Non-targeted metabolomics studies revealed the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) on carbohydrate metabolism in red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a persistent organic pollutant, poses significant threats to aquatic ecosystems and organisms. This study investigated the biological effects of environmentally relevant PFOS concentrations (0 ng/L, 1 ng/L, 10 μg/L) on Cherax quadricarinatus, a freshwater crayfish of economic importance, focusing on histopathology, apoptosis (via TUNEL staining), and metabolomic alterations. The results showed that PFOS exposure caused tissue damage to the hepatopancreas of C. quadricarinatus, and PFOS exposure caused apoptosis of C. quadricarinatus hepatopancreas. In addition, the metabolomics results showed that there were several significant differential metabolites and metabolic pathways, which indicated that PFOS exposure can cause metabolic disorders in the hepatopancreas of C. quadricarinatus. The Starch and sucrose metabolism pathway was significantly enriched in both groups, suggesting the potential role of this pathway in the biological effects of PFOS on C. quadricarinatus. In addition, in 1 ng/L group, four significant differential metabolic pathways: Glucagon signaling pathway, Glycerolipid metabolism, Starch and sucrose metabolism, and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis were found, which demonstrated the adverse effects of PFOS even at environmental relevant concentration. Furthermore, in all the four metabolic pathways, glucose-1-phosphate is the only mutual significant differential metabolite, indicating that the carbohydrate metabolism might be the target affecting pathway and the glucose-1-phosphate assumed an important role in the metabolic effect of environmental relevant concentration of PFOS. This study revealed the effect of PFOS on C. quadricarinatus through tissue physiology and combined with metabolomics, which is of great significance for exploring the practical biological effects and health risk of PFOS in the actual aquatic environment.