Impact of fluoxetine exposure on Lymnaea stagnalis and its developing eggs: integrating untargeted lipidomics, targeted metabolomics, and classical risk assessment

TL;DR

This study explores how fluoxetine, an antidepressant, affects freshwater snails and their eggs, using multiple analytical methods to uncover potential risks in aquatic environments.

Contribution

The study integrates untargeted lipidomics, targeted metabolomics, and classical risk assessment to reveal fluoxetine's effects on Lymnaea stagnalis.

Findings

Fluoxetine exposure impaired egg development in a dose-dependent manner, reducing hatching rates with an EC50 of 126 µg L⁻¹.

Molecular analysis revealed neurochemical and lipidomic alterations, including elevated catecholamines and disrupted lipid classes in the CNS and albumen gland.

Egg removal from contaminated environments partially reversed developmental effects, suggesting potential recovery if fluoxetine levels decrease.

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are increasingly detected in aquatic environments, posing potential risks to non-target organisms, because many of those substances are widely shared neuromodulator. In this study, we investigated the effects of SSRI antidepressant, namely, fluoxetine, exposure on the freshwater snail L. stagnalis, focusing on egg development, neurochemical pathways, and lipid metabolism. Snails were exposed to a range of 51–434 µg fluoxetine L⁻1 for 7 days, followed by analysis of survival, feeding behaviour, reproduction, and metabolomic changes in the central nervous system (CNS), albumen gland, and eggs. Although no significant effects were observed on survival or fecundity, fluoxetine exposure significantly impaired egg development in a dose-dependent manner, reducing hatching rates with an EC50 of 126 µg fluoxetine L⁻1. Removal of eggs from the contaminated environment partially reversed these developmental effects, suggesting potential recovery if fluoxetine levels decrease. Molecular analysis revealed several neurochemical and lipidomic alterations. In the CNS, elevated levels of catecholamines, phosphatidylcholines (PC), and ceramides were linked to disruptions in neurotransmission, membrane integrity, and impaired embryo development. In the albumen gland, we detected a decrease of key lipid classes, including sphingomyelins and fatty acids, which can be linked with impaired egg quality. Additionally, a decrease in histamine in both the albumen gland and eggs suggested further disruption of egg development, potentially affecting metamorphosis success. Moreover, the dose-dependent increase in choline, along with PC and oxidized PC, indicated oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the CNS and exposed eggs of Lymnaea stagnalis. Our findings highlight the benefits of combining behavioral assessments with metabolomic profiling to better understand the mechanistic pathways underlying fluoxetine’s adverse effects.

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