Effect of sub-lethal ammonia and nitrite stress on autophagy and apoptosis in hepatopancreas of Pacific whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeusvannamei

• Published in: Fish & shellfish immunology Vol. 130; pp. 72 - 78
• Main Authors: Yang, Shiping, Luo, Junliang, Huang, Yongxiong, Yuan, Yunhao, Cai, Shuanghu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2022
• Subjects: Ammonia; Apoptosis; Autophagy; Litopenaeus vannamei; Nitrite; Ammonia; Litopenaeus vannamei; Nitrite; Autophagy; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 1050-4648; 1095-9947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.08.069

Oxidative stress caused by ammonia and nitrite, affect the health and growth of aquaculture animals, results in oxidative damages. However, the toxic mechanism and pathogenesis of ammonia and nitrite to aquatic invertebrates are not completely clear. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of sub-lethal ammonia and nitrite on autophagy and apoptosis in hepatopancreas of Pacific whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Shrimps were exposed to sub-lethal ammonia (20 mg/L) and nitrite (20 mg/L) for 72 h, respectively. Hepatopancreas was collected for investigating the autophagy and apoptosis under stress conditions. The results showed that ammonia stress could induce up-regulated of autophagy (ATG3, ATG4, ATG10 and ATG12) and apoptosis (Caspase3 and P53) genes transcription. Nitrite stress could also induce up-regulated of autophagy (ATG3, ATG4, ATG5 and ATG10) and apoptosis (Caspase3) genes transcription. The expression of the autophagy related genes increased at first and then decreased with increasing exposure time. The atrophy, lysis, vacuolation of cell and other tissue damages in hepatopancreas were observed after 72h exposure to ammonia and nitrite. The results indicated that ammonia and nitrite stress could induce autophagy and apoptosis, and results in oxidative damage. •Ammonia and nitrite can induce the expression of the autophagy related genes and the apoptosis related genes of shrimp.•The expression of the autophagy related genes increased at first and then decreased with increasing exposure time of ammonia.•Ammonia and nitrite result in the atrophy, lysis, vacuolation of cell in hepatopancreas of shrimp.