Low-concentration bendiocarb exposure leads to complex morphological, behavioral, transcriptional, and immunological alterations in zebrafish

The emergence and spread of vector-borne diseases imply more extensive use of different insecticides, potentially leading to elevated toxicological and ecotoxicological risk. Acetylcholinesterase-inhibitor carbamate bendiocarb is frequently used for pest control and public health purposes. However, compared to other carbamate insecticides, the knowledge about adverse biological consequences following bendiocarb exposure in non-target vertebrates is quite limited. This study aimed to provide insight into the toxicity of low-dose bendiocarb exposure in a zebrafish embryo model system using comprehensive methodological approaches. Our morphometric and behavioral analyses identified complex bendiocarb-induced morphological changes and behavioral abnormalities, including decreased locomotor activity in response to visual and tactile stimuli and altered non-associative learning. The combined transcriptional and histological approaches explored the damage to the retinal and skeletal muscle structures and the injury of the notochord, which can underlie the observed morphological and behavioral abnormalities.