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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
Metabolic Profile Analysis of Zebrafish Embryos
Published on: January 14, 2013
Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs): A Review on metabolic disruptions and potential obesogenic implications using
Sabrine Afsa1, Maria Maisano2, Antonino Germanà1
1Zebrafish Neuromorphology Lab, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98168, Messina, Italy.
Abstract:
The ubiquitous exposure of living organisms to microplastics (MPs) is well documented. In particular, polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) are among the most frequently detected and persistent plastics in the environment. Recently, growing evidence showed that PS-MPs could interfere with several metabolic pathways, resulting in alteration of lipid and energy metabolism, as well as multiple metabolic disorders, in zebrafish (ZF). These findings may support the obesogenic potential of MPs, which could be unsuspected key drivers of obesity's expanding prevalence in the world over the last decades, particularly with the parallel increase in plastics production. In this Review, we focus on recent -omics based studies to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the metabolic disturbances provoked by PS-MPs and their obesogenic potential in ZF. This literature Review revealed that PS-MPs could induce metabolic alterations, mostly affecting glycolipid metabolism and energy homeostasis at the transcriptomic and metabolomic levels. Microbiota dysbiosis may also largely contribute to the obesogenic effects. Although some key pathways are suggested as candidate obesogenic mechanisms of PS-MPs additional studies integrating multi-omics approaches are needed to fully understand the mechanistic/molecular basis of PS-MPs in ZF. Functional analyses such as mitochondrial respiration assays, microbiota manipulation/transplantation as well as in vitro mechanistic studies are also required to support -omics findings.
Insights
Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) disrupt lipid and energy metabolism in zebrafish, potentially contributing to obesity. Further multi-omics research is needed to confirm these obesogenic effects and understand the molecular mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Toxicology
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Microplastics (MPs), particularly polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs), are pervasive environmental contaminants.
- Growing evidence suggests PS-MPs interfere with metabolic pathways and cause disorders in zebrafish (ZF).
- The potential obesogenic role of MPs aligns with rising global obesity rates and plastic production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize recent -omics studies on metabolic disturbances caused by PS-MPs in ZF.
- To evaluate the obesogenic potential of PS-MPs based on current scientific literature.
- To identify key metabolic pathways and mechanisms affected by PS-MPs.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on -omics (transcriptomic, metabolomic) studies.
- Analysis of studies investigating PS-MPs' effects on zebrafish metabolism.
- Synthesis of findings related to glycolipid metabolism, energy homeostasis, and microbiota.
Main Results:
- PS-MPs induce significant metabolic alterations in ZF, primarily affecting glycolipid metabolism and energy homeostasis.
- Observed changes occur at both transcriptomic and metabolomic levels.
- Microbiota dysbiosis is implicated as a contributing factor to the obesogenic effects of PS-MPs.
Conclusions:
- PS-MPs exhibit obesogenic potential in zebrafish by disrupting key metabolic pathways.
- Multi-omics approaches reveal significant impacts on lipid and energy metabolism.
- Further integrated multi-omics studies, functional assays, and in vitro mechanistic research are essential to elucidate the molecular basis of PS-MP-induced obesity.
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