Available online at www.ijpcr.com International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 2017; 9(2): 105-107 ISSN- 0975 1556 Research Article *Author for Correspondence: aulani@ub.ac.id Effects of D-Glucose Exposure on Motor Activity by Swimming Distance During Early Development of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Kartika Rahma 1 , Mitsuyo Kishida 2* , Sasangka Prasetyawan 1 , Aulanni’am Aulanni’am 1,3* 1 Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia 2 New Frontier Science Department, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan 3 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia Available Online: 25 th February, 2017 ABSTRACT Several studies have been reported behavioral changes in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) recently. The increasing levels of glucose affects neuronal activity and may inhibit the process of differentiation and regeneration of neurons in the brain. Dopaminergic (DA) neurons produce dopamine as a neurotransmitter which has an important role to regulate motor functions in the brain. This study aimed to determine the effect of exposure to high concentrations of glucose on the activity of dopaminergic neurons on early development of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish embryos were exposed to glucose (1%, 3% and 5%) as a diabetic animal model at the beginning of development. Co-incubation was performed by incubated both of glucose and L-DOPA. Swimming distance of zebrafish larvae was measured as a parameter to determine the motor function regulated by dopamine activity. Results of statistical analysis in zebrafish embryos exposed to 1% and 3% glucose showed significant differences (p <0.05) reduction on swimming distance. Co-incubation glucose with L-DOPA partially increased the swimming distance. It can be concluded that the administration of excessive exposure to glucose was able to decrease the activity of dopaminergic neurons by decreasing the distance of swim in early zebrafish development. Keyword: glucose, motor activity, dopaminergic neuron, swimming distance. INTRODUCTION Changes in behavior and cognitive lately often associated with diabetes mellitus type 1. One of the consequences of the complications of excess sugar in the blood is disorder of the nervous system in the brain. Many studies showed that the activity of neurons in the brain was influenced by existing glucose levels 1 . Despite the involvement of glucose metabolism in the brain are not directly affected, signaling related to glucose has a strong impact on the activity of neurons 2 . Energy from glucose metabolism in the brain is used for the differentiation of neurons and neurotransmitters biosynthesis 3 . Previous research confirms that there are some changes in mice and humans with diabetes type 1 that increased levels of anxiety, depression, and decreased mental speed and flexibility which these changes are closely related to diabetic complications and decrease the synthesis of dopamine 4 . Impaired glucose balance, including high concentration of glucose in hyperglycemia environment, has been known to also affect different levels of activity in the hippocampus. This region is heavily involved in the process of motor functions controlled by brain neurotransmitter, dopamine 5 . Production of dopamine in Dopaminergic (DA) neuron is regulated by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Catalysis tyrosine into L-DOPA by TH is followed by process of decarboxylation by aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) and transform into dopamine. However, motor activity controlled by dopamine in hyperglycemia condition during early development is still not well known. This study used embryonic zebrafish exposed to high level of glucose as a hyperglycemic model to understand the effects of high concentrations of glucose exposure on swimming activity during early embryonic development. Swimming distance measurement was conducted to observe whether DA neurons function properly in such condition by their motor behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fish maintenance Adult zebrafish (Danio rorio) were maintained at 28-30 o C in recirculating system (aquatic habitats) and kept in a cycle of 14 hours light; 10 hours dark. The embryos of zebrafish were collected and raised in embryo medium (EM). After 24 hours post-fertilization, the collected embryos were mechanically dechorionated to optimize transdermal drug delivery of glucose exposure. Chemical Treatments and Exposure Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 1%, 3% and 5% glucose (Wako) in EM. After that, the next experiment was used co-incubation of glucose and 25μM L-DOPA. Embryos were divided into 4 groups: control, glucose DOI number: 10.25258/ijpcr.v9i1.8290