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Toxic effects of polyethylene microplastics on transcriptional changes, biochemical response, and oxidative stress in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C Toxicology & Pharmacology 2022 72 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.
Mehdi Banaei, Mohsen Forouzanfar, Mojtaba Jafarinia

Summary

Researchers exposed common carp to varying concentrations of polyethylene microplastics and assessed biochemical, oxidative, and gene expression changes. The study found that microplastic exposure caused significant oxidative stress, altered liver enzyme activity, and modified the expression of stress-related genes in a dose-dependent manner.

Polymers
Body Systems
Study Type Environmental

Aquatic ecosystems have become a place for accumulating microplastics (MPs). MPs can directly or indirectly damage organisms. Although studies of the toxicity of MPs, there are insufficient literature reports on the effects of MPs on freshwater aquatic life. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of MPs toxicity on Cyprinus carpio. In this study, biochemical parameters, oxidative biomarkers, and gene expression were assayed in fish exposed to 0, 175, 350, 700, and 1400 μg L of MPs for 30 days. MPs were detected in the liver and intestine of fish using FTIR-analysis. Mt1, Ces2, and P450 mRNA expression were enhanced in the hepatocytes of fish exposed to MPs, while Mt2 gene expression was significantly decreased. After exposure to MPs, MDA and carbonyl protein levels were higher than those of the reference group. The antioxidant capacity and glycogen contents in the hepatocytes significantly declined. MPs significantly inhibited glutathione reductase (GR), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), and catalase (CAT) activities. However, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities increased. MPs decreased the total protein, globulin levels, and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity in blood. In contrast, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activities increased in treated-fish with MPs. Glucose, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in fish exposed to MPs were significantly higher than that of the reference group. Consequently, MPs exposure could disrupt biochemical homeostasis, oxidative stress and alter the expression of genes involved in detoxification.

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