Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on melanin interference toxicity and transgenerational toxicity of ethylhexyl salicylate based on DNA methylation sequencing

Abstract

Organic ultraviolet filters (OUVFs) are new hydrophobic organic pollutants in the aquatic environment. When ingested by aquatic organisms, OUVFs can induce a variety of toxic effects in organisms and be transferred to offspring. However, as the main active ingredient in sunscreens, OUVFs have rarely been investigated for their melanin interference toxicity or transgenerational toxic effects on aquatic organisms and their interactive toxic effects with nanoplastics (NPs). Here, we show the mechanism by which OUVFs interfere with melanogenesis in parental or offspring zebrafish and the effect of polystyrene (PS) NPs on the melanin-interference effect of OUVFs. We found that EHS induced significant enrichment of the melanogenesis pathway, inhibited the expression of the key melanin gene microphthalmia-associated transcription factor a (mitfa) and induced the mitf tyrosinase (tyr)-dopachrome tautomerase (dct)-tyrosinase related protein 1 (tyrp1) signaling cascade in parents, which ultimately induced a decrease in melanin content. After reproduction, transgenerational melanin interference effects of EHS may occur through the maternal inheritance of mitfa. Coexisting PS-NPs may inhibit the melanin interference toxicity or transgenerational toxicity of EHS by reducing ultraviolet irritation to the skin through adsorption of EHS. Our results demonstrate the ecotoxic potential of OUVFs in terms of melanin interference and the interference of PS-NP carrier effects on the toxicity of OUVFs. We anticipate that our assay will contribute to the assessment of the toxic effects of OUVFs and provide a basis for the interactive ecotoxicity assessment of PS-NPs and hydrophobic organic pollutants.