Insight into biological system responses in goldfish (Carassius auratus) to multiple doses of avermectin exposure by integrated1H NMR-based metabolomics

The toxic effects of AVM were investigated using a teleost experimental model, the juvenile goldfish (Carassius auratus). Goldfish were consecutively exposed to AVM for 7 days and then the tissues of brains, kidneys and livers and plasma were collected and subjected to a NMR based metabolomics study. AVM changed the metabolomic profiles of goldfish dose-dependently and significantly changed the levels of metabolites in dosed goldfish, such as the branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs), aromatic amino acids (AAAs), betaine, taurine, lactate, etc. These metabolite changes affect energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, nucleic acids metabolism, osmotic equilibrium as well as redox equilibrium, and are related with the toxicity of AVM. 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach promises to be an advantageous tool for the systematic and holistic view of the response of aquatic organisms to pesticides and is thus suitable for the assessment of the environmental risk of pesticides and the understanding of the underlying mechanism.