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The Multixenobiotic resistance system as a possible protective response triggered by microplastic ingestion in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Larvae and adult stages
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Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) at larval and adult stages to polystyrene microplastics and found that ingestion disrupts the Multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) system — a cellular defense mechanism that pumps out toxins — with effects varying by particle size, concentration, and life stage.
The emerging paradigm on plastic pollution in marine environments is that microsize particles (MPs) have far more subtle effects than bigger fragments, given their size range overlapping with that of particles ingested by filter-feeders. The impacts include gut blockage, altered feeding and energy allocation, with knock-on effects on widespread physiological processes. This study investigated whether ingestion of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) triggers protective processes in marine mussels. The Multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) system is a cytoprotective mechanism acting as an active barrier against harmful xenobiotics and a route of metabolite detoxification. Both larvae and adults were employed in laboratory experiments with different concentrations of 3-μm PS-MPs (larvae), and 3-μm and 45-μm PS-MPs (adults) matching size range of planktonic food through the mussel lifecycle. Embryos grown in the presence of 3-μm PS-MPs showed significant reduction of MXR activity and down-regulation of ABCB and ABCC transcripts encoding the two main MXR-related transporters P-glycoprotein and the Multidrug resistance-related protein, respectively. In adults, effects of PS-MPs were assessed in haemocytes and gills, which showed different modulation of MXR activity and ABCB/ABCC expression according to MP size (haemocyte and gills) or particle concentration (haemocyte). These data showed that modulation of MXR activity is part of a generalized response triggered by particle ingestion.
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Nanoplastics: From tissue accumulation to cell translocation into Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes. resilience of immune cells exposed to nanoplastics and nanoplastics plus Vibrio splendidus combination
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Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes accumulate in and affect the immune cells of Mediterranean mussels. They found that the smallest nanoparticles quickly moved from the digestive system into the bloodstream and were taken up by immune cells, altering their function including motility and the ability to produce reactive oxygen species. However, the immune cells showed resilience by recovering their ability to fight bacterial infection after nanoplastic exposure.
Polystyrene nanoplastics in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.
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This study investigated how polystyrene nanoplastics affect Mediterranean mussels, an important marine species and human food source. Researchers found that these tiny plastic particles can cross cell membranes, accumulate in tissues, and trigger oxidative stress and immune responses. The findings suggest that nanoplastic pollution in the ocean could affect both marine ecosystem health and the safety of seafood consumed by people.
Effects of environmentally relevant levels of polyethylene microplastic on Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mollusca: Bivalvia): filtration rate and oxidative stress
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Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polyethylene microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant reductions in filtration rate and signs of oxidative damage in the digestive gland. The study suggests that microplastics as small as 40-48 micrometers can disrupt antioxidant defenses in bivalves even at low concentrations, raising concerns about their impact on marine filter-feeders.
Biomarker Responses in the Marine Mussel Mytilus Edulis Indicate Significant Toxicological Effects of Polyethylene Microplastics
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Scientists exposed mussels to microplastic particles for just three days and found real damage: broken DNA, cell stress, and weakened internal cell defenses. Since mussels and other shellfish are commonly eaten and also serve as an early warning system for ocean pollution, this research suggests microplastics in our waters could be causing cellular harm—though more research is needed to know what this means for people who eat seafood or are otherwise exposed to microplastics long-term.
Short-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics hampers the cellular function of gills in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
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Even short-term exposure (72 hours) to polystyrene microplastics disrupted gill function in Mediterranean mussels, a species commonly eaten by humans. The microplastics accumulated in gill tissue and caused metabolic disorders including changes in energy production, nerve signaling, and salt balance, along with oxidative stress. Since mussels are filter feeders that concentrate microplastics from seawater, these findings raise questions about the quality of shellfish as human food.
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