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Adverse effects polystyrene microplastics exert on zebrafish heart – Molecular to individual level
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Researchers fed zebrafish microplastic-enriched food for 21 days and found significant damage to heart function, including reduced contraction strength and frequency, along with decreased swimming ability. At the cellular level, the fish showed increased oxidative stress, DNA damage, and disrupted energy metabolism in heart tissue. The study provides evidence that microplastic exposure can affect cardiovascular health in fish from the molecular level up to whole-organism fitness.
In the present study the effects of sublethal concentrations of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on zebrafish were evaluated at multiple levels, related to fish activity and oxidative stress, metabolic changes and contraction parameters in the heart tissue. Zebrafish were fed for 21 days food enriched with PS-MPs (particle sizes 3-12 µm) and a battery of stress indices like DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, autophagy, ubiquitin levels, caspases activation, metabolite adjustments, frequency and force of ventricular contraction were measured in fish heart, parallel to fish swimming velocity. In particular, exposure to PS-MPs caused significant decrease in heart function and swimming competence, while enhanced levels of oxidative stress indices and metabolic adjustments were observed in the heart of challenged species. Among stress indices, DNA damage was more vulnerable to the effect of PS-MPs. Our results provide evidence on the multiplicity of the PS-MPs effects on cellular function, physiology and metabolic pathways and heart rate of adult fish and subsequent effects on fish activity and fish fitness thus enlightening MPs characterization as a potent environmental pollutant.
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Exposure to microplastics decreases swimming competence in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles adhered to egg surfaces before being ingested into the stomach and intestines after hatching. At higher concentrations, exposed larvae showed significantly reduced swimming distance and speed, along with upregulated genes related to inflammation and oxidative stress. The study suggests that microplastic exposure can impair swimming ability in larval fish, which could have broader ecological consequences for population fitness.
Effects of Photoaged Polyethylene Microplastics on Cardiac Injury and Fibrosis-like Remodeling in Zebrafish
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Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene microplastics, some of which were artificially weathered using UV light to mimic environmental aging. Both plastic types caused heart damage, including oxidative stress and tissue changes resembling scarring, with weathered microplastics causing more severe effects in some, but not all, measurements.
Toxic effects of polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics on the zebrafish cardiovascular system and their differential mechanisms
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Researchers compared the cardiovascular toxicity of polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics in zebrafish larvae, examining effects on heart development, oxidative stress, and cell death. Both types of microplastics caused cardiovascular damage, but they operated through different molecular mechanisms, with polystyrene primarily triggering oxidative stress while polyethylene more strongly induced cell death pathways. The findings indicate that the chemical composition of microplastics matters significantly when assessing their health effects.
Genotoxic and Oxidative Damage of Environmental Pollutant Microplastics on Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene and polyethylene microplastics at different concentrations for up to 21 days to measure oxidative stress and DNA damage. The study found that both types of microplastics disrupted the antioxidant system and caused measurable DNA damage, with effects depending on dosage and exposure time. These results suggest that microplastics in waterways could pose genetic and cellular risks to aquatic life.
Dissection of the potential mechanism of polystyrene microplastic exposure on cardiomyocytes
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Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect human heart muscle cells at concentrations reflecting estimated daily human intake levels. They found that the microplastics caused oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted calcium signaling in the cells. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may contribute to cardiovascular risks by directly damaging heart cell function at the cellular level.
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