Envolvimento do Estresse Oxidativo na Toxicidade Induzida pelo Fungicida Mancozeb em Embriões de Peixe-zebra (Danio rerio HamiltonBuchanan, 1822)

Abstract

Mancozeb (MZ) a manganese/zinc-containing dithiocarbamate fungicide has been claimed to present low acute toxicity and short environmental persistence, however, its effects on embryogenesis in non-target organisms is unclear. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a highlighted model organism, has been used to characterize the toxicological properties of environmental toxicants in the embryo-larval phase. Redox balance is a key factor to the normal embryo development and oxidative stress has been pointed out as a major mechanism by which MZ elicits its deleterious effects. Here, we used zebrafish to assess the potential embryotoxic effects induced by MZ as well as the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process by pre-treatment with a classical antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine, NAC). According to the results, MZ was able to induce morphological abnormalities, DNA damage, cell death, increased ROS generation and changes on behavioral endpoints during zebrafish development. All these toxic effects were inhibited by the pre-treatment with NAC indicating a key role of redox unbalance during MZ-induced embryotoxicity. At least in our knowledge, this is the first report on the deleterious effect of MZ to the normal embryogenesis of zebrafish. In addition,