Assessing the ecotoxicity of florfenicol exposure at environmental levels: A case study of histology, apoptosis and microbiota in hepatopancreas of Eriocheir sinensis

Xinping Guo; Ziang Qian; Su Jiang; Xiaobin Qian; Xianhui Ning; Shaowu Yin; Kai Zhang

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (Mar 2024)

Assessing the ecotoxicity of florfenicol exposure at environmental levels: A case study of histology, apoptosis and microbiota in hepatopancreas of Eriocheir sinensis

Xinping Guo,
Ziang Qian,
Su Jiang,
Xiaobin Qian,
Xianhui Ning,
Shaowu Yin,
Kai Zhang

Affiliations

Xinping Guo: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China
Ziang Qian: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China
Su Jiang: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China
Xiaobin Qian: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China
Xianhui Ning: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, Jiangsu 222005, China
Shaowu Yin: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, Jiangsu 222005, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China.
Kai Zhang: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China; Co-Innovation Center for Marine Bio-Industry Technology, Lian Yungang, Jiangsu 222005, China; Corresponding authors at: College of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Aquatic Animals Breeding and Green Efficient Aquacultural Technology, Nanjing 210023, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 272
p. 116092

Abstract

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The intensification of production practices in the aquaculture industry has led to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics to combat diseases and reduce costs, which has resulted in environmental pollution, posing serious threats to aquaculture sustainability and food safety. However, the toxic effect of florfenicol (FF) exposure on the hepatopancreas of crustaceans remains unclear. Herein, by employing Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) as subjects to investigate the toxic effects on histopathology, oxidative stress, apoptosis and microbiota of hepatopancreas under environment-relevant (0.5 and 5 μg/L), and extreme concentrations (50 μg/L) of FF. Our results revealed that the damage of hepatopancreas tissue structure caused by FF exposure in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Combined with the increased expression of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase 3, Caspase 8, p53, Bax and Bcl-2) at mRNA and protein levels, activation of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, FF exposure also induced oxidative stress, and apoptosis in hepatopancreas. Interestingly, 7 days exposure triggered more pronounced toxic effect in crabs than 14 days under environment-relevant FF concentration. Integrated biomarker response version 2 (IBRv2) index indicated that 14 days FF exposure under extreme concentration has serious toxicity effect on crabs. Furthermore, 14 days exposure to FF changed the diversity and composition of hepatopancreas microbiota leading remarkable increase of pathogenic microorganism Spirochaetes following exposure to 50 μg/L of FF. Taken together, our study explained potential mechanism of FF toxicity on hepatopancreas of crustaceans, and provided a reference for the concentration of FF to be used in culture of Chinese mitten crab.

Published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

ISSN: 0147-6513 (Print); 1090-2414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering: Environmental pollution; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ecotoxicology-and-environmental-safety

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