Computational genomics of zebrafish under micro- and Nanoplastic stress: identification of pathways and hub genes.

Abstract

This review synthesizes in silico evidence on the toxicological effects of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in zebrafish (Danio rerio). With the increasing prevalence of these pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, evaluating their molecular impacts is essential for risk assessment. We systematically mined toxicogenomic studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and applied network biology approaches to identify gene-gene interactions underlying micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) toxicity. Using STRING for protein-protein interaction mapping and Cytoscape with cytoHubba for hub-gene detection, we identified casp3a, casp3b, bcl2a, tp53, and nfe2l2a as central regulators of stress responses. Enrichment analyses linked these genes to oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammatory signalling, and transcriptional dysregulation, pathways implicated in cardiotoxic, neurotoxic, reproductive, and developmental outcomes. While zebrafish provide a relevant vertebrate model, the present findings are derived exclusively from computational analyses and require experimental validation. By integrating toxicogenomics with network-based approaches, this review provides mechanistic insights into MNP-induced perturbations in zebrafish and highlights molecular pathways that may mediate broader ecological and human health risks.