Abstract: Objective To explore the role of the Notch signaling pathway in regulating neuronal differentiation and sensorimotor ability in a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Methods Zebrafish embryos treated with DMSO or 50 μmol/L DAPT (a Notch signaling pathway inhibitor) were examined for mortality rate, hatching rate, malformation rate, and body length at 15 days post fertilization (dpf). The mRNA expression levels of sox2, neurogenin1 and huc in the treated zebrafish embryos were detected using in situ hybridization and qRT-PCR, and their behavioral responses to strong light and vibration stimulation were observed. The zebrafish embryos were then exposed to DMSO, 1.5% ethanol, DAPT, or both ethanol and DAPT, and the changes in mRNA expression levels of sox2, neurogenin1, huc, and the Notch signaling pathway genes as well as behavioral responses were evaluated. Results Exposure to 50 μmol/L DAPT significantly increased the mortality rate of 1 dpf zebrafish embryos (P<0.01), decreased the hatching rate of 2 dpf embryos (P<0.01), increased the malformation rate of 3 dpf embryos (P<0.001), and reduced the body length of 15 dpf embryos (P<0.05). DAPT treatment significantly downregulated sox2 mRNA expression (P<0.01) and increased neurogenin1 (P<0.05) and huc (P<0.01) mRNA expressions in zebrafish embryos. The zebrafish with DAPT treatment exhibited significantly shortened movement distance (P<0.001) and lowered movement speed (P<0.05) in response to all the stimulation conditions. Compared with treatment with 1.5% ethanol alone, which obviously upregulated notch1a, her8a and NICD mRNA expressions in zebrafish embryos (P<0.05), the combined treatment with ethanol and DAPT significantly increased neurogenin1 and huc mRNA expression, decreased sox2 mRNA expression (P<0.01), and increased the moving distance and moving speed of zebrafish embryos in response to strong light stimulation (P<0.05). Conclusion Ethanol exposure causes upregulation of the Notch signaling pathway and impairs neuronal differentiation and sensorimotor ability of zebrafish embryos, and these detrimental effects can be lessened by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway

Key words: ethanol; fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; neuronal differentiation; Notch signaling pathway; DAPT