Dietary polystyrene nanoplastics exposure alters hepatic glycolipid metabolism, triggering inflammatory responses and apoptosis in Monopterus albus

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 891; p. 164460
• Main Authors: Zhu, Chenxi, Zhou, Wenzong, Han, Mingming, Yang, Ying, Li, Yiming, Jiang, Qichen, Lv, Weiwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.09.2023
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Aquatic; Ecosystem; Glycolipid metabolism; Inflammatory; Lipid Metabolism; Liver; Microplastics; Monopterus albus; Nanoparticles - toxicity; Nanoplastics; Oxidative stress; Plastics; Polystyrenes - toxicity; Smegmamorpha; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Inflammatory; Monopterus albus; Oxidative stress; Glycolipid metabolism; Aquatic; Nanoplastics
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164460

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs and NPs) are abundant, persistent, and widespread environmental pollutants that are of increasing concern as they pose a serious threat to ecosystems and aquatic species. Identifying the ecological effects of NPs pollution requires understanding the effects of changing nanoplastics concentrations in aquatic organisms. Monopterus albus were orally fed three different concentrations of 100 nm polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs): 0.05 %, 0.5 %, and 1 % of the feed for 28 days. Nanoplastics significantly activated the PPAR signaling pathway, Acyl-CoA oxidase 1 (ACOX1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1A), angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) at the mRNA level, resulting in disturbed lipid metabolism. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly elevated in the high nanoplastics-feeding exposure group, leading to oxidative stress in the liver. Overexpression of the cytokines genes Interleukin 1 (IL1B) and Interleukin-8 (IL8), Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), activation of MAPK signaling pathway, and increased gene expression of c-Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38 indicate that exposure to NPs may lead to hepatopancreas apoptosis through oxidative stress and inflammation. In summary, dietary PS-NPs exposure alters hepatic glycolipid metabolism, triggering inflammatory responses and apoptosis in M. albus. The results of this study provide valuable ecotoxicological data for a better understanding of the biological fate and effects of nanoplastics in M. albus. [Display omitted] •Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics increased antioxidant enzyme activity in the hepatopancreas.•Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics disrupting lipid metabolism•Polystyrene nanoplastics activate MAPK pathways leading to apoptosis and inflammation.