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Individual and combined toxicogenetic effects of microplastics and heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Zn) perturb gut microbiota homeostasis and gonadal development in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)
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Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to microplastics and heavy metals both individually and in combination to assess their effects on gut bacteria and reproductive development. They found that microplastics alone reduced gut microbial diversity, while the combination with heavy metals increased it and triggered more significant changes in specific bacterial species. The heavy metals were primarily responsible for reproductive disruption, including follicle damage, though the combination with microplastics amplified gut-related effects.
Currently, microplastics (MPs) attracted increased attention for their ubiquity and toxic properties. In this study, marine medaka was used to explore the individual and combined toxicity of heavy metals (HMs) and MPs on intestinal bacteria and gonadal development. After exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of MPs and HMs, significant alterations of intestinal microbiota were found. The MPs treatment reduced the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbiota, while the HMs and MPs-HMs treatments increased them, which were confirmed by the abundance changes of Proteobacteria. According to the KEGG analysis, the metabolism and environmental information processing (EIP) pathways in the microbial community were significantly affected. This study showed that the MPs-HMs treatment caused a higher pollution load on the gut of the marine medaka, and triggered more significant changes of specific bacterial species and gut function in the males. However, during the gonadal development, HMs and MPs-HMs treatments resulted in empty follicles (EF) and follicular atresia (FA), and altered the gene expression levels related to hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. In short, this study demonstrated that the reproductive disturbance was mainly due to HMs, but the combination of MPs and HMs did not strengthen the risk to the gonad development of the marine medaka.
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Effects of microplastics and phenanthrene on gut microbiome and metabolome alterations in the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma
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Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to microplastics combined with phenanthrene, a common organic pollutant, and found that the combination disrupted gut bacteria and metabolism more than either substance alone. Specific gut bacterial communities shifted in response to the combined exposure, leading to changes in important metabolic processes. This study underscores that microplastics in the ocean don't act alone; they interact with other pollutants to amplify harm to aquatic organisms and potentially to the humans who consume seafood.
Gut microbiota related response of Oryzias melastigma to combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics and tetracycline
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Researchers exposed estuarine fish to polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline, both alone and in combination, for four weeks. The combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver tissue than either pollutant alone, with microplastics appearing to worsen the effects of tetracycline. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and antibiotics in coastal waters may pose greater ecological risks than either contaminant by itself.
Integrated analysis of zebrafish gut microbiota and liver transcriptome responses to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium
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Researchers exposed zebrafish to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both individually and combined, and found that combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver gene expression than either pollutant alone. The study revealed that microplastics decreased beneficial gut bacteria while increasing pathogenic species, and the combined treatment suppressed liver xenobiotic metabolism and antioxidant pathways.
Subchronic toxicity of dietary sulfamethazine and nanoplastics in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma): Insights from the gut microbiota and intestinal oxidative status
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Researchers found that dietary co-exposure to the antibiotic sulfamethazine and polystyrene nanoplastics in marine medaka caused significant disruption of gut microbiota composition and increased intestinal oxidative stress, with combined effects exceeding individual exposures.
Stressful Effects of Individual and Combined Exposure to Low-Concentration Polylactic Acid Microplastics and Chromium on Marine Medaka Larvae (Oryzias melastigma)
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Researchers exposed marine medaka fish larvae to low concentrations of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics and chromium, both individually and together, for 14 days. The combined exposure caused more severe intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and disruption of gut bacteria than either pollutant alone. The study suggests that even biodegradable microplastics can worsen the effects of heavy metal pollution on young fish in marine environments.
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