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Microplastic-induced gut dysbiosis and metabolic alterations in juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax): A multi-omics approach
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Scientists found that when sea bass (a fish we eat) were exposed to real-world microplastic particles collected from the environment, it triggered inflammation, cell damage, and disrupted energy metabolism in their gut, while also killing off beneficial gut bacteria and letting pollution-tolerant bacteria take over. While this study was done in fish, not humans, it matters because it shows that microplastics—which are now found throughout our food chain and environment—can meaningfully disrupt gut health and the microbiome, raising questions about similar effects in people who consume seafood or are otherwise exposed to these particles.
Environmental microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as emerging contaminants with the potential to disrupt intestinal homeostasis in marine organisms. However, most experimental evidence is based on pristine particles rather than environmentally weathered forms. This study investigated the intestinal effects of environmentally derived microplastics (EMPs) in juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using an integrated multi-omics approach. Fish were exposed for five days to two concentrations of EMPs (0.5 and 1 mg/kg of feed), followed by analyses combining histological, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and metagenomic endpoints. EMP exposure led to significant particle accumulation in gut tissues, predominantly consisting of small polyethylene fragments. Gene expression and immunofluorescence analyses revealed activation of p53 and Caspase-3 mediated apoptosis together with NF-κB and IL-6 driven inflammatory signalling, indicating concurrent oxidative and immune stress. Untargeted metabolomics identified marked alterations in lipid metabolism, redox regulation, and amino acid turnover, consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired energy homeostasis. Parallel metagenomic profiling revealed subtle but coherent shifts in gut bacterial communities, with enrichment of pollutant-tolerant taxa such as Acidovorax and Halioglobus and reduction of beneficial commensals such as Ligilactobacillus. Multi-omics data integration demonstrated a coordinated restructuring of microbial and metabolic networks underlying host physiological stress. Collectively, these findings highlight the intestine as a primary target of microplastic toxicity and provide mechanistic insight into early biological responses to environmentally realistic microplastic exposure in marine fish.
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Scientists exposed filter-feeding fish to environmentally realistic levels of microplastics and found that the particles reshaped gut bacteria communities, which in turn altered the fish's liver metabolism through changes in amino acid processing. This gut-microbiome-to-organ connection matters because it shows microplastics may affect human health not just through direct toxicity but by disrupting the beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems.
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Scientists fed rainbow trout tiny plastic particles (from two common plastics, PE and PS) for six weeks and found real damage: gut bacteria balance was disrupted, digestive enzymes were suppressed, and stress and immune responses ramped up, effects that got worse with higher plastic doses. This matters because fish are a major food source and gut health, and this study shows microplastics can quietly harm digestion and immunity even without causing obvious, immediate illness, raising questions about what similar low-level exposure might do to other animals, including humans, over time.
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Researchers investigated how polypropylene microplastics, alone and combined with chemical pollutants, affect the gut health and microbiome of European sea bass. They found that microplastic ingestion altered the gut microbial community composition and that combined exposure with pollutants amplified the harmful effects. The study suggests that microplastics may serve as carriers for toxic chemicals, compounding their impact on fish health and potentially affecting seafood safety.
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics for 21 days and found significant intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of both the gut microbiome and metabolic processes. The microplastics altered the balance of beneficial and harmful gut bacteria and changed the levels of key metabolites involved in energy and amino acid metabolism. The study provides detailed evidence that microplastic ingestion can cause widespread disruption to gut health in aquatic organisms.
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Researchers fed European sea bass diets containing virgin and pollutant-contaminated PVC microplastic pellets for 90 days and examined the effects on their intestines. They found moderate tissue damage and increased mucus cell activity in fish exposed to both types of microplastics, with pollutant-laden particles causing the most pronounced changes. The study provides early evidence that chronic microplastic ingestion can alter gut health in commercially important fish species.
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