MicroRNA expression changes during zebrafish (Danio rerio) development induced by hexabromocyclododecane. Danio rerio

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), one of the most widely used brominated flame retardants, has been found to cause toxic effects on animals. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in many biological and metabolic processes, whether and how they are involved in the process of HBCD-induced toxicity is largely unknown. In the present study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to HBCD at low concentrations of 0, 2, 20 and 200 nM. Subsequently, RNA was isolated from the embryo pool and the miRNAs expression profiles were analyzed using deep sequencing.