Nanoplastics Increase Fish Susceptibility to Nodavirus Infection and Reduce Antiviral Immune Responses

Abstract

Nanoplastics (NPs) might cause different negative effects on aquatic organisms at different biological levels, ranging from single cells to whole organisms, including cytotoxicity, reproduction, behavior or oxidative stress. However, the impact of NPs on disease resistance is almost unknown. The objective of this study was to assess whether exposure to 50 nm functionalized polystyrene NPs impacts fish susceptibility to viral diseases both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, we focused on the nervous necrosis virus (NNV), which affects many fish species, producing viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER), and causes great economic losses in marine aquaculture. In vitro and in vivo approaches were used. A brain cell line (SaB-1) was exposed to 1 μg mL−1 of functionalized polystyrene NPs (PS-NH2, PS-COOH) and then infected with NNV. Viral titers were increased in NP-exposed cells whilst the transcription of inflammatory and antiviral markers was lowered when compared to those cells only infected with NNV. In addition, European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles were intraperitoneally injected with the same NPs and then challenged with NNV. Our results indicated that NPs increased the viral replication and clinical signs under which the fish died although the cumulate mortality was unaltered. Again, exposure to NPs produced a lowered inflammatory and antiviral response. Our results highlight that the presence of NPs might impact the infection process of NNV and fish resistance to the disease, posing an additional risk to marine organisms.

Transcriptome Analysis Revealed the Early Heat Stress Response in the Brain of Chinese Tongue Sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

“…CXC (α-chemokine) and CC (β-chemokine) were the two major subfamilies of chemokines and play important regulatory role in the immune defense of fish [ 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ]. In the present study, a series of genes involved in immune and inflammatory pathways were modulated under high-temperature conditions.…”

The potential role of micro- and nanoplastics in the spread of viruses

“…Wang и соавт. [71] и C. Gonzalez-Fernandez и A. Сuesta [72] исследовали, влияют ли МП/НП на характер и течение вирусной инфекции у оранжево-пятнистого морского окуня (Epinephelus coioides), который широко культивируется в Китае и странах Юго-Восточной Азии. Большой ущерб аквакультуре этих рыб наносят иридовирус сингапурского морского окуня (SGIV -Singapore grouper iridovirus) (Pimascovirales: Iridoviridae, Ranavirus) и вирус некроза нервной ткани красного морского окуня (RGNNV -Red grouper nervous necrosis virus) (Mononegavirales: Rhabdoviridae, Novirhabdovirus).…”

“…Так, C. Gonzalez-Fernandez и A. Cuesta [72] в течение 24 ч подвергали воздействию функционализированных ПС-частиц (ПС-NH₂; ПС-COOH) НП (1 мкг/мл) линию клеток головного мозга рыб (SAB-1), после чего инфицировали клетки вирусом. В клетках, обработанных НП, титр вируса был примерно в 10 раз выше, чем в контрольных культурах.…”

“…Клетки линии селезёнки молоди оранжевого морского окуня GS-1 поглощали ПС-НП при концентрациях 5, 50 и 500 мкг/мл [71]. В дозах 50 и 500 мкг/мл НП оказывали на клетки токсическое действие.…”

Relationship Between Particle Properties and Immunotoxicological Effects of Environmentally-Sourced Microplastics

“…Strong macrophage-mediated immune effects, such as various (non-) immunological foreign body responses to polymer implant wear particles, have been observed in both human patients and animals already for decades (Goodman et al, 1994;Wooley et al, 2002;Vasconcelos et al, 2016;Wright and Kelly, 2017). More recently also information about the immunological responses of cells and organisms to MPs have been published (Hirt and Body-Malapel, 2020;González-Fernández and Cuesta, 2022;Weber et al, 2022). These reactions to polymer particles can be considered red flags when reflecting on the potential for similar effects induced by MPs.…”