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Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on antioxidant and immune genes in mussels
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Researchers studied the combined toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin on mussels, focusing on genes related to antioxidant defense and immune function. They found that the mixture of both contaminants produced more severe disruptions to gene expression than either substance alone, indicating a synergistic toxic effect. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of nanoplastics and antibiotics in marine environments may pose compounding risks to shellfish health.
Nanoplastics (NPs) and antibiotics (ABs) are two of the emerging marine contaminants that have drawn the most attention in recent years. Given the necessity of figuring out the effects of plastic and antibiotic contamination on marine organism life and population in the natural environment, it is essential to apply rapid and effective biological indicators to evaluate their comprehensive toxic effects. In this study, using mussel (Mytilus coruscus) as a model, we investigated the combined toxic effects of NP (80 nm polystyrene beads) and AB (Norfloxacin, NOR) at environmental-relevant concentrations on antioxidant and immune genes. In terms of the antioxidant genes, NPs significantly increased the relative expression of Cytochrome P450 3A-1 (CYP3A-1) under various concentrations of NOR conditions, but they only significantly increased the relative expression of CYP3A-2 in the high concentration (500 μg L NOR) co-exposure group. In the NP-exposure group which exposed to no or low concentrations of NOR, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was upregulated. In terms of the immune genes, interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) -1 showed a significant increase in the low-concentration NOR group while a significant inhibition in the high-concentration NOR group. Due to the presence of NPs, exposure to NOR resulted in a significant increase in both IRAK-4 and heat shock protein (HSP) 70. Our findings indicate that polystyrene NPs can exacerbate the effects of NOR on the anti-oxidant and immune defense performance of mussels. This study delves into the toxic effects of NPs and ABs from a molecular perspective. Given the expected increase in environmental pollution due to NPs and ABs, future research is needed to investigate the potential synergistic effect of NPs and ABs on other organisms.
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Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on mussel: Leveraging biochemical parameters and gut microbiota
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Researchers exposed mussels to nanoplastics and the antibiotic norfloxacin, both alone and together, and found that the combination caused greater biochemical stress than either pollutant alone. Nanoplastics appeared to carry the antibiotic into mussel tissues, increasing its bioavailability and impact on gut microbiota. The findings suggest that nanoplastics can amplify the toxicity of other contaminants in marine organisms.
Microplastics aggravate the bioaccumulation of three veterinary antibiotics in the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus and induce synergistic immunotoxic effects
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Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with three common veterinary antibiotics in thick shell mussels. The study found that when microplastics and antibiotics were present together, mussels accumulated significantly more antibiotics in their tissues and suffered worse immune damage than from either pollutant alone. This synergistic effect included reduced immune cell counts, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted immune gene expression, suggesting that microplastic pollution may amplify the harmful effects of antibiotic contamination in coastal waters.
Unraveling the toxic trio: Combined effects of thifluzamide, enrofloxacin, and microplastics on Mytilus coruscus
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Researchers examined the combined effects of the pesticide thifluzamide, the antibiotic enrofloxacin, and polystyrene microplastics on mussels over four weeks. They found that co-exposure increased the accumulation of both chemicals in mussel tissue and worsened oxidative damage, neurotoxicity, and metabolic disruption compared to single exposures. The study suggests that the presence of microplastics in waterways can amplify the harmful effects of pesticides and antibiotics on edible shellfish.
Potential genotoxicity impacts of a co-exposure of polypropylene microplastic and antibiotics to freshwater pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii (Lea, 1852)
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Researchers assessed the genotoxic effects of combined polypropylene microplastic and antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole and oxytetracycline) exposure in freshwater pearl mussels. Co-exposure produced greater DNA damage and oxidative stress than either contaminant alone, indicating synergistic genotoxicity in this commercially important species.
The combined effects of phenanthrene and micro-/nanoplastics mixtures on the cellular stress responses of the thick-shell mussel Mytilus coruscus
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Scientists exposed thick-shell mussels to a combination of micro- and nanoplastics along with a common pollutant (phenanthrene) to study their combined effects. The mixtures caused more severe immune cell damage, increased oxidative stress, and stronger inflammatory responses than either pollutant alone. Evidence indicates that micro- and nanoplastics can worsen the toxic effects of organic pollutants in marine shellfish.
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