We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The toxic effects of exposure to fibrous and fragmented microplastic in juvenile rockfish based on two omics approach
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers fed juvenile rockfish two different shapes of PET microplastics (fibers versus fragments) and found that fibrous microplastics caused stronger inflammatory and oxidative stress responses than fragments. Both shapes affected the fish's immune system and liver metabolism, but through different biological pathways. Since fiber-shaped microplastics are the most common type found in the environment, these findings suggest that the real-world health impacts on fish and the humans who eat them may be greater than studies using only plastic fragments would predict.
Although the hazards of environmental microplastics (MPs) are well known, it is unclear which of their characteristics have the greatest effects on organism. We investigated the toxic effects of oral administration according to physical properties, including the shape of fragmented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (FrPET) and fibrous PET (FiPET) MPs. After 72 h of exposure, apoptosis and phagocytic activity varied significantly among juvenile rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) exposed to both FrPET and FiPET. The levels of immune-related genes and hepatic metabolic activity also increased after exposure to both shapes of MPs, but the variation in responses was greater in fish exposed to FiPET compared with those exposed to FrPET. The transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis results indicated that the maintenance and homeostasis of immune system was affected by oral exposure to FrPET and FiPET. The amino acid metabolic processes were identified in rockfish exposed to FrPET, but the notch signaling pathway were evident in the FiPET exposure group. Metabolomics analysis revealed that oral ingestion of MP fibers led to a stronger inflammatory response and greater oxidative stress in juvenile rockfish. These results can be used to understand environmentally dominant MP toxic effects such as type, size, shapes, as well as to prioritize ecotoxicological management.
More Papers Like This
A comparative study on juvenile Rockfish exposed to fragmented and fibrous PET(Polyethylene Terephthalate) microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study compared the toxic effects of fragmented versus fibrous PET microplastics on juvenile rockfish following oral administration, measuring apoptosis and immune activity after 72 hours. The shape of microplastics was found to influence the degree of cellular and immune toxicity, with different physical forms producing distinct harm.
A comparative study on juvenile Rockfish exposed to fragmented and fibrous PET(Polyethylene Terephthalate) microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This study compared the toxic effects of fragmented versus fibrous PET microplastics on juvenile rockfish through oral administration, examining apoptosis and immune cell activity after 72 hours. Results showed that particle shape influences the magnitude and nature of toxic responses in marine fish.
Particle Type- and Morphology-Associated Neurotoxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics via Divergent PPARγ Modulation in Zebrafish
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists exposed young zebrafish to two common types of plastic pollution, tiny round beads and tiny fibers, and found both harmed brain development and movement, but the fiber-shaped particles caused worse effects and got stuck in the gut longer. The two shapes even disrupted a key metabolism-related gene in opposite ways, meaning a drug that helped fix damage from round particles actually made things worse for fiber exposure. This suggests that not all microplastics are equally risky, and their shape, not just their chemical makeup, matters for understanding how they might affect health.
Effects of microfiber and bead microplastic exposure in the goldfish Carassius auratus: Bioaccumulation, antioxidant responses, and cell damage
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed goldfish to two types of microplastics, fibers and beads, and found that both caused oxidative stress in the liver and kidney, with fiber-type microplastics generally producing stronger effects. The microplastics accumulated in fish tissues and triggered changes in antioxidant gene expression and cell damage over the five-day exposure period. The findings suggest that the shape of microplastics matters for their biological impact, with fibers potentially being more harmful than beads.
Integrated multi-tissue analysis reveals distinct oxidative and metabolic reprogramming in response to contrasting microplastics in Mytilus coruscus
AI summary Read the abstract
Mussels exposed to two common types of microplastics, tiny beads and fibers, responded very differently: fiber-shaped plastics got stuck in gill tissue and caused lasting cell damage, while bead-shaped plastics were more easily processed and mainly triggered the mussel's energy systems to compensate. This matters because mussels and other shellfish are widely eaten by humans, and since fibers (a very common form of real-world plastic pollution from clothing and textiles) seem to linger longer and cause more harm, it suggests the shape of microplastics, not just their presence, could affect how much ends up in our seafood and
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.