The study explored the ecotoxicological effects of chronic exposure to microplastic (MP) on adult zebrafish, focusing on environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene (PE) beads and polyester (PES). High-throughput untargeted metabolomics via UPLC-QToF-MS and 16S metagenomics for gut microbiota analysis were used to assess ecotoxicity in zebrafish exposed to varying concentrations of PE and PES. The VIP (Variable Importance in Projection) scores indicated PE exposure primarily impacted phospholipids, ceramides, and nucleotide-related compounds, while PES exposure led to alterations in lipid-related compounds, chitin, and amino acid derivatives. From MSEA (Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis) and Mummichog analyses, PE and PES significantly disrupted key metabolomic pathways associated with inflammation, immune responses, and apoptosis, including leukotriene and arachidonic acid metabolism and the formation of putative anti-inflammatory metabolites from EPA. PE caused physical disruption and inflammation of the epithelial barrier, whereas PES affected gut microbiota interactions, impairing digestion and metabolism. Although alpha diversity within the gut microbiome remained stable, beta diversity analysis revealed significant shifts in microbial composition and structure, suggesting a disruption of functional balance and an increased susceptibility to pathogens. Chronic PE and PES exposures induced shifts in the gut microbial community and interaction network with potential increases in pathogenic bacteria and alteration in commensal bacteria, demonstrating the microbiome’s resilience and adaptability to stressors of MPs exposure. High-throughput metabolomics and 16S metagenomics revealed potential chronic diseases associated with inflammation, immune system disorders, metabolic dysfunction, and gut dysbiosis, highlighting the complex relationship between gut microbiome resilience and metabolic disruption under MP-induced stress, with significant ecological implications.

中文翻译：

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成年斑马鱼长期暴露于聚乙烯和聚酯基微塑料：反映菌群失调和恢复力的代谢组学和肠道微生物组改变


该研究探讨了长期接触微塑料 （MP） 对成年斑马鱼的生态毒理学影响，重点关注聚乙烯 （PE） 珠子和聚酯 （PES） 的环境相关浓度。通过 UPLC-QToF-MS 和 16S 宏基因组学进行肠道微生物群分析的高通量非靶向代谢组学用于评估暴露于不同浓度 PE 和 PES 的斑马鱼的生态毒性。VIP （Variable Importance in Projection） 评分表明，PE 暴露主要影响磷脂、神经酰胺和核苷酸相关化合物，而 PES 暴露导致脂质相关化合物、几丁质和氨基酸衍生物的改变。从 MSEA（代谢物集富集分析）和 Mummichog 分析中，PE 和 PES 显着破坏了与炎症、免疫反应和细胞凋亡相关的关键代谢组学途径，包括白三烯和花生四烯酸代谢以及 EPA 推定的抗炎代谢物的形成。PE 引起上皮屏障的物理破坏和炎症，而 PES 影响肠道菌群相互作用，损害消化和新陈代谢。尽管肠道微生物组内的 α 多样性保持稳定，但 β 多样性分析显示微生物组成和结构发生了显着变化，表明功能平衡被破坏，对病原体的易感性增加。慢性 PE 和 PES 暴露诱导肠道微生物群落和相互作用网络的变化，病原菌的潜在增加和共生细菌的改变，证明了微生物组对 MPs 暴露压力源的复原力和适应性。 高通量代谢组学和 16S 宏基因组学揭示了与炎症、免疫系统紊乱、代谢功能障碍和肠道菌群失调相关的潜在慢性疾病，突出了 MP 诱导应激下肠道微生物组恢复力与代谢破坏之间的复杂关系，具有重要的生态意义。