We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Exploring the mechanisms of neurotoxic effects from combined exposure to polystyrene and microcystin-LR in Caenorhabditis elegans
Summary
Researchers studied the combined neurotoxic effects of polystyrene microplastics and the cyanotoxin microcystin-LR in an animal model, finding synergistic damage to brain tissue through oxidative stress and neuroinflammation pathways beyond what either contaminant caused alone.
Microplastics (MPs) are newly emerged pollutants found in water and soil, while microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is often detected in drinking water and water products, both posing serious threats to aquatic environment and food safety. MPs can serve as carriers of MC-LR. These pollutants are often found together, rather than separately. This study focused on assessing the neurotoxicity of co-exposure to MC-LR and PS in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) after combined exposure to these two pollutants. Exposure to varying concentrations of polystyrene (PS) and MC-LR individually caused a dose-dependent decrease in the locomotion behaviors of C. elegans. Exposure to either of these substances alone caused damage to the phenotypic indicators of the C. elegans. To further explore the additional damage caused by the combined exposure of PS and MC-LR, the low, medium, and high combined dose groups were selected based on the locomotion behaviors and survival results. Combined exposure increased the level of oxidative stress indicators and resulted in neuronal loss. It also reduced serotonin, glutamate, GABA, and dopamine neurotransmitters levels, without affecting cholinergic neurons. The expression of neurotransmitter-related genes also decreased. The high-dose group showed the most significant effects. This article is the first to study the combined effect of PS and MC-LR on C. elegans nervous systems, offering novel insights into the risks posed by co-occurring contaminants and their implications for aquatic ecosystems and food safety.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Combinational effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanopolystyrene particles at environmentally relevant concentrations on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers exposed the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to environmentally realistic concentrations of both titanium dioxide nanoparticles and nanopolystyrene simultaneously, finding that nanoplastics enhanced the toxicity of the metal oxide particles, worsening locomotion impairment and gut oxidative stress beyond what either pollutant caused alone.
The joint effects of nanoplastics and TBBPA on neurodevelopmental toxicity inCaenorhabditis elegans
Researchers used the model organism C. elegans to study the combined neurodevelopmental effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the flame retardant TBBPA. The study found that combined exposure produced synergistic harmful effects including reduced survival, impaired movement, oxidative stress, and dopaminergic neuron loss, with specific genes related to neurodegenerative pathways playing key roles in the observed toxicity.
Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR aggravated male reproductive toxicity in mice
Researchers found that exposing mice to a combination of polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR, a toxin produced by algae, caused more severe damage to male reproductive organs than either pollutant alone. The microplastics increased the amount of the toxin that accumulated in testicular tissue. The study suggests that the interaction between microplastics and other environmental contaminants may amplify reproductive health risks.
Synergistic reproductive toxicity of microcystin-LR and polystyrene micro/nano-plastics in male zebrafish.
Male zebrafish exposed to both microcystin-LR and polystyrene micro/nano-plastics showed synergistic reproductive toxicity, with co-exposure more severely impairing sperm quality, testicular structure, and reproductive hormones than either contaminant alone. The study underscored the ecological risk posed by the co-occurrence of cyanotoxins and microplastics in aquatic environments.
Adsorption behavior and neurotoxic synergy of thallium and polystyrene microplastics in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics and the toxic metal thallium interact and affect the nervous system of the roundworm C. elegans. They found that the microplastics adsorbed thallium and that the combined exposure produced worse neurotoxic effects than either pollutant alone. The study highlights how microplastics can act as carriers for other environmental toxins, amplifying their harmful effects on living organisms.