We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Differential effects of foodborne and waterborne micro(nano)plastics exposure on fish liver metabolism and gut microbiota community.
Summary
Nile tilapia exposed to equivalent doses of micro(nano)plastics via food versus water showed distinct liver gene expression profiles, indicating that exposure route critically shapes the metabolic and toxicological response. Foodborne MNP exposure produced more pronounced effects on lipid metabolism and inflammation pathways.
Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) primarily enter fish through two routes: directly ingestion via their diets and respiratory filtration through their gills. However, the specific impacts of these two routes on liver metabolism remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the gene expression profiles of the liver of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus following equivalent doses of foodborne and waterborne MNPs exposure. While the liver phenotypes of O. niloticus showed minimal differences between the two exposure routes, significant variations were observed in gene response patterns. Using WGCNA, we identified the key gene networks and KEGG pathways associated with each exposure type. The primary transcription factors regulating gene expression changes were thrb for foodborne exposure and fosl2 for waterborne exposure. The stimulus of foodborne MNPs primarily induced metabolic disorders through circadian rhythm, whereas waterborne MNPs induced inflammatory responses to affect host metabolism. By integrating gene expression alterations with gut microbiota enrichment data, we further found that Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi jointly regulated the expression of mapk13 during foodborne exposure, whereas the expression of the most leading genes in waterborne exposure was predominantly influenced by Firmicutes. Collectively, our study demonstrated a distinct pattern in microbiota-gene gut-liver axis in O. niloticus in response to foodborne and waterborne MNPs exposure.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Effects of frying on microplastics load in fish and implications on health
Researchers investigated the effects of polyethylene microplastics on gut microbiota composition in mice fed a high-fat diet, finding that microplastic exposure altered microbial diversity and increased gut permeability. Co-exposure with a high-fat diet amplified metabolic disruption.
Caught in Fish Gut: Uptake and Inflammatory Effects of Nanoplastics through Different Routes in the Aquatic Environment
Researchers investigated how nanoplastics accumulate in zebrafish intestines through different exposure routes, including waterborne, foodborne, and combined pathways. They found that while foodborne exposure led to higher particle accumulation, both routes caused similar levels of intestinal inflammation and immune disruption. The study suggests that current risk assessments based on single-route exposure may underestimate the true danger of nanoplastic pollution in aquatic environments.
Comprehensive understanding the impacts of dietary exposure to polyethylene microplastics on genetically improved farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): tracking from growth, microbiota, metabolism to gene expressions
Researchers investigated the impacts of dietary polyethylene microplastics on genetically improved farmed tilapia over nine weeks, tracking effects on growth, gut microbiota, liver metabolism, and gene expression. The study found that microplastic exposure altered gut microbial communities, disrupted liver metabolic processes, and affected gene expression in brain and liver tissues. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in fish feed and aquatic environments poses risks to farmed fish health.
Multi-omics association pattern between gut microbiota and host metabolism of a filter-feeding fish in situ exposed to microplastics
Scientists exposed filter-feeding fish to environmentally realistic levels of microplastics and found that the particles reshaped gut bacteria communities, which in turn altered the fish's liver metabolism through changes in amino acid processing. This gut-microbiome-to-organ connection matters because it shows microplastics may affect human health not just through direct toxicity but by disrupting the beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems.
Chronic Exposure of Adult Zebrafish to Polyethylene and Polyester-based Microplastics: Metabolomic and Gut Microbiome Alterations Reflecting Dysbiosis and Resilience
Researchers exposed adult zebrafish to polyethylene and polyester microplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found significant disruptions to metabolic pathways and gut microbiome composition. Polyethylene primarily affected cell membrane compounds and inflammation-related metabolites, while polyester altered lipid metabolism and gut bacterial interactions. The study reveals that chronic microplastic exposure can cause subtle but meaningful shifts in fish metabolism and gut health, even at low concentrations.