Evaluation of aspirin effects on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos at clinically relevant plasma concentrations: a multi-omics approach

Aspirin is a widely used clinical medication during pregnancy that can pass through the placental barrier. While high-dose animal studies have linked aspirin to developmental toxicities like neural tube defects and other structural abnormalities, its effects across a broader clinical concentration spectrum remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the concentration-dependent toxicity of aspirin during zebrafish embryonic and larval development. The zebrafish embryos and larvae exposed to aspirin induced dose-dependent decreases in heart rate, body length, and locomotor activity ( measured by movement speed and distance); all changes were statistically significant. Although the incidence of curled tails exhibited an upward trend, it did not achieve statistical significance. In situ hybridization, transcriptomic, and epigenomic analyses revealed neurodevelopmental, muscular, cardiovascular, and renal abnormalities consistent with the relevant research reports. This study outlines potential mechanisms between differentially expressed genes and molecular modification effects of aspirin at varying concentrations. This provides a new reference for a comprehensive toxicological profile and evaluates the potential developmental risks of aspirin exposure during pregnancy.