Immune response triggered by the ingestion of polyethylene microplastics in the dipteran larvae Chironomus riparius.

Autor: Silva CJM; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Beleza S; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Campos D; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Soares AMVM; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Patrício Silva AL; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal., Pestana JLT; CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: jpestana@ua.pt., Gravato C; Faculty of Sciences & CESAM, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of hazardous materials [J Hazard Mater] 2021 Jul 15; Vol. 414, pp. 125401. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Feb 11.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125401
Abstrakt: The activation of insects' immune system due to the ingestion of microplastics (MPs) has only been evidenced by the upregulation of specific genes. The activation of phenoloxidase (PO) system is one of the primary responses involved in insects' innate immunity when facing parasites and pathogens, and ingestion of MPs can trigger a similar process. This study aimed at addressing the activities of basal PO and total PO (PO+ prophenoloxidase - proPO), in Chironomus riparius larvae (a model species in ecotoxicology) exposed to sediments spiked with polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs; size-range 32-63 µm; concentrations: 1.25; 5; to 20 g kg -1 ) for 48 h. The ingestion of PE-MPs by larvae triggered a significant increase of basal PO activity at 5 and 20 g PE-MPs kg -1 , by 26% and 29%, respectively, whereas total PO increased significantly in the latter (+48%), suggesting de novo synthesis of proPO by organisms. Considering the particle size, the immune response's activation is probably linked to damage in the epithelial cells of the gut lumen. This research work provides the first evidence on the activation of the insect's innate immune system after ingestion of MPs and underlines the PO activity as a good indicator of the immune response induced by MPs' ingestion.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: