The sublethal effects of silver nanoparticles on metabolic and antioxidant enzymes levels of Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

In the present study, white-leg shrimp postlarvae were exposed for 21 days with sublethal concentrations of silver nanoparticles containing treatment 1: (%10 LC₅₀ (0.39 mg/L AgNP), treatment 2: (%25 LC₅₀ (0.97 mg/L AgNP), Treatment 3: (%50 LC₅₀ (1.95 mg/L AgNP)and treatment 4: (%75 LC₅₀ (2.92 mg/L AgNP) and one treatment was considerd as control treatment. during 21 days. At the end of the experiment, gill, muscle and hepatopancreas tissue samples were samples to measure changes in levels of metabolic and antioxidant enzymes. According to the results, the enzyme activity of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in hepatopancreas and gills showed a significant increase compared to the control (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in muscle (p>0.05). Alkaline phosphatase activity was only decreasing in hepatopancreas, which was significantly higher than control (p < 0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase level was not significantly different in all tissues (p>0.05). Among the antioxidant enzymes, the activity of superoxide dismutase in hepatopancreas and gills showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) compared to control, but glutathione peroxidase had no significant difference (p>0.05). The level of glutathione S-transferase was increased only in hepatoconal tissue and in treatment 4 significantly (p < 0.05). The level of glutathione S-transferase was increased only in hepatopancreas tissue and in treatment 4 significantly (p < 0.05). Overall, results showed that shrimp exposure to high concentrations of silver nanoparticles causes oxidative damage, especially in the hepatopancrease tissue.