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Mixture Effects of Polystyrene Microplastics on the Gut Microbiota in C57BL/6 Mice
Bei Gao1,2, Xiaochun Shi3, Meng Zhao3
1School of Marine Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, China.
Abstract:
Microplastics are plastic particles with sizes of less than 5 mm. The ubiquity of microplastics in the environment has raised serious public health concerns. Microplastics could disturb the composition of the gut microbiota due to both chemical composition and physical interactions, which might further influence the metabolism and immune function of the host. However, most of the exposure studies chose microplastics of specific sizes. In the natural environment, living organisms are exposed to a mixture of microplastics of various sizes. In this study, male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to polystyrene (PS) microplastics with different sizes, including microplastics with diameters of 0.05-0.1 μm (PS0.1 group, 100 ppb), 9-10 μm (PS10 group, 100 ppb), and microplastic mixtures of both 0.05-0.1 and 9-10 μm (PSMix group) at a total concentration of 100 ppb (50 ppb for each size). Mixture effects of microplastics were investigated on the composition of bacteria and fungi as well as functional metagenome and microbial genes encoding antibiotic resistance and virulence factors. We found that some bacteria, fungi, and microbial metabolic pathways were only altered in the PSMix group, not in the PS0.1 or PS10 group, suggesting the toxic effects of the microplastic mixture on the composition of fungi and bacteria, and the functional metagenome is different from the effects of microplastics at specific sizes. Meanwhile, altered genes encoding antibiotic resistance and virulence factors in the PSMix group were shared with the PS0.1 and PS10 groups, possibly due to functional redundancy. Our findings help improve the understanding of the toxic effects of the microplastic mixture on the gut microbiome.
Insights
Exposure to a mixture of microplastics, not single sizes, significantly altered gut bacteria, fungi, and metabolic pathways in mice. This highlights unique toxic effects of microplastic mixtures on the gut microbiome.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Microplastics (<5 mm) are pervasive environmental contaminants.
- Concerns exist regarding microplastics' impact on gut microbiota, host metabolism, and immunity.
- Existing studies often overlook the effects of mixed-size microplastic exposures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of polystyrene microplastic mixtures on the gut microbiome.
- To compare the effects of single-sized microplastics versus mixed-size microplastics.
- To analyze alterations in bacterial and fungal composition, functional metagenome, and genes related to antibiotic resistance and virulence factors.
Main Methods:
- Male C57BL/6 mice were exposed to polystyrene microplastics of specific sizes (0.05-0.1 μm and 9-10 μm) and a mixture of both.
- Gut microbiome composition (bacteria and fungi) was analyzed.
- Functional metagenome, including genes for antibiotic resistance and virulence factors, was assessed.
Main Results:
- Exposure to a microplastic mixture (PSMix) uniquely altered certain bacteria, fungi, and microbial metabolic pathways compared to single-size exposures (PS0.1, PS10).
- These findings suggest distinct toxicological effects of microplastic mixtures on gut microbial communities and functions.
- Altered antibiotic resistance and virulence factor genes in the PSMix group were also observed in single-size groups, indicating potential functional redundancy.
Conclusions:
- Microplastic mixtures exert unique effects on the gut microbiome composition and function.
- Understanding the impact of mixed-size microplastic exposure is crucial for assessing environmental health risks.
- This study provides insights into the complex interactions between microplastics and the gut microbiome.
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