Spironolactone affects cardiovascular and craniofacial development in zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio)

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and pharmacology Vol. 92; p. 103848
• Main Authors: Petty, Hannah J., Barrett, Jacob E., Kosmowski, Erin G., Amos, Dandre S., Ryan, Sean M., Jones, Lucas D., Lassiter, Christopher S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.05.2022; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Aldosterone; Atria; Blood vessels; Cardiovascular; Cartilage; Congestive heart failure; Craniofacial; Craniofacial growth; Danio rerio; Diuretics; Embryogenesis; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Environmental health; Hirsutism; Hypertension; Potassium; Spironolactone; Vertebrates; Zebrafish; Cartilage; Zebrafish; Craniofacial; Spironolactone; Cardiovascular
• ISSN: 1382-6689; 1872-7077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2022.103848

Spironolactone, a potassium-sparing diuretic and aldosterone antagonist, is a mineralocorticoid hormone commonly prescribed to patients suffering from heart failure, hirsutism, dermatological afflictions, and hypertension. Interestingly, relatively little work has been done on the development of vertebrate embryos after exposure to this compound. Here, we treat zebrafish embryos with spironolactone at 10−6 M, 10−7 M, or 10−8 M, and observe them after three to seven days of exposure. While no effect was observed in mortality, we did detect differences in cardiovascular development at 3 dpf and craniofacial development at 5 dpf. At 10−6 M, smaller atria, ventricles, and blood vessels were observed. The highest concentrations also caused a longer ceratohyal/Meckel's distance, longer palatoquadrate, and smaller angles between the palatoquadrate and both the ceratohyal and Meckel's. Further research of spironolactone’s effects on embryonic development could lead to a better understanding of the compound resulting in improved public and environmental health. •We expose zebrafish embryos to 10 nM - 1 μM spironolactone for the first 7 days of development•Spironolactone causes subtle disruption of jaw cartilage including increased palatoquadrate length•Spironolactone causes smaller atria, ventricles, and blood vessel diameters at higher concentrations