Influence of Prolonged Exposure to Acetamiprid on the Toxicological Effects in the Decapod Crustacean Pacific White Shrimp ( <i>Penaeus Vannamei</i>)

The toxic effects of neonicotinoid insecticides on aquatic invertebrates are one of the important factors contributing to the decline of invertebrate populations, the destruction of aquatic food webs and the reduction of fishery production. This study aimed to investigate chronic toxicity of the first-generation neonicotinoid insecticide acetamiprid on Penaeus vannamei and provide a comprehensive assessment of its toxic effects through physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses. The results indicate that prolonged stress disrupts antioxidant biomarkers, and induces oxidative stress, leads to reduced survival rates, growth, and hepatosomatic index. In addition, the downregulation of genes related to circadian rhythm, thyroid hormone signaling pathways, and neurotrophin signaling pathway reveals the toxic processes of acetamiprid on P. vannamei. The changes in the expression of detoxification genes in Phase I and Phase II elucidated the formation of the detoxification mechanism. The study showed that the decapod crustacean P. vannamei exhibits sensitivity to acetamiprid, and long-term exposure to acetamiprid disrupts the circadian rhythm, induces oxidative stress and neurotoxicity, inhibits the expression of muscle-related genes, and ultimately affects the normal growth of P. vannamei. We anticipate that our study will provide a basis for exploring the toxicity mechanism of acetamiprid and its environmental risk assessment.