Aquatic Toxicology最新文献

{"title":"Microplastics: Disseminators of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogenic bacteria","authors":"Tooba Khan, Aalia Khanem, Irsa Batool, Ikram Ullah, Farhan Younas","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107591","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107591","url":null,"abstract":"Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that linger in the air, water, and land. Beyond their physical and chemical risks, there is growing evidence that MPs contribute to the worldwide antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dilemma by acting as carriers of harmful microbes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Despite an increase in research, the available literature is dispersed, and the part that MPs play in influencing microbial populations and fostering resistance is still not well understood. This review summarizes current research on how MPs contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance. We concentrated on the ways in which MPs support horizontal gene transfer (HGT) processes such as conjugation, transformation, and transduction, assist biofilm development, and offer surfaces for microbial colonization. Evidence from a variety of settings suggests that MPs serve as vectors for opportunistic pathogens, such as the ESKAPE group, and ARGs, increasing the survival and movement of resistance determinants in ecosystems. Through the consolidation of current developments, this review emphasizes MPs as active resistance vectors instead of passive pollutants. We also point out important limitations, such as the lack of standardized procedures, inadequate risk assessment frameworks, and the absence of real-world exposure research. It is imperative that these issues be approached from a One Health standpoint in order to reduce the risks of both plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance.","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145229451","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":"Unveiling enantioselective mechanisms of toxicity of butylone in Daphnia magna","authors":"Renata Vidal ,&nbsp;Ana R. Carvalho ,&nbsp;Juliana Faria ,&nbsp;Joana Barbosa ,&nbsp;Virgínia M.F. Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Maria E. Tiritan ,&nbsp;Cristina Couto ,&nbsp;João S. Carrola ,&nbsp;Bruno B. Castro ,&nbsp;Adrián M.T. Silva ,&nbsp;Ana R.L. Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Cláudia Ribeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Butylone (BTL) is a chiral synthetic cathinone widely abused due to its stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. It is available as a racemate and reported as a contaminant in wastewater. Our previous studies revealed BTL toxicity and of its enantiomers to non-target species. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying its toxicity remain poorly understood, particularly after sub-chronic exposure. This study aimed to expand the understanding of the ecotoxicity of BTL and its enantiomers by studying the potential mechanisms of toxicity after 15 days of exposure using <em>Daphnia magna</em> freshwater model. For that, neonates (&lt;24 h) were exposed to an environmentally relevant concentration (0.10 μg L⁻¹) of the racemate (<em>R,S</em>)-BTL or each pure enantiomers, (<em>R</em>)-BTL or (<em>S</em>)-BTL, to study various key endpoints (morphophysiological, biochemical, reproductive, swimming activity, and gene expression). Results showed that both racemate and (<em>S</em>)-BTL exposure significantly induced triacylglycerol lipase (LIP4) gene expression linked to lipid metabolism, negatively affecting the growth and body size of the specimens exposed. Moreover, neurotoxicity was evidenced by the inhibitory response on acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) and the upregulation of the expression of genes involved in the synthesis of dopamine and serotonin. Yet, swimming activity, reproduction and survival of <em>D. magna</em> remained unaffected. Enantioselective effects were observed in body growth (decrease (<em>S</em>)-BTL and increase (<em>R</em>)-BTL), heart size and area (increase (<em>R</em>)-BTL), and aromatic <span>l</span>-amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) transcription levels (all BTL forms). Overall, the findings highlighted that environmentally relevant concentrations of BTL can lead to adverse effects in <em>D. magna</em>, confirming the potential threat of this illicit drug to this freshwater invertebrate, and can impact the primary consumers and aquatic food webs and their ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107593"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211101","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":"Mechanism of reproductive toxicity of BHT on male Ruditapes philippinarum: epigenetic - testis development and oxidative damage - cell death","authors":"Xin Zheng,&nbsp;Xiaohui Li,&nbsp;Ruicheng Qi,&nbsp;Zeyuan Li,&nbsp;Qilong Liao,&nbsp;Luqing Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are widely utilized in industrial production and consumer goods owing to their excellent antioxidant properties. However, their potential for multiple toxic effects, coupled with the increasing levels of environmental pollution, has heightened public concern. Currently, there is a relative scarcity of study on the reproductive toxicology of SPAs in hydrobios, with a particular dearth of studies in invertebrates. This study investigates the reproductive toxicity of the typical SPAs butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) in male clams <em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em> across distinct breeding period. The finding show that,the processes of meiosis and spermatogenesis were inhibited, leading to a decreased number of mature sperm and a reduced gonad index. Furthermore, an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) content was observed in the testes under BHT stress, causing biomacromolecular damage. BHT induces different types of cell death processes in testis cells, thereby damaging sperm development.Ultimately, this investigation clarifies the molecular basis for reproductive toxicity caused by BHT in invertebrates living in water. The research specifically analyzed contributing factors including endocrine disruption, epigenetic effects, and oxidative stress. The experimental results provide valuable data support for marine shellfish germplasm conservation and marine SPAs pollution detection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107590"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226873","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":"Microcystis aeruginosa copes with toxic effects of micro/nano-plastics with varying particle sizes through different self-regulatory mechanisms","authors":"Zihan Lin ,&nbsp;Ting Wang ,&nbsp;Fuxun Ai ,&nbsp;Xiaolin Wang ,&nbsp;Ying Yin ,&nbsp;Hongyan Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies have shown that micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) are hazardous to many organisms. However, the underlying toxicity mechanism of MNPs, particularly the impact of particle size, have not yet been clarified. We exposed the freshwater cyanobacterium <em>Microcystis aeruginosa</em> to 5 mg/L of polystyrene (PS) MNPs with varying particle sizes (20 nm, 200 nm, and 2 µm) for 96 h. The results demonstrated that different particle sizes of PS all exerted adverse effects on microalgae, which led to a significant reduction in photosynthesis and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), and integrated biomarker response (IBR) analysis revealed that larger MNPs (2 µm, 200 nm) caused greater physiological stress in <em>M. aeruginosa</em> than 20 nm particles. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) images showed that MNPs with different particle sizes coexisted with microalgae in different states, triggering different toxicity mechanisms. Only 20 nm PS could enter algal cells and its intake might cause cell damage or even lysis. 200 nm PS adsorbed to the algal surface, and 2 µm PS aggregated with algae, both producing shading effects. Meanwhile, microalgae self-regulated by enhancing the secretion of various types of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), increasing CO₂ uptake to produce more energy (72.5–96.3% increase in ¹³C/¹²C values) and up-regulating the transcription of different genes (mainly genes associated with ribosomes, photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and pentose phosphate pathway) to mitigate the negative effects of PS with varying particle sizes to different degrees. Notably, 200 nm and 2 μm PS significantly increased the generation and release of microcystins, raising the freshwater environmental health risk and requiring attention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107589"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145226872","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":"Dietary exposure to hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA ammonium salt, GenX) alters hepatic sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine metabolism in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)","authors":"Amany Sultan, Isaac Konig, Adam D. Point, Victor Hugo Buttrós, Russell L. Lewis, Denina B.D. Simmons, Christopher J. Martyniuk","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107588","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107588","url":null,"abstract":"HFPO-DA ammonium salt (GenX) is used to replace the environmentally persistent perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but its effects on fish lipid metabolism remain poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of dietary GenX exposure (0.73 and 3.10 mg/Kg of feed, measured concentrations) on hepatic lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in juvenile male Nile tilapia (5.32 ± 1.60 g) over 28 days. While fish increased body weight over time, there were no differences in weight gain among treatments. There were no changes in hepatic glycerol levels with either dose of feed, while triglycerides decreased in the low-dose group. Using an untargeted Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) lipidomic approach (a technique for broad profiling of lipid species), we detected 169 lipids in the liver, and 25 lipids altered their abundance following treatment with GenX. Fish fed with 0.73 mg/Kg GenX had increased levels of sphingomyelins (4), diacylglycerols (4), and triglycerides (1), and decreased levels of phosphatidylcholines (6), sphingomyelins (2), ceramides (1), and phosphatidylinositol (1). In the high-dose group, phosphatidylcholines (5), lysophosphatidylcholine (3), fatty acids (2), and ceramides (1) had their levels increased compared to the control. GenX increased the hepatic expression of lipid-related transcripts; <ce:italic>elovl5</ce:italic> mRNA levels were increased in fish with both feeding regimes, while the expression levels of <ce:italic>aco1</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>fas</ce:italic> increased at 3.10 mg/Kg. The expression of oxidative stress-related genes <ce:italic>gpx</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>cat</ce:italic> decreased at 0.73 and 3.10 mg/Kg, respectively, suggestive of depleted antioxidant defense enzymes. Our study sheds light on how dietary GenX exposure may affect aquatic organisms, contributing to its risk assessment.","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145229452","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":"Reproductive toxicity of chronic exposure to cortisone in western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)","authors":"MeiXin Ye ,&nbsp;JinLin Yang ,&nbsp;ZiPing Cai ,&nbsp;ZhiTuo Huang ,&nbsp;JunHao Wu ,&nbsp;QianLin Cai ,&nbsp;Xing Hu ,&nbsp;KaiWen Li ,&nbsp;ZiJian Liu ,&nbsp;Shuai Wu ,&nbsp;LiPing Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cortisone is a commonly found in a variety of aquatic environments and has potential adverse effects on aquatic organisms. This study was to assess the chronic toxic effects of cortisone at different concentrations (0.0, 5.0, 50.0 and 500.0 ng/L) for 60 days on adult female western mosquitofish (<em>Gambusia affinis</em>). The results revealed that cortisone significantly increased the proportion of perinuclear oocytes concomitant with reduced the prevalence of late-stage oocytes, indicating arrested oocyte maturation. Meanwhile, exposed females exhibited compromised mate attraction and diminished courtship interactions. Transcriptomic profiling of the ovaries identified significant enrichment of steroidogenic pathways (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), with the differentially expressed gene <em>CYP21A2</em> demonstrating pronounced up-regulation relative to that of the control fish. Gene expression and plasma steroid analyses further showed decreased expression of key genes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) (<em>lhb, fshb, gnrh2, gnrh3</em>, and <em>cyp19a1b</em> in the brain; <em>cyp19a1a</em> and <em>hsd20b</em> in the ovary), whereas ovarian <em>star, cyp17, hsd3b</em>, and <em>hsd17b3</em> were up-regulated. This transcriptional dysregulation disrupted plasma steroid homeostasis, manifested by significantly decreased levels of estradiol and 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α,20β-DHP), contrasted with a pronounced increase in 11-ketotestosterone. Vitellogenin gene transcription was also suppressed in both liver and brain tissues. Collectively, cortisone exposure induced endocrine disruption in <em>G. affinis</em>, which may ultimately compromise population stability. These findings provided valuable information for further understanding the potential ecological risks of corticosteroids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107587"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145211104","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":"Transcriptomic analysis reveals chronic PFBA exposure at environmental levels induces liver damage in zebrafish","authors":"Biyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Tianyu Zheng ,&nbsp;Mengjie Chen ,&nbsp;Qian Fang ,&nbsp;Qiangmei Zhang ,&nbsp;Shan Chen ,&nbsp;Tianwei Hao ,&nbsp;Xubo Wang ,&nbsp;Mingzhe Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107584","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107584","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), a short-chain PFAS, is a persistent and bioaccumulative pollutant of increasing ecological concern. However, the long-term effects of environmentally relevant PFBA concentrations on fish liver function remain unclear. In this study, male zebrafish were exposed to 1000 ng/L PFBA for 7, 35, and 64 days to assess hepatotoxicity and molecular alterations over time. Histopathological analysis revealed progressive liver damage, including lipid vacuolization and hemorrhage, which intensified with prolonged exposure. Transcriptome profiling identified thousands of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with distinct temporal patterns—early immune activation and metabolic disruption (Day 7), peak inflammatory response (Day 35), and partial attenuation or adaptation (Day 64). GO and KEGG analyses highlighted key pathways, including Toll-like receptor (TLR), Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR), Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) , and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathways. qPCR validation of TLR pathway genes (<em>tlr1, tlr2, tlr3, tlr5, tlr7, tlr8, pik3cd, pik3r2, akt3b, akt1, mapk1, mapk3, mapk11, mapk14, nfκb1, tab2, il-8, tnfα</em>) confirmed the upregulation of these genes, supporting the findings from transcriptome analysis and highlighting the significance of the TLR pathway in the immune response to PFBA exposure. These findings provide valuable insights into the chronic effects of environmentally relevant PFBA exposure on liver function and immune responses in zebrafish, with important implications for understanding the ecological risks of PFBA in aquatic environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107584"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145156286","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":"Polystyrene microplastic exposure alters the shell matrix proteome and compromises biomineralization in the freshwater snail Planorbarius corneus","authors":"Chuang Liu,&nbsp;Guansong Chen,&nbsp;Jindong Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The continuous growth of plastic production makes microplastic pollution a globally significant environmental issue. Biomineralization, vital for mollusk growth and development, provides essential shell protection and support. However, studies on microplastic impacts on freshwater snail biomineralization remain scarce. This research exposed <em>Planorbarius corneus</em> snails to 5-μm polystyrene microplastics for 51 days. The control group exhibited significantly higher shell-width growth rates and egg-laying volumes than the exposed group. Proteomic analysis of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified 213 SMPs in controls versus 189 in high-concentration exposed snails. Microplastics altered SMP composition and abundance, affecting tyrosinases, acidic matrix proteins, macroglobulins, and globins. This study reveals fundamental proteome-level disruptions in shell biomineralization caused by microplastics in freshwater snails.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107586"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145182885","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":"Multilevel responses of Ceriodaphnia dubia, Nitellopsis obtusa and Lemna minor to selected veterinary antibiotics","authors":"B. Gylytė,&nbsp;R. Karitonas,&nbsp;L. Manusadžianas","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Veterinary antibiotics are increasingly detected in surface waters, yet chronic and multigenerational ecotoxicological data remain limited for many aquatic taxa. This study examined the long-term effects of three widely used veterinary antibiotics – ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and tetracycline (TC) – on freshwater species representing ecologically distinct functional groups and exposure pathways: the zooplankton <em>Ceriodaphnia dubia</em>, the benthic macroalga <em>Nitellopsis obtusa</em>, and the floating aquatic plant <em>Lemna minor</em>. TC induced the most consistent and severe responses, including survival reduction in all taxa and reproductive and somatic effects in <em>C. dubia</em>. CIP caused multigenerational reproductive inhibition in <em>C. dubia</em> from 0.1 mg/L, with survival reductions in later generations (F2–F3), and significantly inhibited duckweed growth (0.3–1.0 mg/L). SMX exhibited biphasic effects on reproduction, with stimulation at 0.1 mg/L and inhibition at 5 mg/L, while moderately affecting the survival of <em>N. obtusa</em> and the growth of <em>L. minor</em>. All three antibiotics induced oxidative stress in <em>L. minor</em>, as confirmed by elevated hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels, which occurred at concentrations lower than those that inhibited the growth of duckweed. Across all tested compounds, <em>L. minor</em> responded at lower concentrations than <em>N. obtusa</em>, underscoring its sensitivity and value as a phytotoxicity indicator. Importantly, <em>C. dubia</em> exhibited increasing susceptibility in later generations, highlighting the reliability of multigenerational testing. These findings emphasise the compound-specific and time-dependent nature of antibiotic toxicity and the ecological importance of integrating macrophytes, benthic algae, and reproductive endpoints into regulatory ecotoxicological frameworks for pharmaceuticals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107585"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145205029","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":"4-phenylbutyric acid mitigates triphenyl phosphate developmental neurotoxicity via the ER stress–autophagy–apoptosis axis in zebrafish embryos","authors":"Dinghui Wang ,&nbsp;Qiong Zhang ,&nbsp;Congying Luo ,&nbsp;Xinle Yu ,&nbsp;Menghan Yu ,&nbsp;Han Xie ,&nbsp;Olive Habimana ,&nbsp;Wenlong Huang ,&nbsp;Kusheng Wu ,&nbsp;Yanhong Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although environmental monitoring data for 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) remain limited, its potential co-occurrence with triphenyl phosphate (TPhP) in aquatic systems cannot be excluded, given its applications in agriculture and pharmaceuticals. The combined effects of these compounds on early neurodevelopment in organisms such as zebrafish remain largely unexplored. Here, zebrafish embryos were exposed from 2 h post-fertilisation (hpf) to TPhP, then co exposure to environmentally plausible 4-PBA (0.5 μM). Light–dark locomotion, high-light avoidance, and light–dark preference assays revealed that TPhP disrupted photomotor behaviors, whereas 4-PBA co-treatment partly restored normal activity. Morphological endpoints showed that TPhP-dependent delays in hatching, reduced body length, tachycardia, and ocular abnormalities; partly of these defects were significantly rescued by 4-PBA. Transgenic <em>Tg (sox10: EGFP)</em> imaging demonstrated that TPhP altered neural-crest patterning, an effect again rescued by 4-PBA. At the molecular level, TPhP activated the PERK–eIF2α–CHOP arm of endoplasmic-reticulum (ER) stress, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, up-regulated autophagy and apoptosis markers, and disturbed dopamine/GABA homeostasis. Co-exposure to 4-PBA inhibited ER-stress gene expression, normalized ROS levels, suppressed excessive autophagy and apoptosis, and restored neurotransmitter balance. Collectively, these findings support a model in which the ER-stress–autophagy–apoptosis axis is a key contributor of TPhP-induced neurotoxicity and provide first evidence that a chemical chaperone can alleviate pollutant-mediated developmental damage in an aquatic vertebrate model.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"289 ","pages":"Article 107582"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145147189","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}