Trifloxystrobin induced developmental toxicity by disturbing the ABC transporters, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in adult zebrafish

The environmental risks of trifloxystrobin (TR) have drawn attention because of its multiplex toxicity on aquatic organisms, but few studies have paid close attention to its chronic toxicity at environmental concentrations. In present study, histopathology, metabolomics and transcriptomics were comprehensively performed to investigate the toxic effects and biological responses on adult zebrafish after exposure to 0.1, 1 and 10 μg/L TR for 21 d. Results demonstrated long-term exposure of TR affected zebrafish liver, ovary and heart development. Metabolomics revealed 0.1, 1 and 10 μg/L TR simultaneously decreased the carbohydrates enriched in glucose metabolism and ABC transporters pathways, such as glycogen, lactose, lactulose, maltose, maltotriose, d-trehalose, while 1 μg/L and 10 μg/L TR significantly increased many metabolites related to glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism in zebrafish liver. Transcriptomics showed TR activated the transcription of the Abcb4, Abcb5 and Abcb11 involved in ABC transporters, Pck1, Pfk, Hk, Gyg1a and Pygma related to glucose metabolism, as well as the Lpcat1, Lpcat4, Gpat2, Cers and Sgms in glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism. Results further demonstrated high concentration of TR strongly affected the DNA repair system, while low dose of TR caused pronounced effects on cardiomyocytes and oocyte regulation pathways at transcriptional levels. The results indicated the abnormal liver, gonad and heart development caused by TR might be ascribed to the disturbance of carbohydrates and lipid metabolism mediating by the Abcb4, Abcb5 and Abcb11 ABC transporters, and long-term exposure of environmental concentration of TR was sufficient to affect zebrafish normal metabolism and development.