We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Tire wear particle leachate-induced hepatotoxicity in Carassius auratus: Associations with gut microbiota dysbiosis and lipid metabolism disorder
AI summary Read the abstract
Chemicals leaching from tire wear particles (tiny bits of rubber that wash off roads into waterways) caused liver damage, gut bacteria imbalances, and disrupted fat metabolism in fish exposed to environmentally realistic levels over 28 days. While this study was done in fish, not humans, it's a warning sign worth watching, tire particles are a widespread and growing pollutant in our water systems, and this research suggests they could harm the health of aquatic life we may eventually eat or interact with, making it worth understanding how these hidden pollutants move through the environment.
Tire wear particles (TWPs), which are increasingly released into aquatic environments, pose a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Clarifying the hepatotoxic effects and mechanisms of TWP leachate is important for aquatic health protection. In this study, crucian carp (Carassius auratus) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of TWP leachate for 28 days to investigate its hepatotoxic effects and potential mechanisms. The results revealed that TWP leachate exposure led to zinc accumulation in the intestine and liver. Additionally, we found that TWP leachate exposure significantly increased the hepatosomatic index, accompanied by hepatic necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, weakened antioxidant defense. Meanwhile, TWP leachate exposure induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, as characterized by reduced beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Roseburia) and enriched opportunistic pathogens (Aeromonas, Mycobacterium). Furthermore, TWP leachate exposure also perturbed hepatic glycerophospholipid metabolism, fatty acid degradation, and AMPK/PPAR signaling. Transcriptome sequencing and qPCR analysis demonstrated that TWP leachate suppressed AMPK/PPAR signaling, upregulated lipogenic genes (FAS, ACC1), and activated inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β) in the liver. Collectively, this study suggests that TWP leachate-induced hepatotoxicity was highly associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and AMPK/PPAR-related disruption of lipid metabolism in crucian carp. Our study provides new mechanistic insights for the ecotoxicological risks posed by chemical mixtures released from TWPs in aquatic ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
Metabolomics reveals lipid metabolic disruption in frogs exposed to tire wear particle leachates
AI summary Read the abstract
Chemicals that leach out of tire particles (tiny bits of rubber worn off tires that wash into waterways) caused frogs' livers to build up excess fat and disrupted how their cells produce energy. While this study was done in frogs rather than humans, it adds to growing evidence that tire particle pollution, now widespread in water, soil, and air, may affect liver and metabolic health in animals, raising questions about what similar exposures could mean for people.
Divergent impacts of leached versus pristine tire wear particles on zebrafish: From physiological stress to gut microbiota dysbiosis
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed zebrafish to tire wear particles that had been leached with water or methanol to remove chemical extractables, finding that leaching shifts the primary hazard from acute chemical toxicity toward chronic tissue damage and gut microbiome dysbiosis — with methanol-leached particles causing the most severe injury and collapsing gut microbial diversity by over 60%.
Size-dependent ecotoxicological impacts of tire wear particles on zebrafish physiology and gut microbiota: Implications for aquatic ecosystem health
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that tire wear particles, a major but often overlooked source of microplastic pollution, affect zebrafish health differently depending on particle size. Smaller particles caused more severe gut microbiome disruption, oxidative stress, and immune responses, suggesting that tire-derived microplastics in waterways may pose a greater health risk to aquatic life than previously recognized.
The Toxicity of Tire Wear Particles and Their Leachates on Digestion and Gut Microbiota of Mytilus coruscus
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny bits of tire rubber that wash into the ocean—along with the chemicals that leach out of them—harmed mussels by causing cell damage, disrupting digestion, and throwing off the balance of healthy gut bacteria, with the actual particles causing more harm than the chemicals alone. Since mussels and other shellfish are commonly eaten by humans, this research is an early warning sign that tire pollution in our waterways could work its way into our food and potentially affect our own digestive health.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.