Response to microplastic exposure: An exploration into the sea urchin immune cell proteome. (1st March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Murano, Carola; Nonnis, Simona; Scalvini, Francesca Grassi; Maffioli, Elisa; Corsi, Ilaria; Tedeschi, Gabriella; Palumbo, Anna
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 320(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03-01
• Subjects: Coelomocytes -- Microplastics -- Oxidative stress -- Nitrosative stress -- Proteomics -- Sea urchin; MPs microplastics -- micro-PS polystyrene-microbeads; 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.2023.121062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: It is now known that the Mediterranean Sea currently is one of the major hotspot for microplastics (MPs; < 5 mm) pollution and that the risks will be even more pronounced in the coming years. Thus, the in-depth study of the mechanisms underlying the MPs toxicity in key Mediterranean organisms, subjected to high anthropic pressures, has become a categorical imperative to pursue. Here, we explore for the first time the sea urchins immune cells profile combined to their proteome upon in vivo exposure (72 h) to different concentrations of polystyrene-microbeads (micro-PS) starting from relevant environmental concentrations (10, 50, 10 3, 10 4 MP/L). Every 24 h, immunological parameters were monitored. After 72 h, the abundance of MPs was examined in various organs and coelomocytes were collected for proteomic analysis based on a shotgun label free proteomic approach. While sea urchins treated with the lowest concentration tested (10 and 50 micro-PS/L) did not show the presence of micro-PS in any tissue, in the specimens exposed to the highest concentration (10 3 and 10 4 micro-PS) there was an internalisation of 9.75 ± 2.75 and 113.75 ± 34.5 MP/g, respectively. Proteomic analyses revealed that MPs exposure altered coelomocytes protein profile not only compared to the control group but also among the different micro-PS concentrations and these variations are micro-PS concentration dependent. The proteins exclusively expressed in the coelomocytes of specimens exposed to MPs are mainly metabolite interconversion enzymes, involved in cellular processes, indicating a severe alteration of the cellular metabolic pathways. Overall, these findings provide new insights on the mode of action of MPs in the sea urchin immune cells both at the molecular and cellular level. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: MPs exposure induced alterations in minor morphological immune cell types. MPs from low concentrations modulate the redox homeostasis of coelomocytes. MPs exposure affected the immune cell proteome in a concentration-dependent response. Metabolism and cellular processes were severely altered by MPs exposure.