Impact of environmental concentrations of beta-cypermethrin on the antioxidant system in the brain and liver of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Beta-cypermethrin (beta-CYP) is a widely used pyrethroid pesticide, the extensive application of which may potentially cause damage to non-target organisms. To investigate the effect of beta-CYP on the antioxidant system of aquatic animals, adult zebrafish were exposed to environmentally relevant dosages (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 μg/L) of beta-CYP. The activities of four antioxidant enzymes in zebrafish liver and brain tissue were tested after 7, 15 and 30 days of exposure. Our results showed that exposure of beta-CYP could induce different levels of increase in hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities at 7 and 15 days post exposure (dpe), but caused apparent inhibition of hepatic SOD, GR and GPx activities at 30 dpe. Unlike in liver tissue, SOD and CAT activities in zebrafish brain did not show any apparent response to beta-CYP during the whole treatment period. In addition, increased brain GPx activities were observed at 7 and 30 dpe.