Regulatory effects of silymarin on hepatopancreatic injury induced by deltamethrin in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) via the P53 signaling pathway.

Silymarin has proven antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effects, but no study to date has investigated the potential protective effect on deltamethrin-induced hepatopancreas injury in Chinese mitten crabs Eriocheir sinensis. This study investigated the protective effect of silymarin pretreatment on deltamethrin-induced hepatopancreas injury in E.sinensis. Healthy crabs (n = 150) were randomly divided into five experimental groups: the control, a deltamethrin exposure group (Basal feed without silymarin), and three silymarin groups (addition of 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 g/kg diet to the basal feed). After 6 weeks of feeding (no deltamethrin exposure), the crabs were exposed to a deltamethrin concentration of 4.317 μg/L for 48 h. Histopathological results showed that the hepatopancreas remained relatively intact in the silymarin pretreatment groups. Furthermore, metabolites annotated by LC-MS were mainly enriched in signaling pathways related to cytochrome P450, terpenoid alkaloid biosynthesis and phospholipid metabolism. Silymarin at 0.1, 1.0 and/or 0.5 g/kg were significantly increased AKP, ACP, GSH activities and T-AOC levels, and significantly decreased AST, ALT, TNF-α, IL-6, NO, TC, MDA, CYP3A and CYP2E1 levels (P < 0.05). Silymarin at the concentation of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg could significantly up-regulated the expressions of immune-related genes (propo, alf3, crustin1, hsp70, hsp90, relish), anti-apoptotic gene (bcl-2), and significantly down-regulated the lipid metabolism-related genes (cpt1, srebp, acc) and apoptosis-related genes (caspase3, caspase8, p53, cyt-c) (P < 0.05). Silymarin at 0.5 and/or 1.0 g/kg significantly down-regulated the mRNA expression of inflammation-related genes (tnf-α, il-16) and drug metabolism-related genes (cyp2a, cyp2e1, cyp3a) (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate a good protective effect of 1.0 g/kg silymarin on deltamethrin-induced hepatopancreas injury induced by deltamethrin in a crustacean species.