Aquatic Toxicology最新文献

{"title":"Florfenicol impairs photosynthesis and triggers oxidative stress in Phaeodactylum tricornutum: Physiological and transcriptomic evidence","authors":"Huan Yang ,&nbsp;Dong-Sheng Zhao ,&nbsp;Yu-Ting Chen ,&nbsp;Nan Li ,&nbsp;Xiufeng Yan ,&nbsp;Hui-Xi Zou","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Florfenicol (FFC) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is used in aquaculture to effectively control bacterial infections in animals by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. However, its widespread application in aquaculture has increased environmental residues, posing potential toxic effects on non-target organisms in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the toxic effects of FFC on the marine diatom <em>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</em> and the associated underlying mechanisms. The results showed that FFC significantly inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, reduced photosynthetic pigment content, and impaired photosynthetic performance, as evidenced by decreased chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. At the same time, FFC exposure induced oxidative stress, characterized by suppressed antioxidant enzyme activities, decreased soluble sugar and protein contents, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that short-term exposure (24 h) primarily disrupted nitrogen metabolism-related gene expression, while prolonged exposure (96 h) significantly suppressed photosynthetic pathways. qPCR analysis further validated the downregulation of key genes involved in porphyrin metabolism and ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes. Collectively, FFC inhibited <em>P. tricornutum</em> growth by disrupting the photosynthetic electron transport chain, inducing oxidative damage, and interfering with critical biological processes, including nitrogen metabolism and protein synthesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107651"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145536404","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":"Combined impacts of a lipid lowering drug, gemfibrozil, and temperature on bioenergetics and digestive gland function of a marine bivalve Mytilus edulis","authors":"Inna M. Sokolova ,&nbsp;Halina Falfushynska ,&nbsp;Eugene P. Sokolov ,&nbsp;Esther Blanco-Rayón ,&nbsp;Xabier Lekube ,&nbsp;Ionan Marigómez","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pharmaceutical fibrates are increasingly detected in coastal waters, yet their organism-level effects under realistic thermal regimes remain poorly resolved. We tested how environmentally relevant gemfibrozil (GFB) exposure interacts with temperature to alter bioenergetics and digestive gland condition in the blue mussel <em>Mytilus edulis</em> spp. Adult mussels were exposed for 21 days to 15 °C or 20 °C with or without GFB (25 µg L⁻¹). We quantified clearance rate, assimilation efficiency, energy ingestion, oxygen consumption, ammonium excretion, and scope for growth (SFG), and assessed lysosomal membrane stability and structure, cathepsin D activity, intracellular neutral lipids, and histopathology of the digestive gland. Warming to 20 °C increased clearance rate (∼2.8-fold) and energy ingestion but reduced assimilation efficiency (from 93% to 57%); SFG was consequently higher at 20 °C. GFB and temperature interacted on respiration: at 15 °C GFB depressed oxygen consumption, whereas at 20 °C GFB elevated it; ammonium excretion was unchanged. GFB destabilized lysosomal membranes and led to an increase in the lysosomal volume and surface area, particularly at 20 °C. Histologically, GFB induced epithelial thinning and digestive gland atrophy, accompanied by loss of diverticula integrity and depletion of adipogranular cells at 20 °C. Overall, GFB acts as a metabolic disruptor in the mussels, impairing digestive gland health. Moderate warming partly offsets energetic costs by enhancing filtration and energy acquisition but does not reverse cellular and tissue-level damage in the digestive gland. These results indicate that warming coastal seas may buffer some functional consequences of fibrate exposure while allowing persistent sub-lethal pathology, with implications for long-term ecological risk to marine ecosystems from lipid-lowering drugs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107654"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145567432","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":"Image-based morphological characterization of the erythrocytic shape of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) for its potential use as an environmental biomarker","authors":"Claudia Lorena Rodríguez-Salazar ,&nbsp;Mauricio Comas-García ,&nbsp;Javier Flavio Vigueras-Gómez ,&nbsp;Claudia G. Castillo ,&nbsp;Adriana Monsiváis-Urenda ,&nbsp;Tania Zenteno-Savín ,&nbsp;Vanessa Labrada-Martagón","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107645","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107645","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental pollutants increase genotoxic damage in green sea turtles (<em>Chelonia mydas</em>). Erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) have been identified using the micronucleus (MN) test, a biomarker of DNA damage. The MN test is time-consuming, and counting depends on the observer, who requires training to avoid false positives. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of image-based morphometric measurements of erythrocyte nuclear shape to assess differences among green turtles from the Mexican Caribbean inhabiting four feeding sites with varying levels of anthropogenic pressure. An semi-automated measurement of 350 nuclei per animal (<em>n</em> = 60) per study site (<em>n</em> = 15) was performed, optimizing the traditional, time-consuming process of 1000–2000 cell counts. Eight metrics of the nuclei morphology were obtained and correlated with the frequency of ENA. A non-linear regression analysis was performed at each study site to infer the focus distance (FD) term from the aspect ratio (AR) and to evaluate deviations from the ellipse in cases with nuclear abnormalities. The erythrocyte nuclei’s minor axis, AR, FD, circularity, and roundness were correlated with the number of ENA. The green turtles captured in the most highly anthropized sites (<em>i.e.,</em> Akumal and Xcalak) showed the highest frequency of ENA, the smallest area, and the nuclear form most deviated from the elliptical nuclear erythrocytic shape expected. The proposed methodology enabled differentiation of sea turtles’ habitat conditions. Results from this study agree with previous reports of the highest concentrations of organic persistent pollutants, genotoxic damage, and alterations in oxidative stress in green turtles inhabiting urbanized areas of the Mexican Caribbean.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107645"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525053","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":"Metabolic toxicity of PAHs in Ruditapes philippinarum: Metabolic pathways and hepatotoxicity","authors":"Qiuhong Xu,&nbsp;Qiaoqiao Wang,&nbsp;Ruyue Ma,&nbsp;Rongjun Cai,&nbsp;Songhui Xie,&nbsp;Jingjing Miao,&nbsp;Luqing Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107643","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107643","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent organic pollutants that exhibit high bioaccumulation and toxicity, posing a significant threat to marine ecosystems. This study integrated transcriptomics, computational modeling, and experimental validation to elucidate the detoxification metabolism and hepatotoxicity of a PAHs mixture (phenanthrene: chrysene: benzo[a]pyrene = 1:1:1) in the Manila clam (<em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em>). PAHs exposure activated detoxification genes via aryl hydrocarbon receptor and HR96-like pathways, with additional modulation through neurotransmitter-mediated NF-κB and tyrosine kinase signaling. Phase I (e.g., CYP1A1, CYP3A4) and Phase II enzymes were upregulated, yet persistent reactive oxygen species accumulation caused macromolecular damage. Females exhibited lower detoxification but greater oxidative stress than males. Chronic oxidative injury induced liver impairment, probably accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis. These findings reveal sex-dependent toxicological responses and provide mechanistic insights for ecological risk assessment and biomarker development in marine pollution monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107643"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145515556","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":"The combined pollution of imidacloprid and glufosinate-ammonium aggravates toxicity on Hydrilla verticillata and epiphytic microbial community","authors":"Xiaodan Zhang ,&nbsp;Songhe Zhang ,&nbsp;Hongyu Guo ,&nbsp;Wenjie Yuan ,&nbsp;Xin Lv ,&nbsp;Tilang Zhang ,&nbsp;Shuaijie Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The combined effects of imidacloprid (ICD) and glufosinate-ammonium (GLAM) on submerged plants and epiphytic microbial community remains unclear, despite the frequent co-occurrence of these pesticides in aquatic environments. In this study, a 24-day experiment was conducted to examine changes in water quality, plant physiology, and epiphytic microbial communities in <em>Hydrilla verticillate</em>-dominated wetlands under ICD alone or together with GLAM. Results showed that GLAM+ICD induced greater oxidative stress and a stronger antioxidant response in <em>H. verticillata</em> compared ICD alone, demonstrating that the mixtures exacerbated ecotoxicological effects on plant. Compared to ICD, many micro-biomarkers were obtained in ICD+GLAM, including Bacteroidota, Comamonadaceae, Proteobacteria and <em>Cocconeis</em>. Redundancy analysis indicated that the ICD concentration was correlated positively to <em>Stigeoclonium, Closterium</em> and <em>Cocconeis</em>, but negatively related with <em>Oedogonium</em> and <em>Chloromonas</em>, GLAM is opposite to ICD. More complex interkingdom interactions among bacteria and eukaryotes were observed in high concentration MIX treatment group compared to others. Co-occurrence networks analysis further demonstrated that GLAM and ICD changed microbial interactions within epiphytic biofilm, and impaired the stability and function of the microbial communities<strong>.</strong> These results underscore that the combined presence of ICD and GLAM poses a significant ecological risk to <em>Hydrilla verticillate-</em>biofilm system in agricultural regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107648"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145536193","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":"Endocrine disruptive effects and mechanisms of isothiazolinone analogs in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) embryos and H295R cells","authors":"Jiali Li ,&nbsp;Lizhu Tang ,&nbsp;Jing Li ,&nbsp;Chenyan Hu ,&nbsp;Jiahui Cao ,&nbsp;Wenbing Zhang ,&nbsp;Lianguo Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of isothiazolinones as antimicrobial agents has caused prevalent pollution of marine environment. However, the developmental toxicity and endocrine disrupting effects of different isothiazolinone analogs to marine organisms remain largely elusive. In the present study, marine medaka embryos were exposed to 0, 1, 3, and 10 μg/L of six representative isothiazolinone analogs, including isothiazole, methylisothiazolinone (MIT), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), octylisothiazolinone (OIT), benzisothiazolinone (BIT), and dichlorocthylisothiazolinone (DCOIT), after which the anomalies in early embryogenesis and endocrine homeostasis were examined. <em>In vivo</em> results showed that OIT, BIT, and DCOIT were potently estrogenic, which was characterized by the higher estradiol (E₂) content and remarkable elevation of E₂/testosterone ratio in larval medaka. Correlation analysis found significantly positively relationship among OIT, BIT, and DCOIT, indicating their similar modes of toxicity. Besides, <em>in vitro</em> exposure using H295R cells was performed to gain more insights into endocrine disrupting mechanisms, further confirming the multiple disturbances of DCOIT in reproductive endocrine cascades, consisting of MAPK proteins, aromatase, and sex hormones. Overall, the present findings underscore the high susceptibility of marine organisms to the developmental and endocrine toxicity of isothiazolinones, especially during early embryonic stages. In the future, the marine ecological risks of isothiazolinones need to be evaluated urgently, thus facilitating chemical lifecycle management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107633"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145423999","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 and physiological insights into Diethylstilbestrol toxicity in Phaeodactylum tricornutum","authors":"Dong-Sheng Zhao ,&nbsp;Xiao-Li Liu ,&nbsp;Yu-Ting Chen ,&nbsp;Huan Yang ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ahsan Farooq ,&nbsp;Xiufeng Yan ,&nbsp;Hui-Xi Zou","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107636","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107636","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diethylstilbestrol (DES), an emerging pollutant, poses a threat to marine ecosystems, but its toxic effects on marine phytoplankton and the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, this study systematically investigated the physiological and molecular responses of the marine diatom <em>Phaeodactylum tricornutum</em> to DES exposure, aiming to uncover its toxicological mechanisms. DES significantly reduced chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency, impaired the PSII core, and decreased both photosynthesis and respiration rates. The diatom responded by enhancing antioxidant defenses, including superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. DES was also partially removed from the water column, with removal rates of 9–18 %. Transcriptomic analysis revealed extensive changes in genes involved in porphyrin metabolism and carbon fixation, which were closely linked to the observed physiological impairments. In summary, these findings reveal a core toxicological mechanism whereby DES disrupts photosynthesis through inhibition of carbon fixation and porphyrin metabolism, providing new insights into how emerging pollutants impair marine primary producers and offering a scientific basis for the ecological risk assessment of DES contamination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107636"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145434249","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":"Changes in haematology, metabolic rate, and cellular structure of spleen and head kidney of brown trout, Salmo trutta, after exposure to polystyrene microplastic particles","authors":"Franz Lahnsteiner ,&nbsp;Buumba Mudenda Hampuwo ,&nbsp;Elias Lahnsteiner ,&nbsp;Anna Dünser","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Salmo trutta</em> (weight 31 ± 8 g, total length: 14 ± 2 cm) were fed a feed containing a mixture of 1, 5, and 10 µm spherical polystyrene particles (5 × 10⁶ particles/g feed) for 30 days. Thirty days after completion of polystyrene administration, polystyrene concentrations in blood, spleen and head kidney were 9.2 - 51.6 µg/g tissue and 1.2 × 10⁶ to 8.7 × 10⁶ particles/g tissue with the highest concentrations in the spleen and the lowest in the kidney. Particles of 1 µm represented the largest proportion (80 %) in tissue, while 5 µm particles were much less frequent (20 %), and 10 µm particles were not detected at all. Effect of polystyrene on hematological parameters, on routine metabolic rate as well as on the cellular composition of the spleen and head kidney were investigated. Over the course of the experiment, mortality was &lt; 5 % and was similar between the control group and polystyrene exposed fish. Due to polystyrene exposure the concentration of erythrocytes and of hemoglobin were significantly reduced, those of erythroblasts was increased. Also erythrocyte size was increased. These changes were an indication for macrocytic anemia. Polystyrene exposed <em>S. trutta</em> had also significant higher metabolic rate. Taken together the combination of an elevated metabolic rate and macrocytic anaemia can pose a substantial risk to fish fitness. Also the concentrations of granulocytes and of immunoglobulin were significantly reduced in polystyrene exposed fish, an indication for a compromised immune system. In serum of polystyrene-exposed fish, activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, as well as protein concentration were significantly elevated, indicating hepatic inflammation or injury. In the spleen of polystyrene-exposed fish, erythrocytes were reduced, which likely reflects microplastic-induced anaemia. Monoblasts, monocytes, and macrophages were increased suggesting that polystyrene stimulates phagocytotic processes. In the head kidney of polystyrene-exposed fish only minor effects were observed. A 35-fold lower polystyrene concentration (0.5 × 10⁶ particles/g feed) induced similar effects in blood cell count and haemoglobin concentrations, while at 350-fold lower concentrations concentration (0.05 × 10⁶ particles/g feed) no effects were detectable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107653"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145559960","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":"Unravelling effects of resorcinol: Morphological alterations in the retina and thyroid follicles of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos","authors":"Imen Ben Chabchoubi ,&nbsp;Marian Stoll ,&nbsp;Maximilian Rinderknecht ,&nbsp;Luisa Reger ,&nbsp;Laura Behnstedt ,&nbsp;Thomas Braunbeck ,&nbsp;Lisa Baumann ,&nbsp;Olfa Hentati ,&nbsp;Lisa Gölz","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107642","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107642","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis is a central endocrine regulatory network crucial for morphological development and physiological homeostasis in vertebrates. It is particularly sensitive to disruption by Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), which may lead to adverse effects at the individual and population levels. Resorcinol, an environmentally relevant compound used extensively in industry and cosmetics, has been identified as a potential disruptor of the thyroid hormone system (THS). However, data on its effects in aquatic organisms, especially fish, remain scarce. Recent studies and adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) even suggest a link between thyroid hormone system (THS) disruption and retinal layer alterations in fish. In this study<em>,</em> transgenic <em>Tg(tg:MA-mCherry)</em> zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were exposed to resorcinol for 120 h to assess effects on thyroid follicle morphology, retinal development and behaviour. Thyroid follicles were analysed using in vivo fluorescence microscopy. Retinal layers were evaluated histopathologically and behaviour changes were assessed using the light–dark locomotion test. Exposure to 1 and 30 mg/L resorcinol resulted in thyroid follicle proliferation, likely indicating a compensatory response to inhibited thyroid hormone synthesis. At 100 mg/L, reduced eye size and thinning of multiple retinal layers were observed, suggesting secondary developmental effects. Additionally, increased locomotor activity was detected in exposed embryos. These findings support the classification of resorcinol as a THS-disrupting compound and emphasize the need to incorporate histopathological and behaviour endpoints into existing OECD test guidelines to improve the detection of THS disruptors in fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107642"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145478142","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":"Molecular responses to pollution stress in glass eels (Anguilla anguilla): Gene expression changes associated with varying contamination levels and temperature across estuaries","authors":"Alvaro Gutierrez-Rodriguez ,&nbsp;Claudia Nuñez-Moyano ,&nbsp;Lucía Rivas-Iglesias ,&nbsp;Susana Acle ,&nbsp;Luis Jose Royo-Martin ,&nbsp;Eva Garcia-Vazquez ,&nbsp;Gonzalo Machado-Schiaffino","doi":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquatox.2025.107623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the effects of global change is crucial to aid in the conservation of critically endangered species such as the European eel (<em>Anguilla anguilla</em>). Emerging pollutants (microplastics) and legacy ones such as heavy metals, as well as thermal pollution, are deleterious for this species; however, their molecular impacts on glass eels entering estuaries remain understudied. Investigating the molecular signatures of environmental stress can provide insights into some of the factors contributing to <em>A. anguilla</em> population decline. In this study, expression changes in candidate genes associated with general and thermal stress (<em>hsp70</em> &amp; <em>hsp90</em>), oxidative stress (<em>sod1, sod2, cat, gpx1</em>), heavy metal detoxification (<em>mt2</em>), and neurotoxicity (<em>ache</em>) were measured in gill tissue of glass eels exposed to polystyrene (PS) microbeads in an aquarium, and also in individuals sampled from six Bay of Biscay estuaries with different levels of microplastics, heavy metals, nitrites, nitrates and thermal pollution. In the aquarium experiment, a significant positive correlation was found between <em>hsp70</em> expression and PS concentration. On the other hand, in the glass eels sampled from the wild results showed that gene expression patterns tend to cluster based on estuary’s pollution levels. Specifically, <em>hsp70</em> gene expression was upregulated in eels from the most polluted estuaries, suggesting signs of damage. This study highlights the molecular effects and signatures of emerging and legacy pollutants on the critically endangered European eel, under natural and controlled conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":248,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Toxicology","volume":"290 ","pages":"Article 107623"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383280","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}