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Aged microplastics change the toxicological mechanism of roxithromycin on Carassius auratus: Size-dependent interaction and potential long-term effects
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Researchers studied how different sizes of aged microplastics (0.5, 5, and 50 micrometers) affect the toxicity of the antibiotic roxithromycin in goldfish. The study found that microplastics promoted antibiotic accumulation in tissues in a size-dependent manner, with smaller particles worsening liver and brain damage while larger particles caused more intestinal damage, and also altered gut microbiota composition.
Size effects of microplastics have received extensive attention for their influence on other pollutants and harm to organisms. In this study, we investigated the uptake, elimination, tissue distribution and potential toxicity mechanism of roxithromycin (ROX) in the presence of 0.5, 5 and 50 μm of aged microplastics (AMPs) in Carassius auratus. The results showed that AMPs promoted the ROX bioaccumulation of various tissues in a size-dependent manner. AMPs and ROX significantly induced superoxide dismutase and catalase activities of liver and gut, and inhibited acetylcholinesterase activities of brain. The coexistence of smaller AMPs exacerbated pathological abnormalities in liver, gill and brain induced by ROX, while larger AMPs caused more intestinal damage. Moreover, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that the abundance of Proteobacteria in 0.5 μm AMPs and ROX joint treatments and Firmicutes and Bacteroidota in 50 μm AMPs and ROX joint treatments were significantly raised (p < 0.05). Metabolomics revealed that AMPs and ROX had a size-dependent long-term effect on gut microbial metabolites, which was mainly related to galactose metabolism, amino acid metabolism and primary bile acid biosynthesis pathways after a 7-day elimination, respectively. These results provide important insights into the relationship between the size effect of AMPs and interaction mechanism of AMPs and coexisting pollutants on aquatic organisms.
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Metagenomic analysis explores the interaction of aged microplastics and roxithromycin on gut microbiota and antibiotic resistance genes of Carassius auratus
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Researchers examined how aged polystyrene microplastics interact with the antibiotic roxithromycin in the gut of goldfish using metagenomic analysis. They found that aging enhanced the microplastics' ability to carry and release the antibiotic, leading to greater intestinal inflammation and disruption of gut microbial communities. The combined exposure also selectively enriched antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting that aged microplastics may amplify the ecological risks of antibiotic pollution.
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Unraveling the mechanism of brain damage in Carassius auratus by polypropylene microplastics and oxytetracycline via the brain-gut-microbiota axis
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Researchers investigated how polypropylene microplastics and the antibiotic oxytetracycline together affect the brain-gut-microbiota axis of goldfish at environmentally realistic levels. They found that microplastics acted as carriers for the antibiotic, leading to significantly higher accumulation in the brain and intestine, worsening inflammation and suppressing key neurotransmitter enzymes. The study suggests that co-exposure to microplastics and antibiotics can trigger nervous system disruption through the gut-brain connection.
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Size-dependent effects of microplastic on uptake, immune system, related gene expression and histopathology of goldfish (Carassius auratus)
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Researchers exposed goldfish to two sizes of polystyrene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations for 28 days. The study found that microplastics accumulated in gill, liver, and intestine tissues, causing damage that worsened with smaller particle size and higher doses. The results indicate that microplastics trigger oxidative stress and immune responses in fish, with smaller particles posing greater health risks.
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