Embryotoxicity and teratogenesis of orthodontic acrylic resin in zebrafish

This study investigated the in vivo embryotoxicity, teratogenic potential, and additional effects of orthodontic acrylic resin as well as its components, utilizing zebrafish as a model organism. The research focused on morphological, cardiac, behavioral, and cognitive evaluations that were performed on embryos and larval-stage animals subjected to chronic exposure. Embryo and larval-stage zebrafish were categorized into five experimental groups, which were further subdivided into five subgroups. These subgroups included three specific doses for each tested substance, a control with the vehicle (0.1 % dimethyl sulfoxide in water), and an absolute control (water). Assessments were performed on day 5 post-fertilization, which included morphological, cardiac, behavioral, and cognitive evaluations. All experiments had a sample size of ten animals and were performed in triplicate. Survival and hatching rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier test, while other measurements were assessed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Tukey post hoc test. Statistically significant differences were observed between the control and treatment groups across all the tested substances for heart rate, cognitive responsiveness, and cellular apoptosis. However, survival, hatching rate, and other parameters exhibited no significant variation, except for the highest dose in the dibutyl phthalate group, which demonstrated a notable difference in survival. Chronic exposure to acrylic resin and its components may be associated with decreased cognitive ability and cardiac rhythm, as well as an increase in the level of cellular apoptosis in zebrafish. •Toxicological potential of orthodontic acrylic resin is shown on the initial development of zebrafish.•Zebrafish animal model is as a potential tool for future studies in dentistry.•acrylic resin exposure can cause significant changes in heart rate, cognitive deficits, and cellular apoptosis in zebrafish.•Formaldehyde showed a significant increase in heart rate and cell apoptosis at its highest concentrations.