Pesticides-induced cellular toxicity in the spinal cord cell line of Lates calcarifer

The extensive use of commercial pesticide formulations, often containing multiple active ingredients, has raised growing concerns about their potential environmental and human health impacts. Among the most widely applied pesticides are imidacloprid (IMI), λ-cyhalothrin (LCT), deltamethrin (DMN), and thiamethoxam (TMX). This study investigated the cytotoxic effects of acute exposure to commercial formulations of these compounds on a seabass spinal cord (SBSC) cell line. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT and Neutral Red (NR) uptake assays, in conjunction with assessments of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, plasma membrane staining, lysosomal acidity, fluorescence-based cellular labelling, and effects on neurite-like outgrowth. Effective concentrations (EC₁₀ and EC₅₀) were determined for each pesticide, demonstrating that even low-dose exposure (EC₁₀) significantly disrupted neurite-like outgrowth in SBSC cells. These findings suggest that low-level pesticide exposure may pose a substantial risk to neurodevelopment.