塑料因其成本效益、轻质性和多功能性而在现代社会中无处不在。然而，它们的广泛使用和回收不足导致了重大的环境挑战，塑料废物迅速积累并造成生态和健康问题，特别是在水生环境中。纳米塑料（1 至 100 纳米的颗粒）因其能够轻松穿透生物屏障并在组织中积聚而成为特别令人关注的子集。在这项研究中，我们研究了羧酸盐改性聚苯乙烯纳米塑料（PS-NP）对鲤鱼（Cyprinus carpio）的毒性，鲤鱼是一种因其积累污染物的能力而经常用于生态毒理学研究的物种。对 PS-NP 进行了表征，并检查了它们对与氧化应激和免疫相关的 DNA 损伤基因表达的影响。发现直径为 20-30 nm 的 PS-NP 具有球形形状和带负电的表面。暴露于PS-NPs会导致鲤鱼的血液和脑细胞中的DNA发生严重损伤，浓度越高，损伤越严重。此外，PS-NP 暴露影响肝脏中抗氧化防御和应激反应相关基因的表达。具体而言，编码超氧化物歧化酶 (SOD)、过氧化氢酶 (CAT) 和热休克蛋白 70 (Hsp70) 的基因表现出上调，而谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶 (GPx) 和谷胱甘肽 S-转移酶 (GST) 在较高 PS-NP 浓度下表现出下调。此外，免疫相关基因白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、白细胞介素-8（IL-8）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）在肝组织中表现出剂量依赖性下调。这些研究结果表明，接触 PS-NP 会引起氧化应激，扰乱免疫反应，并导致鲤鱼 DNA 损伤。结果强调需要进一步研究 PS-NP 的环境影响，并强调适当的废物管理和回收实践对减轻塑料污染的重要性。© 2024 John Wiley

Plastics are ubiquitous in modern society due to their cost-effectiveness, lightweight nature, and versatility. However, their extensive use and inadequate recycling have led to a significant environmental challenge, with plastic waste accumulating rapidly and causing ecological and health problems, especially in aquatic environments. Nanoplastics, particles ranging from 1 to 100 nm, have emerged as a particularly concerning subset due to their ability to easily penetrate biological barriers and accumulate in tissues. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of carboxylate-modified polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) on common carp (Cyprinus carpio), a species often used in ecotoxicology research due to its ability to accumulate pollutants. The PS-NPs were characterized, and their effects on DNA damage gene expression related to oxidative stress and immunity were examined. PS-NPs with a diameter of 20-30 nm were found to possess a spherical shape and negatively charged surfaces. Exposure to PS-NPs led to significant DNA damage in the blood and brain cells of common carp, with higher concentrations resulting in more severe damage. Additionally, PS-NP exposure influenced the expression of genes related to antioxidative defense and stress response in the liver. Specifically, genes encoding superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) showed upregulation, while glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) exhibited downregulation at higher PS-NP concentrations. Furthermore, the immune-related genes interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) displayed dose-dependent downregulation in the liver tissue. These findings suggest that exposure to PS-NPs induces oxidative stress, disrupts immune responses, and causes DNA damage in common carp. The results highlight the need for further research on the environmental impacts of PS-NPs and underscore the importance of proper waste management and recycling practices to mitigate plastic pollution.© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.