Microplastics induce transcriptional changes, immune response and behavioral alterations in adult zebrafish.

ABSTRACT: Microplastics have become pervasive environmental pollutants in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. The presence of microplastics have been recorded in the tissues of many wild fish species, and laboratory studies have demonstrated that microplastics can exert adverse health effects. To further investigate the biological mechanisms underlying microplastics toxicity we applied an integrated approach, analyzing the effects of microplastics at transcriptomic, histological and behavioral level. Adult zebrafish have been exposed to two concentrations of high-density polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics for twenty days. Transcriptomic results indicate alterations in the expression of immune system genes and the down-regulation of genes correlated with epithelium integrity and lipid meta

SUBMITTER: Limonta G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6823372 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature