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The Role of Nanocurcumin in Nanoplastics-Induced Pathological Alterations in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Summary
Tiny plastic particles in water (nanoplastics) harmed the growth, liver, gut, and gills of farmed bass, raising concerns about the ripple effects of plastic pollution on the seafood we eat. Researchers tested curcumin (a compound from turmeric) as a possible fix and found it helped reduce some of the damage—like liver and gut problems—but didn't protect the fish's gills and even caused some gill irritation on its own. This suggests turmeric-based supplements might one day help farmed fish cope with plastic pollution, but more research is needed before it's a reliable solution.
Nanoplastics (NPs) are emerging aquatic pollutants that may threaten farmed fish health. This study evaluated whether dietary nanocurcumin (NCUR) modulates NP-associated biological disturbances in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). A total of 480 fish (initial weight 11.52 ± 0.02 g) were assigned to four treatments for 21 days: control, 0.2% NCUR, 100 μg/L NPs, and 0.2% NCUR + 100 μg/L NPs. NP exposure significantly reduced growth and feed intake (p < 0.05) and was accompanied by gill, hepatic and intestinal tissue alterations, disturbed serum lipid parameters, changes in hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities, and altered mRNA expression of antioxidant- and metabolism-related genes. Dietary NCUR was associated with partial modulation of several NP-associated responses, including hepatic and intestinal structural alterations, serum lipid changes, adaptive antioxidant enzyme responses, and transcriptional changes in Nrf2/Keap1- and SIRT1/FoxO1-associated genes. However, NCUR did not alleviate NPs-induced gill damage, and NCUR alone also caused branchial histopathological alterations. Therefore, 0.2% NCUR may partially mitigate selected NPs-induced disturbances in M. salmoides, but its independent effects, branchial safety, and pathway-level mechanisms require further investigation.