Mining the effect of the neonicotinoids imidacloprid and clothianidin on the chemical homeostasis and energy equilibrium of primary mouse neural stem/progenitor cells using metabolomics

• Published in: Pesticide biochemistry and physiology Vol. 168; p. 104617
• Main Authors: Fotopoulou, E., Lykogianni, M., Papadimitriou, E., Mavrikou, S., Machera, K., Kintzios, S., Thomaidou, D., Aliferis, Κ.Α.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-09-2020
• Subjects: Cell metabolome; Cell metabolomics; Pesticide toxicity; Risk assessment; Toxicogenomics; AA; AChE; Cell metabolome; IMI; Cell metabolomics; PPPs; CLO; HCA; OPLS-DA; NSPCs; OXPHOS; Toxicogenomics; CLO + IMI; nAChRs; iPSCs; NSCs; Risk assessment; DZ; SVZ; N2a; a.i; Pesticide toxicity; ESCs
• ISSN: 0048-3575; 1095-9939
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2020.104617

The projection of plant protection products' (PPPs) toxicity to non-target organisms at early stages of their development is challenging and demanding. Recent developments in bioanalytics, however, have facilitated the study of fluctuations in the metabolism of biological systems in response to treatments with bioactives and the discovery of corresponding toxicity biomarkers. Neonicotinoids are improved insecticides that target nicotinic acetylocholine receptors (nAChR) in insects which are similar to mammals. Nonetheless, they have sparked controversy due to effects on non-target organisms. Within this context, mammalian cell cultures represent ideal systems for the development of robust models for the dissection of PPPs' toxicity. Thus, we have investigated the toxicity of imidacloprid, clothianidin, and their mixture on primary mouse (Mus musculus) neural stem/progenitor (NSPCs) and mouse neuroblastoma-derived Neuro-2a (N2a) cells, and the undergoing metabolic changes applying metabolomics. Results revealed that NSPCs, which in vitro resemble those that reside in the postnatal and adult central nervous system, are five to seven-fold more sensitive than N2a to the applied insecticides. The energy equilibrium of NSPCs was substantially altered, as it is indicated by fluctuations of metabolites involved in energy production (e.g. glucose, lactate), Krebs cycle intermediates, and fatty acids, which are important components of cell membranes. Such evidence plausibly suggests a switch of cells' energy-producing mechanism to the direct metabolism of glucose to lactate in response to insecticides. The developed pipeline could be further exploited in the discovery of unintended effects of PPPs at early steps of development and for regulatory purposes.
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•Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) are model biological systems for the study of the toxicity of plant protection products (PPPs)•NSPCs are five to seven-fold more sensitive than mouse N2a cells to imidacloprid and clothianidin•The applied insecticides affect substantially the energy equilibrium of NSPCs•Insecticide treatments affect the energy production and Krebs cycle intermediates•The metabolomics pipeline could be exploited in the discovery of unintended effects of PPPs