Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Jun;143:193-203. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.030. Epub 2019 Apr 28.
As small pieces of plastics known as microplastics pollute even the remotest parts of Earth, research currently focuses on unveiling how this pollution may affect biota. Despite increasing awareness, one potentially major consequence of chronic exposure to microplastics has been largely neglected: the impact of the disruption of the symbiosis between host and the natural community and abundance pattern of the gut microbiota. This so-called dysbiosis might be caused by the consumption of microplastics, associated mechanical disruption within the gastrointestinal tract, the ingestion of foreign and potentially pathogenic bacteria, as well as chemicals, which make-up or adhere to microplastics. Dysbiosis may interfere with the host immune system and trigger the onset of (chronic) diseases, promote pathogenic infections, and alter the gene capacity and expression of gut microbiota. We summarize how chronically exposed species may suffer from microplastics-induced gut dysbiosis, deteriorating host health, and highlight corresponding future directions of research.
随着被称为微塑料的小块塑料污染甚至地球最偏远的地方，目前的研究重点是揭示这种污染可能如何影响生物群。尽管人们的认识不断提高，但微塑料慢性暴露的一个潜在主要后果在很大程度上被忽视了：破坏宿主与自然群落之间共生关系以及肠道微生物群落丰富度模式的影响。这种所谓的生态失调可能是由摄入微塑料、胃肠道内的相关机械性破坏、摄入外来的和潜在的致病细菌以及构成或附着在微塑料上的化学物质引起的。生态失调可能会干扰宿主的免疫系统，引发（慢性）疾病，促进病原性感染，并改变肠道微生物群落的基因能力和表达。我们总结了慢性暴露的物种可能如何受到微塑料引起的肠道生态失调的影响，导致宿主健康恶化，并强调了相应的未来研究方向。
