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Cited by 94Zebrafish Biomedical Research ApplicationsDevelopmental Biology and Gene RegulationRetinal Development and Disorders

Phenylthiourea Specifically Reduces Zebrafish Eye Size

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Li, Zeran, Ptak, Devon, Zhang, Liyun, Walls, Elwood K., Zhong, Wenxuan, Leung, Yuk Fai·2012·PLoS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0040132PMC PMC3384602
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Abstract

Phenylthiourea (PTU) is commonly used for inhibiting melanization of zebrafish embryos. In this study, the standard treatment with 0.2 mM PTU was demonstrated to specifically reduce eye size in larval fish starting at three days post-fertilization. This effect is likely the result of a reduction in retinal and lens size of PTU-treated eyes and is not related to melanization inhibition. This is because the eye size of tyr, a genetic mutant of tyrosinase whose activity is inhibited in PTU treatment, was not reduced. As PTU contains a thiocarbamide group which is presented in many goitrogens, suppressing thyroid hormone production is a possible mechanism by which PTU treatment may reduce eye size. Despite the fact that thyroxine level was found to be reduced in PTU-treated larvae, thyroid hormone supplements did not rescue the eye size reduction. Instead, treating embryos with six goitrogens, including inhibitors of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and sodium-iodide symporter (NIS), suggested an alternative possibility. Specifically, three TPO inhibitors, including those that do not possess thiocarbamide, specifically reduced eye size; whereas none of the NIS inhibitors could elicit this effect. These observations indicate that TPO inhibition rather than a general suppression of thyroid hormone synthesis is likely the underlying cause of PTU-induced eye size reduction. Furthermore, the tissue-specific effect of PTU treatment might be mediated by an eye-specific TPO expression. Compared with treatment with other tyrosinase inhibitors or bleaching to remove melanization, PTU treatment remains the most effective approach. Thus, one should use caution when interpreting results that are obtained from PTU-treated embryos.

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  • PTU has been shown to interfere not only with tyrosinase but also with other enzymes, such as thyroid peroxidase and dopamine beta-hydroxylase.

    “For example, PTU has been shown to interfere not only with tyrosinase (the enzyme that catalyses the production of melanin)1011, but also with other enzymes, such as thyroid peroxidase12 and dopamine beta-hydroxylase13.”

    From A crystal-clear zebrafish for in vivo imaging (2016) · cites this paper as [12]

  • Pigment molecules, such as melanin, haemoglobin and myoglobin, are the main sources of visible light absorption in biological tissues.

    “Pigment molecules, such as melanin, haemoglobin and myoglobin, are the main sources of visible light absorption in biological tissues12.”

    From A crystal-clear zebrafish for in vivo imaging (2016) · cites this paper as [12]

    The Introduction describes melanin as a black pigment, and the Results discuss inhibiting pigmentation in zebrafish. Neither those passages nor searches for visible-light absorption, haemoglobin, and myoglobin address which molecules are the main sources of light absorption in biological tissues. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Authors
Li, Z., Ptak, D., Zhang, L., Walls, E. K., Zhong, W., & Leung, Y. F.
Affiliations
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
  • Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
Corresponding author
Leung, Yuk Fai
ORCID
Venue
PLoS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2012-06-27
Volume
7
Issue
6
Pages
e40132
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0040132
PMC
PMC3384602
OpenAlex
W2035249417
Cited by
94
References
2
Citations by year
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FWCI
2.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IUScholarWorks (Indiana University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1120256)
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • Ögonfonden
  • Hope For Vision
  • Office of Science
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinal Development and Disorders
Keywords
phenylthiourea, zebrafish embryos, thyroid peroxidase inhibition, thyroid hormones, goitrogens, tyrosinase, thyroxine, lens size, retinal size, sodium iodide symporter
MeSH terms
Animals, Eye, Molecular Sequence Data, Phenylthiourea, Zebrafish

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