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Effects of microplastics on the innate immunity and intestinal microflora of juvenile Eriocheir sinensis
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Researchers exposed juvenile Chinese mitten crabs to different concentrations of microplastics for up to 21 days and measured immune responses and gut microbiome changes. They found that microplastic exposure disrupted immune enzyme activities and altered the composition of intestinal bacteria, with effects intensifying at higher concentrations and longer exposure times. The study suggests that microplastic pollution may compromise the immune health and gut ecology of freshwater crustaceans.
The effects of microplastic exposure on the non-specific immune responses and intestinal microflora remain unclear. In this study, juveniles of the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) were exposed to different concentrations of microplastics (0, 0.04, 0.4, 4, and 40 mg/L) for 7, 14, and 21 days to explore their effects. Under microplastic-induced stress, the contents or activities of most immune-related factors [haemocyanin (Hc), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), phenoloxidase (PO), lysozyme (LSZ), and acid phosphatase (ACP)] decreased after an initial increase in the low-dose or short exposure times in the haemolymph and hepatopancreas. The trends in Hc and LSZ gene expression were consistent with the corresponding changes in enzyme activities. Moreover, the haemocyte expression of caspase and MyD88 in the groups with microplastic-induced stress was higher than that in the control group, whereas the expression levels in the hepatopancreas were first increased and then decreased. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes decreased following exposure to 40 mg/L microplastics, whereas that of Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria increased. These results indicate that microplastics affect immune enzyme activity and immune-related gene expression and change the diversity and composition of the intestinal microflora in E. sinensis.
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Low pH aggravates the toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in crab Eriocheir sinensis: Evidence from metabolome and intestinal microflora
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Researchers found that combining acidic water (low pH) with polystyrene microplastics caused worse harm to Chinese mitten crabs than either stressor alone, disrupting their immune system, energy metabolism, and gut bacteria. The findings highlight that climate change-driven water acidification could amplify the toxicity of microplastics in freshwater wildlife.
Accumulation of polystyrene microplastics in juvenile Eriocheir sinensis and oxidative stress effects in the liver
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Researchers exposed juvenile Chinese mitten crabs to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles accumulated in gill, liver, and gut tissues, causing oxidative stress in the liver. Higher microplastic concentrations reduced growth rates and caused measurable changes in liver enzyme activity. The study provides evidence that microplastic pollution can impair the growth and liver health of commercially important crustacean species.
The effects of a polystyrene nanoplastic on the immune response and gut microbiota of Eriocheir sinensis and its post-recovery state
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Researchers exposed Chinese mitten crabs to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that 48-hour exposure suppressed immune enzyme activity, elevated pathogen abundance in the gut microbiome, and damaged the hepatopancreas — with tissue damage persisting after 7 days of recovery even as gut nanoplastics were cleared.
The combined effects of microplastics and bisphenol-A on the innate immune system response and intestinal microflora of the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus
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Swimming crabs exposed to both microplastics and bisphenol-A (BPA, a chemical found in many plastics) for 21 days showed weakened immune responses and disrupted gut bacteria compared to exposure to either pollutant alone. The combination caused more intestinal damage and greater shifts in gene activity related to immune defense. This suggests that microplastics and the chemicals they carry can work together to cause greater harm to marine organisms than either one would cause by itself.
Do Waterborne Nanoplastics Affect the Shore Crab Carcinus maenas? A Case Study with Poly(methyl)methacrylate Particles
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Researchers exposed shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) to waterborne nanoplastics and assessed multiple physiological endpoints, finding that nanoplastic exposure altered immune function, oxidative stress markers, and gene expression in ways that indicate significant sublethal harm to this ecologically important species.
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