Metal nanoparticles from industries contaminate the environment and affect the normal development of fish even human health. However, little is known about their biological effects on fish embryogenesis and the potential mechanisms. In this study, zebrafish embryos exposed to/injected with silver nanopaticles (AgNPs) exhibited shorter body, reduced heartbeats, and dysfunctional movements. Less, loose, and unassembled myofibrils were observed in AgNPs-treated embryos, and genes in myofibrillogenesis and sarcomere formation were found to be down-regulated in treated embryos. Down-regulated calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling and loci-specific DNA methylation in specific muscle genes, such as bves, shroom1, and arpc1a, occurred in AgNPs-treated embryos, which might result in the down-regulated expression of myofibrillogenesis genes and muscle dysfunctions in the treated embryos. Our results for the first time reveal that through down-regulating Ca²⁺ signaling and myogenic loci-specific DNA methylation in zebrafish embryos, AgNPs might induce defects of myofibril assembly and sarcomere formation via their particles mostly, which may subsequently cause heartbeat reduction and behavior dysfunctions.

来自工业的金属纳米颗粒污染环境，并影响鱼类甚至人类健康的正常发育。然而，关于它们对鱼类胚胎发生的生物学影响及其潜在机制知之甚少。在这项研究中，暴露于银纳米颗粒（AgNPs）或注入银纳米颗粒（AgNPs）的斑马鱼胚胎表现出较短的身体，心跳减少和运动功能障碍。在用AgNPs处理的胚胎中观察到较少，疏松和未组装的肌原纤维，发现在经处理的胚胎中肌原纤维形成和肌节形成的基因被下调。特定肌肉基因（例如bves，shroom1和arpc1a）中的钙（Ca ²⁺）信号下调和基因座特异性DNA甲基化在经AgNPs处理过的胚胎中会发生这种情况，这可能导致在处理过的胚胎中肌原纤维形成基因的表达下调和肌肉功能障碍。我们的结果首次显示，AgNPs通过下调斑马鱼胚胎中的Ca ²⁺信号传导和肌原性基因特异性DNA甲基化，可能主要通过其颗粒诱导肌原纤维组装和肌小节形成的缺陷，随后可能导致心跳减少和行为功能障碍。