2. Academic Validation
  3. Adverse effects polystyrene microplastics exert on zebrafish heart - Molecular to individual level

Adverse effects polystyrene microplastics exert on zebrafish heart - Molecular to individual level

  • J Hazard Mater. 2021 Aug 15;416:125969. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125969.
Anastasia Dimitriadi 1,  Chrisovalantis Papaefthimiou 2,  Eleni Genizegkini 2,  Ioannis Sampsonidis 3,  Stavros Kalogiannis 3,  Konstantinos Feidantsis 2,  Dimitra C Bobori 4,  Georgia Kastrinaki 5,  George Koumoundouros 1,  Dimitra A Lambropoulou 6,  George Z Kyzas 7,  Dimitrios N Bikiaris 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Biology Department, University of Crete, Herakleion, Crete, Greece.
  • 2 Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • 3 Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Hellenic University, GR-574 00 Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • 4 Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Laboratory of Inorganic Materials, CERTH/CPERI, Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • 6 Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • 7 Department of Chemistry, International Hellenic University, Kavala GR-654 04, Greece.
  • 8 Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 34492880 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125969
Abstract

In the present study the effects of sublethal concentrations of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on zebrafish were evaluated at multiple levels, related to fish activity and oxidative stress, metabolic changes and contraction parameters in the heart tissue. Zebrafish were fed for 21 days food enriched with PS-MPs (particle sizes 3-12 µm) and a battery of stress indices like DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, Autophagy, ubiquitin levels, caspases activation, metabolite adjustments, frequency and force of ventricular contraction were measured in fish heart, parallel to fish swimming velocity. In particular, exposure to PS-MPs caused significant decrease in heart function and swimming competence, while enhanced levels of oxidative stress indices and metabolic adjustments were observed in the heart of challenged species. Among stress indices, DNA damage was more vulnerable to the effect of PS-MPs. Our results provide evidence on the multiplicity of the PS-MPs effects on cellular function, physiology and metabolic pathways and heart rate of adult fish and subsequent effects on fish activity and fish fitness thus enlightening MPs characterization as a potent environmental pollutant.

Keywords

Metabolomics; Oxidative stress biomarkers; Polystyrene microparticles; Swimming performance; Ventricular force contraction; Ventricular frequency contraction.

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