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Unraveling the mechanism of brain damage in Carassius auratus by polypropylene microplastics and oxytetracycline via the brain-gut-microbiota axis
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Researchers investigated how polypropylene microplastics and the antibiotic oxytetracycline together affect the brain-gut-microbiota axis of goldfish at environmentally realistic levels. They found that microplastics acted as carriers for the antibiotic, leading to significantly higher accumulation in the brain and intestine, worsening inflammation and suppressing key neurotransmitter enzymes. The study suggests that co-exposure to microplastics and antibiotics can trigger nervous system disruption through the gut-brain connection.
Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic residues are widespread coexistence and pose a greater threat in aquatic environments, but the neurotoxic effects of co-exposure on aquatic animals remain poorly understood. This study investigated the mechanisms of MPs and oxytetracycline (OTC) on the brain-gut-microbiota axis of Carassius auratus at environmentally realistic levels. The carrier effect of MPs resulted in OTC accumulation levels of 221.84 ng/g and 2524.61 ng/g in the brain and intestine of the combined exposure, respectively, and aggravated infectious inflammation in the brain and intestinal dissolution and necrosis. MPs and OTC raised the abundance of Actinobacteriota, and markedly reduced the content of acetic acid and propionic acid by 41.86 % and 75.52 %, respectively. Moreover, combined exposure had a synergistic effect, with inhibition rates of 52.57 % and 61.99 % for AChE and BChE, respectively, further leading to a decrease in 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine levels. Transcriptomics further revealed that the toxic effects of co-exposure might induce nervous system disorders through synaptic vesicle recycle and GABAergic synaptic pathway, which were influenced by gut microbiota and neuroactive molecules. In summary, MPs and antibiotics trigger various physiological changes by disrupting the fish brain-gut-microbiota axis, which provides scientific information to understand the co-exposure risks of MPs and associated contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.
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Micro/nano-plastics cause neurobehavioral toxicity in discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus): Insight from brain-gut-microbiota axis
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Researchers exposed juvenile discus fish to microfibers and nanoplastics and found that both types caused neurobehavioral problems, but through different mechanisms involving the brain-gut-microbiota axis. Nanoplastics weakened swimming and predatory abilities, while microfibers reduced growth, and both disrupted gut microbial communities that influence brain function. The study provides the first evidence linking microplastic-induced gut microbiome changes to neurological effects in fish through the gut-brain connection.
Combined effect of microplastic and triphenyltin: Insights from the gut-brain axis
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Researchers investigated the individual and combined toxicity of microplastics and triphenyltin, an organotin compound, in common carp by examining effects along the gut-brain axis. The study found that co-exposure to microplastics and triphenyltin produced combined toxic effects on the gut microbiome and brain function, suggesting that microplastics may enhance the toxicity of other environmental pollutants through their ability to adsorb contaminants.
Gut microbiota related response of Oryzias melastigma to combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics and tetracycline
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Researchers exposed estuarine fish to polystyrene microplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline, both alone and in combination, for four weeks. The combined exposure caused more severe disruption to gut bacteria and liver tissue than either pollutant alone, with microplastics appearing to worsen the effects of tetracycline. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of microplastics and antibiotics in coastal waters may pose greater ecological risks than either contaminant by itself.
The effect and mechanism of variable particle size microplastics and levofloxacin on the neurotoxicity of Rana nigromaculata based on the microorganism-intestine-brain axis
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Researchers exposed frog tadpoles to microplastics of different sizes combined with an antibiotic and found that the combination caused nervous system damage through the gut-brain connection. The particle size of the microplastics influenced the severity of the neurotoxic effects, with certain sizes causing more behavioral changes than others. The study suggests that microplastics and antibiotics together in waterways may pose greater ecological risks than either pollutant alone.
Combined effects of polystyrene micro-/nano-plastics and imidacloprid on Gut–Brain axis and neurotoxicity in juvenile Carassius auratus
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Researchers exposed juvenile crucian carp to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics combined with the pesticide imidacloprid and found distinct size-dependent toxicity patterns. Nanoplastics primarily targeted the brain, causing blood-brain barrier breakdown and neurotoxic effects linked to behavioral changes, while microplastics caused more severe intestinal damage, with gut microbiome analysis implicating the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a pathway for systemic toxicity.
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