Although the mechanism of ethanol toxicity during embryogenesis is unknown, our earlier studies on Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) embryos indicated that the effects might be mediated through oxidative stress. In this study we have determined the oxidative stress and the mRNA content of four antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, and superoxide dismutase) during Japanese rice fish embryogenesis (from 0 day post-fertilization to hatching) and after exposing the embryos to ethanol (100 and 300 mM) for 48 h at three stages (0-2, 1-3 and 4-6 days post-fertilization, dpf) of organogenesis. We observed that oxidative stress was minimal in blastula, gastrula or neurula stages, increased gradually with the advancement of morphogenesis and reached its maximum level in hatchlings. The antioxidant enzyme mRNAs were constitutively expressed throughout development; however, the expression pattern was not identical among the enzymes. Catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) mRNAs were minimal in the fertilized eggs, but increased significantly in 1 dpf and then either sharply dropped (SOD) or maintained a steady-state (catalase). Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) was very high in fertilized eggs and sharply dropped 1 dpf and then gradually increased thereafter. Glutathione reductase (GR) maintained a steady-state throughout the development. Ethanol was able to attenuate oxidative stress in embryos exposed only to 300 mM 1-3 dpf; no significant difference with controls was observed in other ethanol-treated groups. The antioxidant enzyme mRNAs also remained unaltered after ethanol treatment. From these data we conclude that the attenuation of oxidative stress by ethanol is probably due to the inhibition of normal growth of the embryos rather than by inhibiting catalase, GST, GR or SOD-dependent activities.
Published by Elsevier Inc.