CeO2), copper–cerium (CuO–CeO2) (with a nominal 10, 15 and 20 mol.% CuO content), cerium–zirconium (CeO2–ZrO2) and nickel and cobalt (Ni–Co) deposited over CeO2–ZrO2 were tested. It was found that under both illumination regimes, none of the tested materials affected the normal development or induced mortality of zebrafish early-life stages up to 100 mg/L. Only in the case of CuO–CeO2, the growth of larvae was decreased (96 h LOEC values for CuCe10, CuCe15 and CuCe20 were 50, 50 and 10 mg/L, respectively). To conclude, CeO2-based nanostructured materials are not severely toxic to zebrafish and environmentally relevant UV-A exposure does not enhance their toxicity.
Keywords: Nickel cobalt nanocrystalline catalysts, UV-A phototoxicity, UV-shielding, zebrafish
Published in DiRROS: 16.12.2014; Views: 10622; Downloads: 1088
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