High doses of nano-polystyrene aggravate the oxidative stress, DNA damage, and the cell death in onions. (1st January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maity, Sukhendu; Guchhait, Rajkumar; De, Sukanta; Pramanick, Kousik
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 316(2023)part 2
• Publication Date: 2023-01-01
• Subjects: Nano-polystyrene -- Oxidative-stress -- Nuclear aberration -- Antioxidant -- Cell-death -- DNA-Damage -- DNA repair-Pathway; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120611
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Plastic pollution has been reported to negatively impact global biodiversity and ecosystem health. However, the molecular mechanisms of nano-plastics in plants are unidentified, especially their negative impacts on genomic stability. This study for the first time showed that nano-polystyrene leads to cell death in plants by subjugating the cellular antioxidant defence mechanisms through the aggravated production of ROS, which in turn could induce the DNA damage impairing the genetic regulation of the corresponding DNA repair pathway. To validate the proposed hypothesis, the DNA damage potential of nano-polystyrene and the expression levels of key genetic regulators of the DNA damage repair pathway (such as - CYCA/B, CDKA, SOG1, MYB transcription factors, and RAD51 ) have been assessed in onion roots after 72 h exposure with three ecologically relevant concentrations (25, 50, and 100 μg ml −1 ) of 100 nm nano-polystyrene. In addition, imbalance in redox homeostasis (oxidative stress), cell viability, and nuclear aberrations such as – the frequency of micronucleus and bi-nucleate cells that are directly linked to the DNA damages have been checked to point out the cause and effect of nano-polystyrene-induced DNA damage. Results showed a significant increase in oxidative stress in each treatment concentrations of nano-polystyrene. However, ROS generated at 100 μg ml −1 nano-polystyrene dose subdues the antioxidant defence system and induces cell death. These observations may be ascribed to the accumulation damaged DNA and the down-regulation of repair pathway-associated genes, as observed in this treatment group. Conversely, the observed DNA damage and the reduced expressions of genes would be a mere consequence of reduced cellular viability. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: First report of DNA damage potential of nanopolystyrene in plants with molecular insights. Nanopolystyrene can subvert antioxidant defence through excess ROS production. Overproduction of ROS leads to the DNA damage in onions. High doses of nanopolystyrene induce irreparable DNA damage. Impairment of genetic regulation of DNA damage repair pathway leads to cell death.