Exploring the Impact of Polystyrene Microplastic Beads on Male Gonads of the Marine Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis.

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Main Authors: Chianese, Teresa, Galati, Mariachiara, Cappello, Tiziana, Maisano, Maria, Lettieri, Gennaro, Marinaro, Carmela, Piscopo, Marina, Fasciolo, Gianluca, Gravato, Carlos, Napolitano, Gaetana, Paolella, Giulia, Locascio, Annamaria, Scudiero, Rosaria, Rosati, Luigi
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Environmental toxicology 2026
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author Chianese, Teresa
Galati, Mariachiara
Cappello, Tiziana
Maisano, Maria
Lettieri, Gennaro
Marinaro, Carmela
Piscopo, Marina
Fasciolo, Gianluca
Gravato, Carlos
Napolitano, Gaetana
Paolella, Giulia
Locascio, Annamaria
Scudiero, Rosaria
Rosati, Luigi
author_facet Chianese, Teresa
Galati, Mariachiara
Cappello, Tiziana
Maisano, Maria
Lettieri, Gennaro
Marinaro, Carmela
Piscopo, Marina
Fasciolo, Gianluca
Gravato, Carlos
Napolitano, Gaetana
Paolella, Giulia
Locascio, Annamaria
Scudiero, Rosaria
Rosati, Luigi
Chianese, Teresa
Galati, Mariachiara
Cappello, Tiziana
Maisano, Maria
Lettieri, Gennaro
Marinaro, Carmela
Piscopo, Marina
Fasciolo, Gianluca
Gravato, Carlos
Napolitano, Gaetana
Paolella, Giulia
Locascio, Annamaria
Scudiero, Rosaria
Rosati, Luigi
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Exploring the Impact of Polystyrene Microplastic Beads on Male Gonads of the Marine Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Chianese, Teresa Galati, Mariachiara Cappello, Tiziana Maisano, Maria Lettieri, Gennaro Marinaro, Carmela Piscopo, Marina Fasciolo, Gianluca Gravato, Carlos Napolitano, Gaetana Paolella, Giulia Locascio, Annamaria Scudiero, Rosaria Rosati, Luigi Animals Male Polystyrenes Microplastics Mytilus Water Pollutants, Chemical Testis Oxidative Stress Gonads Plastic, with its remarkable versatility and numerous applications, has greatly benefited humanity. However, its extreme resistance to natural degradation means it persists in the environment for long periods, causing global environmental problems. Furthermore, the fragmentation of plastic waste leads to the formation of microplastics (MP), which are minuscule particles that can accumulate in aquatic ecosystems. This poses a threat to marine fauna and, indirectly, to humans, as it also endangers the reproductive health of individuals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of microplastics on the structure and function of the testis of Mytilus galloprovincialis, chosen as a model species for its ecological and commercial relevance. Mussels were exposed for 48 h to 5 μm polystyrene MPs at two concentrations (0.5 and 1 μg/mL), then the testes were subjected to morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analyses revealed that MPs alter the structure of the sperm cyst in a dose-dependent manner, disrupting cellular interactions between germ cells. These structural deviations may be linked to contact damage and the onset of oxidative stress. Alongside specific histological staining, this condition is primarily demonstrated through biochemical, molecular, and metabolic investigations. Metabolomics, based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR), combined with chemometrics, made it possible to comprehensively explore the time-dependent metabolic disturbances triggered by MPs in the gonads of mussels during the short-term study. Ultimately, the dose-dependent stress condition caused by MPs also disrupts the proper chromatin folding of spermatozoa. This suggests that these particles, in addition to hindering gametogenesis, may also impact the fertilizing capacity of these cells.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41137711
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Environmental toxicology
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Exploring the Impact of Polystyrene Microplastic Beads on Male Gonads of the Marine Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis.
Chianese, Teresa
Galati, Mariachiara
Cappello, Tiziana
Maisano, Maria
Lettieri, Gennaro
Marinaro, Carmela
Piscopo, Marina
Fasciolo, Gianluca
Gravato, Carlos
Napolitano, Gaetana
Paolella, Giulia
Locascio, Annamaria
Scudiero, Rosaria
Rosati, Luigi
Animals
Male
Polystyrenes
Microplastics
Mytilus
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Testis
Oxidative Stress
Gonads
Exploring the Impact of Polystyrene Microplastic Beads on Male Gonads of the Marine Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Chianese, Teresa Galati, Mariachiara Cappello, Tiziana Maisano, Maria Lettieri, Gennaro Marinaro, Carmela Piscopo, Marina Fasciolo, Gianluca Gravato, Carlos Napolitano, Gaetana Paolella, Giulia Locascio, Annamaria Scudiero, Rosaria Rosati, Luigi Animals Male Polystyrenes Microplastics Mytilus Water Pollutants, Chemical Testis Oxidative Stress Gonads Plastic, with its remarkable versatility and numerous applications, has greatly benefited humanity. However, its extreme resistance to natural degradation means it persists in the environment for long periods, causing global environmental problems. Furthermore, the fragmentation of plastic waste leads to the formation of microplastics (MP), which are minuscule particles that can accumulate in aquatic ecosystems. This poses a threat to marine fauna and, indirectly, to humans, as it also endangers the reproductive health of individuals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of microplastics on the structure and function of the testis of Mytilus galloprovincialis, chosen as a model species for its ecological and commercial relevance. Mussels were exposed for 48 h to 5 μm polystyrene MPs at two concentrations (0.5 and 1 μg/mL), then the testes were subjected to morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analyses revealed that MPs alter the structure of the sperm cyst in a dose-dependent manner, disrupting cellular interactions between germ cells. These structural deviations may be linked to contact damage and the onset of oxidative stress. Alongside specific histological staining, this condition is primarily demonstrated through biochemical, molecular, and metabolic investigations. Metabolomics, based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR), combined with chemometrics, made it possible to comprehensively explore the time-dependent metabolic disturbances triggered by MPs in the gonads of mussels during the short-term study. Ultimately, the dose-dependent stress condition caused by MPs also disrupts the proper chromatin folding of spermatozoa. This suggests that these particles, in addition to hindering gametogenesis, may also impact the fertilizing capacity of these cells.
title Exploring the Impact of Polystyrene Microplastic Beads on Male Gonads of the Marine Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis.
topic Animals
Male
Polystyrenes
Microplastics
Mytilus
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Testis
Oxidative Stress
Gonads
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41137711/