Toxic Effect of Combined Exposure of Microplastics and Copper on Goldfish (Carassius auratus): Insight from Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Hepatopancreas and Intestine

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 109; no. 6; pp. 1029 - 1036
• Main Authors: Zhang, Cheng, Ye, Limin, Wang, Chi, Xiong, Xiaofan, Li, Yanyao, Li, Pengju, Zhang, Xiaotian, Yu, Haibo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.12.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accumulation; Apoptosis; Aquatic Pollution; Autophagy; bulls; Carassius auratus; Copper; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Exposure; Gene expression; goldfish; Heavy metals; Hepatopancreas; histology; Inflammation; Intestine; intestines; Microplastics; Organisms; Oxidative stress; Particle size; Plastic pollution; Pollution; Soil Science & Conservation; toxicity; Toxicology; Variance analysis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; MPs; Oxidative stress; Cu; Inflammation; Autophagy; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03585-5

The enhancement of the toxic effect of microplastics (MPs) on heavy metals and its mechanism needs more in-depth and systematic research. In this study, the copper (Cu) accumulation, histological injury, and expression of genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy of goldfish after single or combined exposure of MPs (1 mg/L) and Cu 2+ (0.1 mg/L) for 7 days were determined. The results demonstrated that MPs enhanced the Cu accumulation in hepatopancreas and intestine of goldfish and induced more severe oxidative stress in the hepatopancreas and intestine of goldfish. Additionally, combined exposure of MPs and Cu induced inflammation, excessive apoptosis and insufficient autophagy in the hepatopancreas. Contrary, the inflammation and apoptosis were depressed in the intestine after combined exposure of MPs and Cu, which still requires further exploration. Hence, these findings provide further evidence for the threat of MPs and its adsorbed heavy metals.