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Special Distribution of Nanoplastics in the Central Nervous System of Zebrafish during Early Development
Summary
Researchers injected fluorescent nanoplastics into zebrafish embryos and found the particles became trapped in the brain, eyes, and spinal cord during early development and stayed there rather than moving to other organs. Although the nanoplastics did not embed directly in nerve cells, they still disrupted brain signaling and reduced larval movement, suggesting early-life nanoplastic exposure could interfere with nervous system development.
There is growing concern about the distribution of nanoplastics (NPs) in the central nervous system (CNS), whereas intrusion is poorly understood. In this study, fluorescent-labeled polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) were microinjected into different areas of zebrafish embryo to mimic different routes of exposure. PS-NPs were observed in the brain, eyes, and spinal cord through gametal exposure. It indicated that maternally derived PS-NPs were specially distributed in the CNS of zebrafish during early development. Importantly, these NPs were stranded in the CNS but not transferred to other organs during development. Furthermore, using neuron GFP-labeled transgenic zebrafish, colocalization between NPs and the neuron cells revealed that NPs were mostly enriched in the CNS surrounded but not the neurons. Even so, the intrusion of NPs into the CNS induced the significant upregulation of some neurotransmitter receptors, leading to an inhibited effect on the movement of zebrafish larvae. This work provides insights into understanding the intrusion and distribution of NPs in the CNS and the subsequent potential adverse effects.