Horng Jiun-Lin, Hu Yu-Huan, Chen Hsi, Chou Ming-Yi
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11042, Taiwan.
Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2025 Mar;289:110103. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2024.110103. Epub 2024 Dec 7.
Numerous environmental pollutants exhibit ototoxicity and cause damage to the lateral line structures in fish, including the neuromast and its hair cells. The lateral line is used to detect hydrodynamic changes and is thought to play a significant role in aggressive interactions. Fighting behaviors in fish are crucial for establishing social hierarchy and obtaining limited resources. In this study, we ablated the function of hair cells using a commonly used ototoxin, neomycin, to evaluate the impact of this ototoxic pollutant on fighting behavior through damaging the lateral line. Our results showed that the number of wins and the duration of dyadic fight behavior decreased in zebrafish with lateral line ablation. These zebrafish also exhibited increased anxiety and biting frequencies. On the other hand, social preferences and fitness were not affected in lateral line-ablated zebrafish. In conclusion, the lateral line mechanosensory system is crucial for fish to gather sufficient information and make correct decisions during conflicts and fighting behaviors. Impairment of hair cell function can affect aggressive behaviors and decision-making in fish, subtly altering their behavioral patterns and leading to significant impacts on the aquatic ecosystem.
许多环境污染物具有耳毒性，会对鱼类的侧线结构造成损害，包括神经丘及其毛细胞。侧线用于检测水动力变化，被认为在攻击性互动中发挥着重要作用。鱼类的争斗行为对于建立社会等级制度和获取有限资源至关重要。在本研究中，我们使用常用的耳毒素新霉素消除毛细胞的功能，以评估这种耳毒性污染物通过损害侧线对争斗行为的影响。我们的结果表明，侧线被破坏的斑马鱼获胜次数和二元争斗行为的持续时间减少。这些斑马鱼还表现出焦虑增加和咬的频率增加。另一方面，侧线被破坏的斑马鱼的社交偏好和适应性不受影响。总之，侧线机械感觉系统对于鱼类在冲突和争斗行为中收集足够信息并做出正确决策至关重要。毛细胞功能受损会影响鱼类的攻击行为和决策，微妙地改变它们的行为模式，并对水生生态系统产生重大影响。
