0
Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Sign in to save

Investigating Polystyrene Nano-Plastic Effects on Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Focusing on mRNA Expression: Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Lipid Metabolism Dynamics

Fishes 2024 7 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
K. Y. Zhang, Jing Chen, Yamin Wang, Mingshi Chen, Xiaoxue Bao, Xiaotong Chen, Shan Xie, Zhenye Lin, Yingying Yu

Summary

Researchers investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect the liver of largemouth bass, focusing on endoplasmic reticulum stress and fat metabolism. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted normal lipid processing and triggered stress responses in liver cells, altering the expression of genes involved in fat storage and energy regulation. The study suggests that nanoplastic pollution in freshwater environments may impair metabolic health in fish.

Polymers

Nano-plastics (NPs) have emerged as a pervasive global contaminant, posing significant threats to carnivorous fish, in recent years. The accumulation of polystyrene nano-plastics (PS-NPs) can cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. However, the concurrent impacts of PS-NPs on lipid metabolism and ER stress in largemouth bass have not been sufficiently investigated. To study this gap, we established a largemouth bass model exposed to PS-NPs in a culture environment. The exposure experiment focused on 100 μg/L PS-NPs (100 nm). Transcriptomics analysis revealed a significant enrichment of differentially expressed genes involved in a lipid metabolism pathway and ER process. The levels of biochemical parameters associated with lipid metabolism, including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, demonstrated that exposure to PS-NPs for nineteen days had an impact on lipid metabolism. Additionally, the expression levels of genes associated with fatty acid biosynthesis and ER stress exhibited a significant increase following exposure to PS-NPs for nineteen days, whereas these changes were not significant after a seven-day exposure period. The ER stress induced by PS-NPs exhibited a positive correlation with lipid metabolism disorder and the magnitude of damage caused by prolonged exposure to PS-NPs in largemouth bass. The present study provides novel insights into the health threats encountered by largemouth bass when exposed to NPs.

Sign in to start a discussion.

More Papers Like This

Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic Exposure at Environmental Concentrations Disrupts Hepatic Lipid Metabolism through Oxidative Stress Induction and Endoplasmic Reticulum Homeostasis Perturbation

A study in fish found that nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations accumulated in the liver and disrupted fat metabolism, causing a condition similar to fatty liver disease. Smaller nanoplastics (100 nanometers) caused more severe damage than larger microplastics by disrupting protein processing in cells and triggering oxidative stress. These findings raise concerns that nanoplastics in the environment could affect liver health in fish and potentially in humans who consume contaminated seafood.

Article Tier 2

Emerging microplastic and nanoplastic threats: Decoding winter survival mechanisms in hybrid groupers through hepatic metabolic disruption

Researchers explored how microplastics and nanoplastics of varying sizes affect hepatic lipid metabolism in hybrid grouper fish during winter overwintering periods. The study found that polystyrene particles disrupted lipid metabolism, caused oxidative stress, and altered gene expression in liver tissue, suggesting these pollutants may compromise fish survival during metabolically demanding cold seasons.

Article Tier 2

Transcriptome sequencing and metabolite analysis reveal the toxic effects of nanoplastics on tilapia after exposure to polystyrene

Researchers exposed larval tilapia to polystyrene nanoplastics and then analyzed changes in gene expression and metabolic profiles after a recovery period. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted immune-related pathways, energy metabolism, and lipid processing in the fish, with some effects persisting even after exposure ended. The study suggests that nanoplastics can cause lasting metabolic and immune disruptions in freshwater fish.

Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanospheres-induced hepatotoxicity in swamp eel (Monopterus albus): From biochemical, pathological and transcriptomic perspectives

Researchers exposed swamp eels to polystyrene nanoplastics for 28 days and found significant liver damage including oxidative stress, tissue abnormalities, and disrupted gene expression related to immune response and metabolism. Higher concentrations caused more severe liver injury, with changes detectable at both the biochemical and genetic levels. This study adds evidence that nanoplastic exposure can harm liver function in freshwater species important to aquaculture and local food supplies.

Article Tier 2

Long-Term Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Impairs the Liver Health of Medaka

Researchers found that three months of exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics caused significant liver damage in medaka fish, including oxidative stress, immune disruption, and altered gene expression related to lipid metabolism and detoxification pathways.

Share this paper