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Assessment of the Risk of Microplastics on Gill and Gut Health and Subsequent Pathogen Susceptibility in the Goldfish Model
Summary
Researchers assessed how polystyrene microplastics of two sizes affect gill and gut health in goldfish and their subsequent vulnerability to bacterial infection. They found that microplastic exposure caused tissue inflammation, increased immune gene expression, and thickened gill and intestinal structures. Notably, exposure to smaller 0.5-micrometer microplastics significantly reduced fish survival when challenged with a bacterial pathogen, indicating that microplastics can compromise immune defenses in fish.
Microplastics are pervasive pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, yet their effects on fish tissues remain insufficiently characterized. Our study investigates the impact of polystyrene microplastics (0.5 and 2 μm) on the gill and intestinal tissues of goldfish (Carassius auratus), with a focus on inflammatory responses and pathogen susceptibility. Following two weeks of exposure, histological and molecular analyses revealed increased filament cartilage thickness in gills, enhanced villus thickness and goblet cell numbers in intestines, and upregulation of immune- and oxidative stress-related genes. Exposure to 0.5 μm microplastics significantly reduced survival after Edwardsiella piscicida infection, indicating increased vulnerability to pathogens. These findings highlight the immunotoxic effects of microplastics and their potential to compromise fish health in contaminated environments.