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Polystyrene Microplastics Impair Intestinal Homeostasis in Juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus Through Oxidative Imbalance and Gut Microbiota Dysregulation
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Scientists found that microplastic pollution damages the gut health of juvenile horseshoe crabs, causing oxidative stress, weaker immune defenses, and an imbalance of gut bacteria (fewer good bacteria, more harmful ones), similar to gut dysbiosis linked to inflammation in humans. While this study was done in horseshoe crabs, not people, it adds to growing evidence that microplastics can disrupt gut health across species, raising concerns about what similar exposure might mean for human digestive and immune health.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous marine pollutants that pose increasing ecological risks, yet their effects on intestinal physiology and gut microbial homeostasis during the juvenile developmental stages of Tachypleus tridentatus remain unclear. In this study, fifth- and sixth-instar juveniles of T. tridentatus were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 6.0 μm polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs; 0, 10², and 10⁴ particles/L) for 7 and 21 days to investigate intestinal toxicity and its underlying mechanisms. Intestinal accumulation, oxidative stress, innate immune responses, and gut microbiota were comprehensively evaluated. PS-MPs exposure induced dose- and time-dependent alterations in superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, and lysozyme, indicating excessive oxidative stress, impaired antioxidant defense, and compromised innate immunity. Fifth-instar juveniles exhibited stronger oxidative stress and immune responses than sixth-instar individuals, suggesting higher susceptibility during earlier developmental stages. Gut microbiota analysis revealed pronounced dysbiosis, characterized by a reduced relative abundance of Firmicutes, enrichment of Proteobacteria, depletion of beneficial taxa (e.g., Lactococcus), and increased abundance of opportunistic bacteria, including Pseudomonas and members of Enterobacteriaceae. These physiological and microbial alterations collectively suggest that environmentally relevant PS-MPs impair intestinal homeostasis in juvenile T. tridentatus by inducing oxidative imbalance, modifying innate immune responses, and reshaping gut microbial communities, with clear instar- and exposure time-dependent effects. These findings highlighting the importance of developmental stages in ecological risk assessment for benthic arthropods.
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Polystyrene Microplastics Impair Intestinal Homeostasis in Juvenile Tachypleus tridentatus Through Oxidative Imbalance and Gut Microbiota Dysregulation
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) can harm the gut health of young horseshoe crabs, causing cell damage and throwing off the balance of good and bad bacteria in their intestines, with younger crabs affected more severely. While this study was done in horseshoe crabs, not humans, it adds to growing evidence that microplastics, which we're also exposed to through food and water, may disrupt gut bacteria and trigger oxidative stress, a process linked to inflammation and various health problems in animals broadly.
Polystyrene microplastics impede growth and induce behavioural toxicity in endangered juvenile horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus)
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Researchers exposed juvenile horseshoe crabs (Tachypleus tridentatus), an endangered species, to polystyrene microplastics and found significant growth retardation and behavioral abnormalities, raising concern that microplastic pollution may be contributing to population declines in this already threatened species.
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Scientists exposed young horseshoe crabs (an ancient marine species) to microplastics and found real damage: the plastic particles built up in their gills and gut, weakened digestion, thinned their intestinal walls, and messed up how they process fats and energy—and these problems didn't fully go away even after the plastic exposure stopped. This matters because it shows microplastics can cause lasting harm to marine life that filters or lives in polluted waters, a warning sign for the broader food chain and ecosystems humans depend on, including the seafood we eat.
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Researchers exposed juvenile horseshoe crabs to an antibiotic (norfloxacin) and polystyrene nanoparticles, finding that both pollutants disrupted gut microbiota composition and suppressed key metabolic pathways in the microbiome, while antioxidant defenses eventually compensated for initial oxidative stress after extended exposure.
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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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