The notochord curvature in medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos as a response to ultraviolet A irradiation.

In the present work, the destructive effects of ultraviolet A (UVA; 366nm) irradiation on the developmental stages of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) are revealed in terms of hatching success, mortality rate, and morphological malformations (yolk sac edema, body curvature, fin blistering, and dwarfism). Fertilized eggs in stage 4 were exposed to 15, 30, and 60min/day UVA for 3days in replicates. Fish were staged and aged following the stages established by Iwamatsu [1]. We observed and recorded the hatching time and deformed and dead embryos continuously. The hatching time was prolonged and the deformed and dead embryos numbers were increased by UVA dose increase. At stage 40, samples from each group were fixed to investigate their morphology and histopathology. Some morphological malformations were recorded after UVA exposure in both strains. Histopathological changes were represented as different shapes of curvature in notochord with collapse. The degree of collapsation was depended on the dose and time of UVA exposure. Our findings show that exposure to UVA irradiation caused less vertebral column curvature in medaka fry. Moreover, p53-deficient embryos were more tolerant than those of wild-type (Hd-rR) Japanese medaka. This study indicated the dangerous effects of the UVA on medaka.