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Aquaporin inhibitors modulate the toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on Chrysanthemum coronarium L.
Summary
Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics affect the growth of crown daisy plants and found that the particles entered roots through water channel proteins called aquaporins. When these channels were blocked with inhibitors, nanoplastic uptake decreased and the negative effects on plant growth were partially reversed. The study provides new insight into how nanoplastics get into food crops and suggests potential strategies for reducing their uptake.
The potential negative impacts of nanoplastics (NPs) on terrestrial plants remained largely unexplored, especially regarding the factors influencing NPs transport in crop plants and the phytotoxicity effects of NPs on crop growth. In this study, hydroponically cultured Chrysanthemum coronarium L. seedlings were exposed to 10 mg L −1 polystyrene (PS) NPs, with and without the addition of channel inhibitors, including aquaporin inhibitors glycerol (C 3 H 8 O 3 ), anion channel inhibitor 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropanamine) benzoic acid, and metabolic inhibitor sodium vanadate. The study investigated influencing factors for transport of PS NPs from medium to plant roots and changes in physiological and biochemical indicators. Laser confocal scanning micrographs demonstrated that PS NPs were taken up by Chrysanthemum coronarium L. roots, mainly influenced by aquaporin transport activity in the roots. This may be because water channel inhibitors reduced plant water absorption, lowered transpiration rates, and decreased pressure at the root surface-water interface, thus affecting PS NPs absorption and translocation. The significant increase of reactive oxygen species content, catalase activity and malondialdehyde content, along with the notable decrease of superoxide dismutase activity, indicated the oxidative stress responses in plant roots upon PS NPs exposure. PS NPs treatment significantly upregulated key enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle including α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase, leading to an increase in low molecular weight organic acids content, followed by a decrease in medium pH. PS NP-induced stress affected the uptake of essential mineral elements, causing alterations in K and Ca content in roots and leaves, as well as a reduction in Fe content. As a result, chlorophyll a content decreased, leading to seedling growth inhibition. However, the addition of C 3 H 8 O 3 alleviated oxidative damage and growth inhibition compared to PS NP-only treatments, while the other two inhibitors (NPPB and sodium vanadate) had a negligible effect. This study preliminarily confirmed a crucial factor influencing PS NPs uptake by roots and provided evidence that aquaporin inhibition can mitigate PS NPs phytotoxicity. However, further research is required to uncover the underlying mechanisms. • Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) entered roots mainly impacted by aquaporin activity. • PS NPs significantly impaired plant growth by regulating tricarboxylic acid cycle. • Glycerol addition alleviated PS NPs-induced oxidative damage and growth inhibition. • Anion channel/metabolic inhibitors had minimal effects on PS NPs uptake and phytotoxicity.