Immunofluorescence/fluorescence assessment of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, c-Fos activation, and apoptosis in the brain of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae exposed to glufosinate

In this study, we investigated the potential neuro-toxicological mechanism of the glufosinate in the brain of zebrafish larvae in terms of BDNF and c-Fos proteins by evaluating apoptosis, immunofluorescence BDNF, and c-FOS activation. We also measured survival rate, hatching rate, and body malformations during 96 h exposure time. For this purpose, zebrafish embryos were treated with graded concentrations of dosing solutions (0.5, 1, 3, and 5 ppm) of glufosinate. End of the treatment, acridine orange staining was used to detect apoptotic cells in the brain of zebrafish larvae at 96 hpf. Texas Red and FITC/GFP labeled protein-specific antibodies were used in immunofluorescence assay for BDNF and c-FOS, respectively. The results have indicated that exposure to glufosinate caused to embryonic death, hatching delay, induction of apoptosis, increasing of c-FOS activity and the level of BDNF in a dose-dependent manner. As a conclusion, we suggested that c-Fos might play a role in the regulation of BDNF which responses to prevent the cell from apoptosis even in case of unsuccessful in zebrafish larvae exposed to glufosinate.