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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Chronic polystyrene microplastics exposure-induced changes in thick-shell mussel (Mytilus coruscus) metaorganism: A holistic perspective
ClearChanges in the microbiome and associated host tissue structure in the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) following exposure to polystyrene microparticles
Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations found in coastal waters showed reduced microbiome diversity in digestive gland and gill tissues at high exposure levels, along with altered host tissue structure. The co-disruption of the microbiome and host tissues suggests that MP exposure can degrade the symbiotic relationships that support mussel health.
Impacts of microplastics exposure on mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota
Researchers exposed marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) to microplastics and analyzed changes to their gut microbiota, finding significant shifts in microbial community composition that could affect digestion, immunity, and overall health.
Single and repetitive microplastics exposures induce immune system modulation and homeostasis alteration in the edible mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Researchers examined transcriptome-wide gene expression changes in Mediterranean mussels after single and repeated microplastic exposures, finding significant immune system modulation and disruption of cellular homeostasis. The study suggests that both short-term and chronic microplastic exposure can alter immune regulation pathways in filter-feeding bivalves, with repeated exposures showing cumulative effects.
Impact of nanoplastics on hemolymph immune parameters and microbiota composition in Mytilus galloprovincialis
Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels exposed to amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics for 96 hours showed disrupted hemolymph immune parameters and significant shifts in microbiota composition, suggesting nanoplastics alter both immune function and the microbial communities mussels rely on.
Microplastic exposure reshapes the virome and virus–bacteria networks with implications for immune regulation in Mytilus coruscus
Researchers exposed mussels to microplastics for seven days and analyzed how the pollution affected viral communities in their tissues. They found that microplastic exposure suppressed DNA virus diversity while activating RNA viral metabolism, and restructured interactions between bacteria-infecting viruses and opportunistic pathogens. The study suggests that microplastics may influence immune function in shellfish by reshaping the viral community and virus-mediated immune interactions.
Potential threats of microplastics and pathogenic bacteria to the immune system of the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis
This study found that microplastics weakened the immune system of Mediterranean mussels, making them more vulnerable to bacterial infections from Vibrio, a common marine pathogen. Long-term microplastic exposure drained the mussels' energy reserves and suppressed their immune defenses, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Since these mussels are widely consumed as seafood, microplastic-driven disease susceptibility could affect both mussel populations and the safety of shellfish for human consumption.
Microplastics aggravate the bioaccumulation of three veterinary antibiotics in the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus and induce synergistic immunotoxic effects
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics interact with three common veterinary antibiotics in thick shell mussels. The study found that when microplastics and antibiotics were present together, mussels accumulated significantly more antibiotics in their tissues and suffered worse immune damage than from either pollutant alone. This synergistic effect included reduced immune cell counts, increased oxidative stress, and disrupted immune gene expression, suggesting that microplastic pollution may amplify the harmful effects of antibiotic contamination in coastal waters.
The adverse impact of microplastics and their attached pathogen on hemocyte function and antioxidative response in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Researchers examined how microplastics carrying pathogenic bacteria affect the immune system of mussels. They found that while microplastics alone caused moderate immune cell disruption, the combination of microplastics and Vibrio bacteria significantly weakened antioxidant defenses and triggered cell death in mussel blood cells. The study demonstrates that microplastics can act as a "Trojan horse," delivering harmful pathogens into marine organisms and amplifying their toxic effects.
Polystyrene nanoplastics in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.
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.
Microbiome: A forgotten target of environmental micro(nano)plastics?
This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics affect the microbiome of various organisms, an area that has received less attention than other toxicological endpoints. Researchers found that most studies focused on polystyrene particles and that exposure consistently disrupted microbiome composition, triggered immune responses, and altered enzyme activity across organisms including crustaceans, fish, and mammals. The study highlights the microbiome as an important but often overlooked target of microplastic pollution.
Impact of microplastics exposure on the reconfiguration of viral community structure and disruption of ecological functions in the digestive gland of Mytilus coruscus
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastic ingestion affects the viral community in the digestive glands of thick-shelled mussels through a field exposure experiment. They found that microplastic ingestion significantly reduced virome diversity and altered viral community composition, while microplastic biofilms carried abundant antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors. The findings suggest that microplastics may serve as vectors for spreading resistance genes and destabilizing microbial networks in marine organisms.
Impacts of microplastics exposure on copepod (Eurytemora affinis) and mussel (Mytilus edulis) gut microbiota
Researchers studied how microplastic exposure affects the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mussel Mytilus edulis, examining effects on feeding, reproduction, and overall health at relevant environmental concentrations. Results showed microplastics impaired physiological functions in both species, with additional risks from microorganism-colonized plastic surfaces.
Nanoplastics: From tissue accumulation to cell translocation into Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes. resilience of immune cells exposed to nanoplastics and nanoplastics plus Vibrio splendidus combination
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.
Revealing the effects of polystyrene microplastics and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on mussels:An evidence chain of gill-intestine-hemolymph
Researchers exposed mussels to polystyrene microplastics combined with the plasticizer DEHP for 30 days and found a cascade of harmful effects across gill, intestine, and blood systems. The combination caused gill damage, disrupted energy metabolism, triggered oxidative stress, altered gut microbiota, and suppressed immune function. The study establishes a pollutant cascade mechanism linking tissue damage, metabolic changes, and microbial imbalance in marine organisms.
Shift in Immune Parameters After Repeated Exposure to Nanoplastics in the Marine Bivalve Mytilus
Mussels (Mytilus spp.) repeatedly exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed progressive shifts in immune parameters across successive exposures, suggesting that repeated low-dose exposures may chronically compromise bivalve immune function even when single exposures appear non-toxic.
The Effect of Microplastics on the Bioenergetics of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus Assessed by Cellular Energy Allocation Approach
Researchers studied the effects of polystyrene microplastics on the energy budget of mussels using a cellular energy allocation approach. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics increased energy demands while depleting carbohydrate, lipid, and protein stores, with lipid and protein levels failing to fully recover even after the microplastics were removed.
Physiological effects of plastic particles on mussels are mediated by food presence
Thick shell mussels exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (70 nm) and microplastics (10 µm) with and without microalgae food found that food presence mediated the physiological effects — microplastics reduced energy budget and increased oxidative stress markers most strongly when food was mixed with particles.
Combined effects of polyamide microplastics and the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus on the immune parameters of Mytilus coruscus
When mussels were exposed to nylon microplastics along with harmful Vibrio bacteria, they suffered gill damage, increased oxidative stress, and weakened immune defenses compared to either stressor alone. The combined exposure suppressed key immune enzymes that mussels need to fight infection. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, this study raises concerns that microplastic-contaminated shellfish could carry more pathogens and be less safe to eat.
Differential sensitivity of hemocyte subpopulations (mytilus edulis) to aged polyethylene terephthalate micro-and-nanoplastic particles
This study examined how different hemocyte populations in Mytilus edulis mussels respond to aged polystyrene microplastics, finding that granulocytes and hyalinocytes differ in their sensitivity. The results improve understanding of how microplastic exposure impairs bivalve immune function.
Toxicity mechanisms of polystyrene microplastics in marine mussels revealed by high-coverage quantitative metabolomics using chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
Scientists used an advanced metabolomics technique to study how polystyrene microplastics affect marine mussels at the molecular level, identifying nearly 3,600 metabolic compounds. The study found that microplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations disrupted amino acid metabolism, leading to oxidative stress and immune system effects. Encouragingly, after a week-long recovery period, the mussels largely returned to normal, suggesting these toxic effects may be reversible.
Exposure to microplastics renders immunity of the thick-shell mussel more vulnerable to diarrhetic shellfish toxin-producing harmful algae
Researchers found that mussels previously exposed to microplastics became more vulnerable to toxic algae blooms, suffering greater immune system damage than mussels without prior microplastic exposure. The microplastics weakened the mussels' defenses by causing oxidative stress, cell death, and energy depletion, leaving them less able to fight off the algal toxins. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, this combined threat could affect both marine ecosystems and food safety for humans.
Multi stress system: Microplastics in freshwater and their effects on host microbiota
This study examined how combined exposure to microplastics and organic chemical pollutants affects freshwater organisms through a multi-stress approach, focusing on gut microbiome changes as an indicator. Microplastic exposure in combination with other pollutants altered microbiome composition more than either stressor alone, with potential consequences for host fitness and disease resistance.
Uptake and transcriptional effects of polystyrene microplastics in larval stages of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis
Researchers exposed larval stages of a marine organism to polystyrene microplastics and measured gene expression changes, finding tissue-dependent transcriptional responses that suggest microplastics can affect development even at early life stages.
The “Microplastome” – A Holistic Perspective to Capture the Real-World Ecology of Microplastics
This paper introduces the concept of the "microplastome," a framework for studying microplastics along with everything attached to them, including absorbed chemicals and colonizing microbes, as a unified system. The authors argue that current research too often looks at microplastics in isolation, when in reality the attached pollutants and bacteria may be just as important for understanding health effects. This more complete approach could lead to better risk assessments of how microplastic pollution actually affects ecosystems and human health.