Herbicide clomazone induced hematotoxicity and hepatic compensatory responses in the invasive turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans

Invasive species might exhibit a greater potential resistance to environmental stress than native species because they would mitigate and adapt more quickly to stress effects through modulating various physiological and biochemical processes. Here, erythrocytic nuclear abnormality (ENA), serum metabolomic profile, liver histology, antioxidant enzyme activity and related gene expression were determined in Trachemys scripta elegans hatchlings exposed to Herbicide clomazone for 7 days to evaluate clomazone-induced toxic effects and potential adaptive responses in this invasive turtle. ENAs were found to increase and some serum metabolic pathways were disrupted clearly in exposed-turtles, potentially indicating clomazone-caused blood damage. Meanwhile, cell proliferation, increased SOD and CAT activities and related gene expression, as well as increased immune-related gene expression, in liver tissue of exposed-turtles might be compensatory responses to clomazone stress. Moreover, altered ABC transporter pathway revealed by serum metabolomic profile might also play a role in blood detoxification. Overall, clomazone exposure would cause tissue toxicity, which might be alleviated to a certain degree through a series of compensatory responses, reflecting great potential resistance to environmental stress in invasive T. scripta elegans.

Antioxidant enzyme activity; Genotoxicity; Heterocyclic herbicide; Invasive turtle; Liver histology; Serum metabolism.