Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107497
Katarzyna Bethke, Magda Caban
{"title":"Effect of acidification on the chronic toxicity of diclofenac to Daphnia magna","authors":"Katarzyna Bethke, Magda Caban","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pharmaceuticals, as ionizable compounds, are a challenging group of pollutants to analyze because the pH of the environment can alter its ecotoxicological features. However, changes in the toxicity of pharmaceuticals toward aquatic organisms were observed even when there was no change in the ionization of the molecules with a pH shift. Therefore, we conducted a study that aimed to check how pH influences the chronic toxicity of diclofenac (DCF, pKa ≈ 4.0) toward <em>Daphnia magna</em> at two pH levels, 7.0 and 8.7, where DCF is obtained as relatively polar anion. The performance of the experiment with OECD 211 was found to be challenging because of the medium pH shift during the exposure test. Acidification increased the toxicity of DCF, reducing the number of neonates (at a concentration of 1.3 mg l<sup>-1</sup>) and showing a tendency towards delayed hatching and reduced number of hatchings. In addition, the acidification itself also changes <em>D. magna</em> reproduction, affecting the number of hatchings and the first day of hatching. We conclude that the pH, as a factor of toxicity modulation for ionizable compounds, needs to be evaluated and presented in scientific protocols.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107497"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107495
Caitlin Younis , Emma F. Camp , Jean-Baptiste Raina , Tom Cresswell , Francesca Gissi
{"title":"Effects of selenium on the model cnidarian Exaiptasia diaphana and its symbiotic algae","authors":"Caitlin Younis , Emma F. Camp , Jean-Baptiste Raina , Tom Cresswell , Francesca Gissi","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Characterising toxicity thresholds for coral reefs is essential for understanding and safeguarding these ecosystems. Coral reefs are highly sensitive to environmental changes, including pollutants and increased trace element concentrations. Corals and other cnidarians form symbiotic associations with photosynthetic algae (Symbiodiniaceae) allowing for diverse nutrient acquisition methods and effective nutrient transformation and recycling between the host animal and their Symbiodiniaceae. Selenium (Se), an essential element, supports crucial physiological functions in marine taxa but it can become toxic at elevated concentrations. Currently, Se exposure thresholds for cnidarians and Symbiodiniaceae remain unknown. To assess the impact of high inorganic Se concentrations on cnidarians and Symbiodiniaceae, we conducted toxicity tests using the model sea anemone, <em>Exaiptasia diaphana</em>, exposing individuals to Se-enriched seawater using Na<sub>2</sub>SeO<sub>3</sub> (76 - 1100 µg Se/L) for 96 h. Mortality occurred in the highest concentration of Se (1100 µg/L) for all replicates, but 100 % survival was recorded in all lower concentrations, including 570 µg/L. This latter concentration exceeded environmentally relevant levels, negating the need to acquire more refined mortality data. In addition, decreases in oral disk and reduced tentacle length at higher Se exposures indicated potential sublethal effects and physiological stress where <em>E. diaphana</em> exposed to concentrations ranging from 245- 570 µg/L decreasing in size by ∼15–20 %. These findings contribute to our understanding of cnidarian physiology and stress responses, highlighting the importance of trace elements in coral reef environments. This knowledge is crucial for developing effective management strategies to protect and preserve vital ecosystems in the face of environmental challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107495"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interactive effects of Titanium-based compounds with Gadolinium and Mercury in Mytilus galloprovincialis","authors":"Hanen Smii , Carla Leite , Eduarda Pereira , Amadeu M.V.M. Soares , Hamouda Beyrem , Mohamed Dellali , Rosa Freitas","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The combined toxicity of metals in aquatic environments is a critical concern due to the complex interactions between different metal contaminants, as well as their interactions with other environmental factors. These combined effects often result in synergistic, antagonistic, or additive toxic responses, leading to heightened risks for aquatic organisms and ecosystems. This study investigates the toxicity of titanium in its bulk form (Ti) and as nanoparticles (nTi) when combined with other elements like gadolinium (Gd) and mercury (Hg), focusing on their effects on the mussel <em>Mytilus galloprovincialis</em>. Mussels were exposed to Ti or nTi alone, or their combination with Gd or Hg. Biomarkers of metabolic capacity and oxidative stress were measured to assess the impacts on the organisms. The results showed that exposure to Ti and nTi alone did not significantly disrupt the mussels' metabolic capacity, energy reserves or antioxidant defense systems, indicating that these concentrations were below the toxicity threshold. However, when mussels were exposed to Gd and Hg, in combination with Ti or nTi, the metabolism increased, the detoxification enzyme rose, the redox homeostasis was disrupted, leading to cellular damage. The integrated biomarker index showed that mussels were more responsive to the combination of Ti/nTi+Hg, highlighting the elevated toxicity of co-exposure to Ti and Hg. These findings suggest that while Ti-based materials may not pose significant oxidative stress on their own, their interaction with more toxic elements like Gd and Hg exacerbates the organisms' metabolic burden, compromising their health. This study emphasizes the importance of considering pollutant mixtures in assessing the environmental impacts of emerging and traditional contaminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107494"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-16DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107496
Danielle N Meyer , Gabrielle F. Gonzalez , Jonathan R Cowart , Alex Haimbaugh , Nicole M Dennis , Tracie R Baker
{"title":"Sublethal juvenile dioxin (TCDD) exposure alters sperm motility and whole-body vitellogenin parameters in adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio)","authors":"Danielle N Meyer , Gabrielle F. Gonzalez , Jonathan R Cowart , Alex Haimbaugh , Nicole M Dennis , Tracie R Baker","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-<em>p</em>-dioxin (TCDD) is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) known for pronounced developmental and reproductive toxicity in humans, rodents, and fish. We previously determined that sublethal juvenile exposure in zebrafish (50 parts per trillion; 3- and 7-weeks post fertilization) resulted in transgenerational male-mediated infertility. Here, we used the same exposure paradigm to investigate potential effects on sperm motility and whole-body steroid and thyroid hormone levels contributing to infertility. In progressive sperm collected from developmentally exposed fish, velocity measures (VCL, VSL, VAP) were significantly decreased, while remaining kinematic parameters (LIN, STR, WOB, ALH, and BCF) were unaffected. Temporal analysis over four ten-second intervals revealed differential kinematics in exposed sperm. All three velocity metrics at both early (1) and late (4) timepoints were significantly decreased in progressive sperm of exposed fish, while kinematic parameters LIN, STR, and WOB were decreased at the final timepoint (4) only. Corresponding with motility outcomes, sperm structural genes were downregulated in spermatozoa cell clusters. Vitellogenin was significantly increased in whole-body homogenates of exposed adult males, while cortisol, 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), testosterone, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) levels were unaffected. While adverse reproductive outcomes of TCDD exposure are well-studied in fish, ours is the first to use CASA (computer-aided sperm analysis) to characterize impacts of TCDD exposure in fish. Vitellogenin induction and deficits in progressive sperm motility in male fish over 10 months after the initial exposure highlight the persistence of endocrine and reproductive dysregulation in these developmentally exposed fish, with concerning implications for sensitive populations in contaminated environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107496"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107492
Joanna Lenarczyk
{"title":"Interplay between algae and phthalates in the aquatic environment: review and perspectives","authors":"Joanna Lenarczyk","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the aquatic environment, algae are crucial for maintaining life as they produce oxygen and organic matter, while phthalates (phthalic acid esters, PAEs), are officially treated as water contaminants due to their ability to disrupt the human endocrine system. This review paper shows that the interactions between algae and PAEs are multidirectional. The last few decades of research have indicated that algae are susceptible to the toxic effects of PAEs, they degrade PAEs but can even produce them. Literature data indicate that PAEs can disturb the natural functioning of water ecosystems by causing changes in algal density, cellular components and physiology. On the other hand, some algae can remove PAEs, mainly in the process of biodegradation. It has been proved that PAEs in algal organisms are not only of external but also natural origin, playing a role as allelochemicals as well as presenting bioactive properties that can be used in medicine, pharmacy and cosmetology. Future research should focus on understanding the response of entire communities to the action of PAEs, the composition and concentration of which corresponds to natural conditions, and on finding species of algae that are both resistant to PAEs and able to maintain the concentration of these compounds in water at a reasonable level. We cannot treat PAEs only as water pollutants, but we should try to use them more for human health as our allies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107492"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107493
Clément Baratange , Tainá Rocha de Almeida , Jean Armengaud , Isabelle Bonnard , Elise David , Laurence Delahaut , Véronique Gaillet , Emmanuel Guillon , Mélodie Kielbasa , Jean-Luc Loizeau , Nicolas Maurin , Stéphanie Sayen , Claudia Cosio
{"title":"Molecular and genotoxic effects of carbamazepine and methylmercury on the gonads of Dreissena polymorpha","authors":"Clément Baratange , Tainá Rocha de Almeida , Jean Armengaud , Isabelle Bonnard , Elise David , Laurence Delahaut , Véronique Gaillet , Emmanuel Guillon , Mélodie Kielbasa , Jean-Luc Loizeau , Nicolas Maurin , Stéphanie Sayen , Claudia Cosio","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbamazepine (CBZ) and methylmercury (MeHg) are pervasive contaminants that share molecular toxicity pathways (<em>e.g.</em>, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, energy metabolism) and, in addition to their main toxicity target, are both suspected of reprotoxicity. Yet, the precise mechanisms behind these putative effects remain a subject of ongoing investigation. <em>Dreissena polymorpha</em> holds great potential for freshwater biomonitoring due to its wide distribution and filter-feeder lifestyle, but the influence of the reproductive stage for the biological response to pollutants is still understudied. Here, <em>D. polymorpha</em> males in the proliferation and maturation reproductive stages were exposed for 24 h to CBZ, MeHg and CBZ+MeHg. We combined the comet assay, proteomics and targeted RT-qPCR approaches to evaluate the impact of those exposures on the gonads. In the proliferation stage, both single and co-exposures modulated transcripts involved in antioxidant defenses. In the maturation stage, no significant modulation was observed with targeted approaches, most likely due to a higher background level masking the effect of pollutants. At both stages, differentially abundant proteins were involved in similar metabolic pathways, including the energy metabolism, antioxidant defenses and gonadal cell development. Proteomics also revealed modulation of proteins involved in genotoxicity pathways exclusively in the proliferation stage, aligning with the observation of an increase in genotoxic damage. MeHg exposure caused more alterations than co-exposure, in contrast with previous studies on other organs during similar exposure in <em>D. polymorpha</em>. This underlined the importance of assessing organ-specific responses to pollutants. Moreover, data confirmed a newly identified reprotoxic effect of MeHg, reinforcing the need to better consider the reproductive stage in biomonitoring programs using this species, and species with similar characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107493"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144655486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-13DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107484
Zhilong Liu , Yewei Zhang , Xiaojun Jing , Shengyan Su
{"title":"Impact of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on gonadal development in zebrafish larvae and melatonin therapeutic intervention","authors":"Zhilong Liu , Yewei Zhang , Xiaojun Jing , Shengyan Su","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107484","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107484","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), owing to their high specific surface area and reactivity, are extensively applied across various fields while concurrently posing certain hazards to aquatic organisms. This study comprehensively investigated the detrimental effects of CuNPs on the reproductive system of zebrafish and emphasized the examination of the potential therapeutic role of melatonin. The research found that CuNPs interfere with zebrafish gonadal development through oxidative damage, endocrine disruption (upregulated estradiol, E<sub>2</sub>; downregulated testosterone, T), and suppression of reproduction-related genes, consequently causing impaired germ cell development and even organismal mortality. Through transcriptomic research, we discovered that CuNPs induce gonadal oxidative stress (Oxidative phosphorylation pathway) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway), downregulate <em>zgc:153,993</em> to activate the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, and inhibit the <em>hsp70l</em>-MAPK/ERK feedback loop to amplify damage; the organism compensatorily upregulated <em>cyp2x12</em> to enhance detoxification function and upregulated <em>dync1i1/dync1li2</em> to activate the Phagosome pathway to clear aberrant apoptotic products. Melatonin, by antagonizing ROS and repairing stress-induced damage, modulated the expression of most key gonadal development genes to restore homeostasis. Simultaneously, it transcriptionally upregulated ribosome biogenesis gene (<em>si:dkey-103j14.5</em>) and lysosomal pathway gene (<em>si:ch211–122f10.4</em>) to alleviate nucleic acid oxidation damage and clear damaged substrates. Finally, by upregulating <em>got2a</em> to activate the aspartate metabolism pathway, it achieved multi-target therapeutic intervention against gonadal injury under CuNPs exposure. Our study reveals the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive toxicity of CuNPs; melatonin, as an endogenous protective agent, shows promise in mitigating the ecotoxicological effects of CuNPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107484"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144613153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-11DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107491
Seong Chan Yun , Deok-Seo Yoon , Yoseop Lee , Haksoo Jeong , Yoshitaka Sakakura , Zhou Yang , Jae-Seong Lee , Jin-Sol Lee
{"title":"Deleterious effects of in vivo parameters and oxidative stress-mediated autophagy and apoptosis induction via MAPKs and AMPK signaling pathways in the ammonia-exposed marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis","authors":"Seong Chan Yun , Deok-Seo Yoon , Yoseop Lee , Haksoo Jeong , Yoshitaka Sakakura , Zhou Yang , Jae-Seong Lee , Jin-Sol Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107491","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107491","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms responsible for the physiological and behavioral consequences of ammonia exposure in the marine rotifer <em>Brachionus plicatilis</em>, a representative model of aquatic invertebrates. <em>B. plicatilis</em> is particularly susceptible to ammonia, which can induce substantial increases in antioxidant enzyme activities, including those of superoxide dismutase and catalase, along with reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), a critical pathway implicated in oxidative stress, was investigated using western blots to elucidate increases in the phosphorylation of p38 among MAPKs. We also identified an adverse behavioral effect of ammonia exposure in the form of a reduction in swimming speed in <em>B. plicatilis</em>. Following this, the activity of acetylcholinesterase and expression of 5ʹ-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) proteins were investigated to determine the relationship between deleterious behavioral effects and molecular responses. Western blots were also used to identify autophagy and apoptosis as molecular side effects of ammonia exposure in rotifers. Increased expression of relevant biomarkers indicated that autophagy and apoptosis occurred along with increased phosphorylation of p38 and AMPK among MAPKs. This study offers a deeper understanding of the impact of ammonia on marine organisms by investigating alterations at the molecular level, as well as physiological changes and behavioral patterns of rotifers in response to varying concentrations of ammonia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 107491"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144613131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107489
Huizhen Li, Qingping Lan, Jing You
{"title":"Application of TKTD models in predicting time-resolved bioaccumulation and toxicity of pesticides to aquatic organisms","authors":"Huizhen Li, Qingping Lan, Jing You","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107489","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107489","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pesticides play a crucial role in global food production, but their extensive use has led to increasing threats to aquatic ecosystems due to their ubiquitous occurrence in aquatic ecosystems and high toxic potency to non-target organisms. Conventional ecological risk assessment (ERA) approaches, which mainly rely on static external exposure thresholds (e.g., LC50s), are often inadequate for accurately predicting pesticide risks in environmentally realistic scenarios where pesticide exposures fluctuate dynamically due to intermittent pesticide applications and hydrological events. Recent advances advocate for a paradigm shift toward internal exposure-based metrics and mechanistic toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TKTD) modeling approaches to address these challenges. These models provide a robust framework for quantifying pesticide uptake, internal distribution, metabolism, and elimination processes in organisms (TK), and simultaneously characterize the time-dependent biological effects (TD). The present review synthesizes current applications of TKTD modeling in predicting bioaccumulation and toxicity of pesticides in aquatic organisms. The influences of chemical properties (e.g., hydrophobicity, metabolic potency) and biological traits (e.g., body size) on bioaccumulation potential of pesticides in aquatic organisms are evaluated. We further discuss the application of TD models in predicting time-resolved effects (e.g., delayed and carry-over effects) and species sensitivity. By integrating these mechanistic insights into aquatic risk assessment approaches and regulatory needs, a TKTD-based ERA framework is recommended for advancing pesticide risk assessments, particularly for addressing the challenges under realistic and fluctuating exposure conditions in natural aquatic ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 107489"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144613154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aquatic ToxicologyPub Date : 2025-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107485
Ziang Wang , Chenkai Ge , Wenbin Yuan , Wenwen Zha , Wanqing Chen , Weirong Li , Weitao Hu , Qinyuan Shen , Zhonghao Xiao , Xiaowen Shi , Huimin Li , Zigang Cao
{"title":"2-Hydroxyanthraquinone induces cardiotoxicity in zebrafish via ferroptosis","authors":"Ziang Wang , Chenkai Ge , Wenbin Yuan , Wenwen Zha , Wanqing Chen , Weirong Li , Weitao Hu , Qinyuan Shen , Zhonghao Xiao , Xiaowen Shi , Huimin Li , Zigang Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107485","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107485","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>2-Hydroxyanthraquinone (2-hATQ) is a photochemical oxidation product of anthracene (ANT), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. ANT is listed as a priority pollutant by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to its resistance to degradation and persistence in the environment. Because of ANT's characteristics, 2-hATQ can also be ubiquitously present in the environment and is more toxic than its parent compound ANT, posing significant risks to environmental safety and human health. Nevertheless, there are limited studies addressing its toxicological effects, particularly concerning cardiovascular toxicity. In the present study, zebrafish embryos acutely exposed to 2-hATQ (0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 mg/L) at different concentrations showed significant cardiac developmental abnormalities, as evidenced by slowing of the heart rate, pericardial edema, and the cardiac malformations. Transcriptomic sequencing analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) study showed that 2-hATQ induced cardiac ferroptosis via disruption of the antioxidant system, glutathione depletion, increase in polyunsaturated fats and accumulation of iron ions. Co-exposure of ferroptosis inhibitor (Fer-1) effectively rescues the morphological abnormalities of the heart. After exposing adult zebrafish to low concentration 2-hATQ for 28 days, ventricular morphology was reduced and internal structures showed partial vacuolation and fibrosis. This study reveals for the first time the negative influence of 2-hATQ exposure on the cardiac development of aquatic organisms and this discovery may offer significant insights and references for an in-depth understanding of 2-hATQ and other ANT-related environmental risk substances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 107485"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144613156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}