Zebrafish liver transcriptome in response to chronic treatment with environmentally relevant 5-FU

The fluoropyrimidine 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an antimetabolite that exerts its anticancer effects through inhibition of DNA synthesis and replication by inhibiting thymidylate synthase, and by incorporation of its metabolites into RNA and DNA. 5-FU is used in most of the currently applied regimens for the treatment of patients with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, breast, head, neck, and belongs to the most consumed cytostatic drugs. After application, 5-FU is via hospital and municipal waste water effluents released into the aquatic environment, where it can harm non-target organisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in gene transcription in liver of adult F1 zebrafish (Danio rerio) continuously exposed to 5-FU at environmentaly relevant concentrations of 0.01 µg/L and 1 µg/L. One color design, control and treatment in two concentrations; 6 pools of 3 individuals per treatment