Journal Article

Nanoplastics-induced oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, and physiological response in exposed Wistar albino rats

Khodagholi, Fariba, Ahmadpour, Elham, Rafiee, Mohammad, Babaei, Ali Akbar, Amereh, Fatemeh

2022

Overview

Nowadays, plastic pollution and in particular nano(micro)plastics is considered as an issue of global concern in environmental samples. The present work was conducted to clarify the oxidative stress of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) exposure and physiological response of male Wistar rats. Animals were treated orally with PS-NPs at four doses (1, 3, 6, and10 mg/kg-day) for 5 weeks. Results demonstrated the accumulation of PS-NPs through whole body scanning and also a dose-dependent increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Alterations in antioxidant responses including serum levels of catalase (CAT) and total glutathione content were noticed, but not superoxide dismutase (SOD), pointing towards the perturbation of redox state induced by exposure conditions. Biochemical parameters viz. glucose, cortisol, lipase, lactate, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), triglycerides, and urea showed a significant increase, while total protein, albumin, and globulin levels showed an appreciable decline. The pattern of associations noticed with AChE activity and biochemical responses in our study suggests the possibility that a neurobehavioral effect or dysfunctions in energy metabolism may be the potential modes of action, possibly through stress response as well as liver function. Perturbations of creatinine and uric acid levels are indeed plausible biological explanations for the association with kidney dysfunction. Although we provided a new scientific clue for exploring the biological consequences of NPs which might induce effects such as oxidative stress relating to the induction of antioxidant enzymes, the results warrant additional research with a larger sample size.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Acetylcholinesterase / albino / Albumins / Alkaline phosphatase / Animals / antioxidant activity / Antioxidants / Antioxidants - metabolism / Aquatic Pollution / blood serum / carboxylic ester hydrolases / Catalase / Catalase - metabolism / Cortisol / Creatinine / decline / dose response / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Energy metabolism / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental science / Exposure / gamma-glutamyltransferase / Globulins / glucose / Glutathione / Kidney diseases / kidneys / L-Lactate dehydrogenase / Lactate dehydrogenase / Lactic acid / Liver - metabolism / liver function / Male / males / Microplastics / nanoplastics / Oxidative Stress / Perturbation / Physiology / Plastic pollution / pollution / Polystyrene / Polystyrene resins / polystyrenes / protein content / Rats / Rats, Wistar / Reactive oxygen species / Redox properties / Research Article / sample size / Serum levels / Stress response / Superoxide dismutase / Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism / Triglycerides / Urea / Uric acid / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control / γ-Glutamyltransferase