The Effects of Arsenic on Wound Healing in Larval Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Mice (Mus musculus)

Dresler, Sara (2021) The Effects of Arsenic on Wound Healing in Larval Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Mice (Mus musculus). Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid frequently found in ground and surface water worldwide. While drinking water standards are in place by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many regions of the Southwest United States have reported water sources to be non-compliant with these standards. For example, the Navajo and Hopi Nations and the Verde Valley are three regions in Arizona that have groundwater and surface water with As levels above the EPA limits. Arsenic has numerous potential effects on health outcomes including increased risks for cancers and diabetes. In vitro models of skin cell migration demonstrate that As may inhibit wound healing. In order to determine whether this effect translates into an in vivo system, larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) and mice (Mus Musculus) were used to investigate the effects of 10 μM As on wound healing. We hypothesize that As exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations will delay wound closure and increase wound erythema in vivo, and that these effects may be through both estrogenic and inflammatory pathways. Arsenic-exposed larval zebrafish had their tail fins removed and regeneration was measured over 72 hours. Arsenic had no effect on regeneration. Male and female mice exposed to As had full-thickness wounds created and imaged over a 6-day period. Wound closure was measured, and results showed significantly decreased wound healing in female mice and prolonged erythema. Gene expression analysis showed a 1.5- fold significant upregulation for As3mt and Esr2 gene amplicons, but not for Gper1, Mmp1 or Timp1 in female mice exposed to As, and no effect on any gene amplicons in males. In conclusion, this study shows that As has a sex-specific impact on wound healing in an in vivo model and warrants further research into the molecular mechanism of As interference with wound healing.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	arsenic; estrogen; in vivo; wound healing; Zebrafish; Mice;
Subjects:	R Medicine > RD Surgery
MeSH Subjects:	D Chemicals and Drugs > D01 Inorganic Chemicals
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > Biological Sciences
Date Deposited:	24 Feb 2022 16:03
Last Modified:	24 Feb 2022 16:03
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5751

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