Unraveling the mechanism of quercetin alleviating perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced apoptosis in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) hepatocytes: AMPK/mTOR-mediated mitophagy

•The innovation of this study is to explore the interaction between PFOS and QU for the first time.•PFOS induces oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis.•QU has antagonistic effect on a series of damages of L8824 cells induced by PFOS.•The protective effect of QU is achieved by interacting with AMPK and regulating mitophagy.