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Response and adaptation mechanisms of Apostichopus japonicus to single and combined anthropogenic stresses of polystyrene microplastics or cadmium
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Researchers examined how sea cucumbers respond to polystyrene microplastics, cadmium, and their combination over an extended exposure period. They found that combined exposure caused more severe effects on growth, immune function, and oxidative stress than either stressor alone, and that the animals activated specific molecular defense pathways. The study reveals that the interaction between microplastics and heavy metals in marine environments can create compounding stress on commercially and ecologically important species.
Microplastics (MPs) have become pervasive in marine ecosystems, exerting detrimental effects on marine life. The concurrent presence and interaction of MPs and heavy metals in aquatic environments could engender more insidious toxicological impacts. This study aimed to elucidate the potential impacts and underlying mechanisms of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs), cadmium (Cd), and their combined stress (MPs-Cd) on sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus). It focused on the growth, Cd bioaccumulation, oxidative stress responses, immunoenzymatic activities, and metabolic profiles, specifically considering PS-MPs sizes preferentially ingested by these organisms. The high-dose MPs (MH) treatment group exhibited an increase in cadmium bioavailability within the sea cucumbers. Exposure to PS-MPs or Cd triggered the activation of antioxidant defenses and immune responses. PS-MPs and Cd exhibited a synergistic effect on lysozyme (LZM) activity. A total of 149, 316, 211, 197, 215, 619, 434, and 602 differentially expressed metabolites were identified, distinguishing the low-dose MPs (ML), high-dose MPs (MH), low-dose Cd (LCd), low-dose MPs and low-dose Cd (MLLCd), high-dose MPs and low-dose Cd (MHLCd), high-dose Cd (HCd), low-dose MPs and high-dose Cd (MLHCd), high-dose MPs and high-dose Cd (MHHCd) groups, respectively. Metabolomic analyses revealed disruptions in lipid metabolism, nervous system function, signal transduction, and transport and catabolism pathways following exposure to PS-MPs, Cd, and MPs-Cd. Correlation analyses among key differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) underscored the interregulation among these metabolic pathways. These results offer new perspectives on the distinct and synergistic toxicological impacts of microplastics and cadmium on aquatic species, highlighting the complex interplay between environmental contaminants and their effects on marine life.
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Single and combined effects of microplastics and cadmium on the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus
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Researchers examined the individual and combined toxic effects of cadmium and microplastics on sea cucumbers. The study found that cadmium was the primary driver of negative effects including reduced growth, digestive enzyme suppression, and disruption of gut microbiota, but the presence of microplastics increased cadmium's toxicity when both pollutants were present at high concentrations.
Adverse effects of dietary virgin (nano)microplastics on growth performance, immune response, and resistance to ammonia stress and pathogen challenge in juvenile sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka)
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Dietary polystyrene nano- and microplastics significantly reduced growth in juvenile sea cucumbers, caused oxidative stress, and suppressed immune and ammonia detoxification responses, with 100 nm nanoplastics proving more toxic than 20 µm microplastics in a size-dependent manner.
Toxicological effects of micro/nanoplastics and benzo[a]pyrene on cellular and molecular responses of Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka, 1867) during intestinal regeneration
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Researchers exposed sea cucumbers to micro- and nanoplastics combined with a cancer-causing chemical (benzo[a]pyrene) and found that the combination slowed intestinal healing and caused more oxidative stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics were particularly harmful, disrupting protein-building processes in cells, while larger microplastics mainly affected fat metabolism. Since marine organisms are exposed to both plastic particles and chemical pollutants simultaneously, this study shows that the real-world health effects may be worse than what single-pollutant studies suggest.
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Adverse Effects of Co-Exposure to Cd and Microplastic in Tigriopus japonicus
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Researchers exposed the marine copepod Tigriopus japonicus to combined cadmium and polystyrene microplastic exposure using a full concentration-response design. Co-exposure increased toxicity compared to either contaminant alone, with effects on survival, reproduction, and development, indicating synergistic or additive interactions between cadmium and microplastics.
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