Exploring the biological significance of folate in embryo development

Abstract

Folate vitamin B9 is an essential nutrient in embryonic development Folate fortification enhances lung function and decreases the risk of neural tube defect chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and small eye Excessive folate supplementation in pregnant women increases the risk of the bronchiolitis and athma However the possible mechanisms of how folate participated in these malformations remain unknown Zebrafish is a powerful animal model for embryogenesis In this study zebrafish embryo with folate deficiency is induced by overexpressing γGH protein We found that folate deficient embryo displayed swimbladder deflation small eye and vision loss These phenotypic abnormalities were reversed by folate fortification Our results suggested that increased ratio of cathepsin L/cystatin B-like impaired nucleotide synthesis and reduced aldh1a3 expression were likely to be involved in the occurrence of swimbladder deflation small eye and vision loss respectively Our results also suggested that this folate deficient model may serve as a drug-screening platform of emphysema and microphthalmia

Date of Award	2018 Aug 31
Original language	English
Supervisor	Tzu-Fun Fu (Supervisor)