We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Double trouble for spermatogenesis: Polystyrene nanoplastics aggravate microcystin-LR toxicity by hijacking mitochondrial function in zebrafish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed male zebrafish to a toxic algae compound alone or combined with tiny plastic particles to study effects on sperm production. When both pollutants were present together, the plastic particles made the toxin's damage worse by interfering with how cells produce energy, which then disrupted the genetic instructions for making sperm. The study shows that two pollutants together can cause greater harm than either one alone.
Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is a cyanobacterial toxin with demonstrated reproductive toxicity and frequently released during harmful algal blooms. In aquatic environments, MCLR is often present with polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs). However, the combined effects of these two pollutants on male reproduction and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To address this gap, adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to MCLR alone at 0, 2.4, and 24 μg/L or co-exposed with 100 μg/L PSNPs to investigate the effects of PSNPs on MCLR-induced spermatogenic impairment. We found that co-exposure with PSNPs exacerbated MCLR-induced spermatogenic impairment in zebrafish by increasing testicular MCLR accumulation and aggravating sperm defects. Transcriptomic profiling and subsequent functional analyses revealed that co-exposure broadly disrupted mitochondrial energy metabolism, particularly impairing both the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, leading to compromised ATP production and elevated reactive oxygen species levels. Notably, the observed metabolic disruption was accompanied by reduced levels of the TCA cycle metabolite α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), decreased TET enzyme activity, and altered DNA methylation patterns of spermatogenesis-related genes, suggesting a potential link between mitochondrial metabolic disturbance and epigenetic dysregulation that may contribute to spermatogenic impairment. These findings uncover the carrier effect of PSNPs in enhancing MCLR reproductive toxicity and reveal a novel mechanism connecting mitochondrial metabolic disturbance to epigenetic dysregulation. Our study elucidates the joint reproductive toxicity of environmental pollutants and underscores the importance of considering mixture effects in ecological risk assessment.
More Papers Like This
Polystyrene microplastics enhance the microcystin-LR-induced gonadal damage and reproductive endocrine disruption in zebrafish
AI summary Read the abstract
Zebrafish exposed to polystyrene microplastics along with microcystin-LR (a common toxin from algae blooms) suffered worse reproductive damage than when exposed to either pollutant alone. The microplastics acted as carriers that increased the amount of toxin accumulating in the fish's reproductive organs. This study demonstrates that microplastics can worsen the effects of other water pollutants by helping toxic chemicals build up in the body.
Co-exposure to polystyrene microplastics and microcystin-LR aggravated male reproductive toxicity in mice
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Polystyrene microplastics enhance microcystin-LR-induced cardiovascular toxicity and oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos
AI summary Read the abstract
Zebrafish embryos exposed to both microplastics and microcystin-LR (a toxin produced by algal blooms) developed significantly worse heart and blood vessel damage than those exposed to the toxin alone. The microplastics amplified oxidative stress and cell death, suggesting that in polluted waterways where both contaminants coexist, the combined health risks may be greater than either one individually.
Effects of combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and 17α-Methyltestosterone on the reproductive system of zebrafish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics combined with a synthetic hormone (17-alpha-methyltestosterone) and found that the combination caused more severe reproductive damage than either substance alone. The co-exposure reduced mature egg and sperm production, disrupted hormone-related gene expression, and lowered reproductive hormone levels. This suggests that microplastics can make the effects of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment worse, which is concerning for both wildlife and human reproductive 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.