Reproductive and Neurobehavioral Effects of Microplastics on Fish

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 July 2024) | Viewed by 4997

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
Interests: toxicity research using the zebrafish model; neurobehavioral toxicity; persistent organic pollutants (POPs); co-exposure toxicology; molecular toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Institute of Life Sciences & Biomedical Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
Interests: construction of a toxicological model for zebrafish; biological control of aquatic environmental pollution; behavior of mental disorders; novel aquatic environmental contaminants; neurodevelopmental toxicology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There has been growing concern about the adverse impact of microplastic pollution over the past few decades. The reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of microplastics have been extensively reported, but their exact histopathological changes, mechanisms of action and functioning molecular signal pathways in vivo are still largely unknown. The characterization and validation of these impacts for a variety of microplastics are urgently needed. The direct impact of long-term exposure and transgenerational responses from parents or single gametes are also of interest. This Special Issue on “Reproductive and Neurobehavioral Effects of Microplastics on Fish” aims to highlight the latest research work in a timely manner. This Special Issue will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the ecological consequences of microplastic pollution. We invite authors to submit original research papers, reviews, and short communications.

Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. The impacts of microplastics under different concentrations or developmental stages.
  2. The impact of different biological levels on exposed fish or their offspring.
  3. Omics profiling and genomic sequencing to explore mechanisms.
  4. The development of novel methods or assays for biological responses.
  5. The development or analysis of compound- or organ-specific biomarkers.
  6. The distribution, accumulation and elimination of microplastics in fish.

Dr. Jiangfei Chen
Dr. Da Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fish
  • reproductive
  • neurobehavior
  • biological changes
  • molecular mechanisms
  • potential risks
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 4045 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Environmental Concentrations of Nanoplastics on Zebrafish Neurobehavior and Reproductive Toxicity
by Ziqing Sun, Baihui Wu, Jia Yi, Haiyang Yu, Jiaxuan He, Fei Teng, Tong Xi, Jinlong Zhao, Jing Ruan, Peiye Xu, Runchao Tao, Liushuo Jia and Hao Ji
Toxics 2024, 12(8), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080617 - 21 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1168
Abstract
Nanoplastics, as emerging environmental pollutants, can transport contaminants across marine environments, polluting pristine ecosystems and being ingested by marine organisms. This transfer poses a severe threat to global aquatic ecosystems and potentially impacts human health through the food chain. Neurobehavioral and reproductive toxicity [...] Read more.
Nanoplastics, as emerging environmental pollutants, can transport contaminants across marine environments, polluting pristine ecosystems and being ingested by marine organisms. This transfer poses a severe threat to global aquatic ecosystems and potentially impacts human health through the food chain. Neurobehavioral and reproductive toxicity are critical areas of concern because they directly affect the survival, health, and population dynamics of aquatic species, which can have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem. Using zebrafish as a model organism, we investigated the toxic effects of environmental concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs). Behavioral assessments, including the novel tank test and open field test, demonstrated significant neurobehavioral changes, indicating increased anxiety and depressive behaviors. A pathological analysis of brain and gonadal tissues, along with evaluations of neurobehavioral and reproductive toxicity biomarkers, revealed that exposure to PS-NPs leads to brain tissue lesions, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress activation, hormone level disruptions, and gonadal damage. Real-time quantitative PCR studies of reproductive gene expression further showed that PS-NPs disrupt the endocrine regulation pathways of the brain-pituitary-gonadal (BPG) axis, causing reproductive toxicity with sex-specific differences. These findings provide crucial insights into the impacts of nanoplastics on aquatic organisms and their ecological risks, offering theoretical support for future environmental protection and pollutant management efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive and Neurobehavioral Effects of Microplastics on Fish)
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Review

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26 pages, 5200 KiB  
Review
Behavioral Studies of Zebrafish Reveal a New Perspective on the Reproductive Toxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics
by Baihui Wu, Haiyang Yu, Jia Yi, Pengyu Lei, Jiaxuan He, Jing Ruan, Peiye Xu, Runchao Tao, Libo Jin, Wei Wu, Qinsi Yang, Da Sun and Xiaoqun Zhang
Toxics 2024, 12(3), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12030178 - 26 Feb 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3306
Abstract
The escalating prevalence of microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic environments is a major challenge affecting the behavior and reproductive health of aquatic organisms while posing potential risks to human health and ecosystems. This review focuses on the neurobehavioral changes and reproductive toxicity of [...] Read more.
The escalating prevalence of microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic environments is a major challenge affecting the behavior and reproductive health of aquatic organisms while posing potential risks to human health and ecosystems. This review focuses on the neurobehavioral changes and reproductive toxicity of MNPs in zebrafish and their relationships. At the same time, the neurobehavioral changes caused by MNPs were studied, and the synergistic effects of the interaction of these pollutants with other environmental contaminants were explored. In addition, zebrafish, as a model organism, provide valuable insights into the subtle but important effects of MNPs on reproductive behavior, which is critical for understanding reproductive success, suggesting that behavioral changes can serve as an early biomarker of reproductive toxicity. In addition, based on classical endocrine disruptor models and behavioral research methods, the current status of the research on the reproductive toxicity of MNPs in zebrafish was reviewed, which further indicated that the behavioral parameters of zebrafish can be used as an effective and rapid tool to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of MNPs. However, behavioral methods for rapidly assessing the toxicity of MNPs are still an area of exploration. To address limitations and challenges in the current scope of research, this review outlines future research directions with the aim of improving our understanding of the environmental and health impacts of MNPs. This work aims to inform targeted environmental policies and advance public health strategies to address the growing challenge of MNPs pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive and Neurobehavioral Effects of Microplastics on Fish)
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