Sant Karilyn E.

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Sant
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Karilyn E.
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  • Preprint
    Regulation of Ahr signaling by Nrf2 during development : effects of Nrf2a deficiency on PCB126 embryotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
    ( 2015-06) Rousseau, Michelle E. ; Sant, Karilyn E. ; Borden, Linnea R. ; Franks, Diana G. ; Hahn, Mark E. ; Timme-Laragy, Alicia R.
    The embryotoxicity of co-planar PCBs is regulated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), and has been reported to involve oxidative stress. Ahr participates in crosstalk with another transcription factor, Nfe2l2, or Nrf2. Nrf2 binds to antioxidant response elements to regulate the adaptive response to oxidative stress. To explore aspects of the crosstalk between Nrf2 and Ahr and its impact on development, we used zebrafish (Danio rerio) with a mutated DNA binding domain in Nrf2a (nrf2afh318/fh318), rendering these embryos more sensitive to oxidative stress. Embryos were exposed to 2 nM or 5 nM PCB126 at 24 hours post fertilization (prim-5 stage of pharyngula) and examined for gene expression and morphology at 4 days post fertilization (dpf; protruding –mouth stage). Nrf2a mutant eleutheroembryos were more sensitive to PCB126 toxicity at 4 dpf, and in the absence of treatment also displayed some subtle developmental differences from wildtype embryos, including delayed inflation of the swim bladder and smaller yolk sacs. We used qPCR to measure changes in expression of the nrf gene family, keap1a, keap1b, the ahr gene family, and known target genes. cyp1a induction by PCB126 was enhanced in the Nrf2a mutants (156-fold in wildtypes vs. 228-fold in mutants exposed to 5 nM). Decreased expression of heme oxygenase (decycling) 1 (hmox1) in the Nrf2a mutants was accompanied by increased nrf2b expression. Target genes of Nrf2a and AhR2, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (nqo1) and glutathione S-transferase, alpha-like (gsta1), showed a 2-5-fold increase in expression in the Nrf2a mutants as compared to wildtype. This study elucidates the interaction between two important transcription factor pathways in the developmental toxicity of co-planar PCBs.
  • Article
    The role of Nrf1 and Nrf2 in the regulation of glutathione and redox dynamics in the developing zebrafish embryo
    (Elsevier, 2017-05-30) Sant, Karilyn E. ; Hansen, Jason M. ; Williams, Larissa M. ; Tran, Nancy L. ; Goldstone, Jared V. ; Stegeman, John J. ; Hahn, Mark E. ; Timme-Laragy, Alicia R.
    Redox signaling is important for embryogenesis, guiding pathways that govern processes crucial for embryo patterning, including cell polarization, proliferation, and apoptosis. Exposure to pro-oxidants during this period can be deleterious, resulting in altered physiology, teratogenesis, later-life diseases, or lethality. We previously reported that the glutathione antioxidant defense system becomes increasingly robust, including a doubling of total glutathione and dynamic shifts in the glutathione redox potential at specific stages during embryonic development in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. However, the mechanisms underlying these changes are unclear, as is the effectiveness of the glutathione system in ameliorating oxidative insults to the embryo at different stages. Here, we examine how the glutathione system responds to the model pro-oxidants tert-butylhydroperoxide and tert-butylhydroquinone at different developmental stages, and the role of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf) proteins in regulating developmental glutathione redox status. Embryos became increasingly sensitive to pro-oxidants after 72 h post-fertilization (hpf), after which the duration of the recovery period for the glutathione redox potential was increased. To determine whether the doubling of glutathione or the dynamic changes in glutathione redox potential are mediated by zebrafish paralogs of Nrf transcription factors, morpholino oligonucleotides were used to knock down translation of Nrf1 and Nrf2 (nrf1a, nrf1b, nrf2a, nrf2b). Knockdown of Nrf1a or Nrf1b perturbed glutathione redox state until 72 hpf. Knockdown of Nrf2 paralogs also perturbed glutathione redox state but did not significantly affect the response of glutathione to pro-oxidants. Nrf1b morphants had decreased gene expression of glutathione synthesis enzymes, while hsp70 increased in Nrf2b morphants. This work demonstrates that despite having a more robust glutathione system, embryos become more sensitive to oxidative stress later in development, and that neither Nrf1 nor Nrf2 alone appear to be essential for the response and recovery of glutathione to oxidative insults.