Microplastics induce intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disorders of metabolome and microbiome in zebrafish

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 662; pp. 246 - 253
• Main Authors: Qiao, Ruxia, Sheng, Cheng, Lu, Yifeng, Zhang, Yan, Ren, Hongqiang, Lemos, Bernardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.04.2019
• Subjects: animals; biomarkers; Danio rerio; Gut; histology; inflammation; intestinal microorganisms; intestines; lipid metabolism; metabolome; Metabolomics; Microbiome; Microplastics; oxidative stress; polystyrenes; Zebrafish; Metabolomics; Zebrafish; Microplastics; Gut; Microbiome
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.245

Microplastics (MPs) can be ingested by a variety of species and mainly accumulate in the gut. However, the consequences of MPs exposure in the gut are largely unknown. Here we evaluated the impacts of MPs exposure in zebrafish gut. Animals were experimentally exposed to polystyrene MPs (5-μm beads; 50 μg/L and 500 μg/L) for 21 days and monitored for alterations in tissue histology, enzymatic biomarkers, gut microbiome and metabolomic responses. Inflammation and oxidative stress were observed in the zebrafish gut after exposed to MPs. Furthermore, significant alterations in the gut microbiome and tissue metabolic profiles were observed, with most of these were associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and lipid metabolism. This study provides evidence that MPs exposure causes gut damage as well as alterations in gut metabolome and microbiome, yielding novel insights into the consequences of MPs exposure. [Display omitted] •MPs induced inflammation and oxidative stress in zebrafish gut.•MPs induced significant alterations in the metabolome and microbiome of zebrafish gut.•Most the metabolic and microbial alterations were associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and lipid metabolism.