Injection of Resperpine into Zebrafish, Prevents Fish to Fish Communication of Radiation-Induced Bystander Signals: Confirmation in vivo of a Role for Serotonin in the Mechanism

Serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated as a potential modulator of the bystander effect in cell cultures. To assess the relevance of serotonin in vivo experiments were done with the zebrafish ( Danio rerio). This species, when irradiated, transmits bystander signals to non-irradiated fish. The animals were injected with reserpine, an inhibitor of serotonin at a dose of 80mg/kg of body mass. The results show that reserpine treated fish had only 27% of the serotonin in non-treated fish. Skin tissue samples were collected from the fish and assayed for bystander signal production using a reporter bioassay. Reserpine prevented the production and communication of signals between fish. Intracellular calcium flux, identified as a bystander response in the reporter cells confirmed this. Medium harvested from tissues of X-rayed fish and their bystanders, showed an oscillating pattern of calcium flux. Samples from X-rayed fish pretreated with reserpine produced a chaotic pattern of random fluctuations in the reporter cells, while their bystander fish led to increased calcium, but no oscillations. These results suggest that 5-HT is involved in bystander signalling in zebrafish, and by decreasing the amount of available 5-HT the bystander effect can be blocked.

Injection of Resperpine into Zebrafish, Prevents Fish to Fish Communication of Radiation-Induced Bystander Signals: Confirmation in vivo of a Role for Serotonin in the Mechanism Journal Articles