Monobutyl phthalate (MBP) is the main metabolite of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in vivo. MBP has a stable structure, can continuously accumulate in living organisms, and has the potentially to harm animal and human reproductive function. In the ovarian follicle microenvironment, MBP may lead to defects in follicular development and steroid production, abnormal meiotic maturation, impaired ovarian function and other reproductive deficits. In this study, SMART-seq was used to investigate the effects of MBP exposure on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and development of porcine oocytes. The results showed that differentially expressed genes after MBP exposure were enriched in the biological processes cytoskeleton, cell apoptosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. Glycine (Gly) improved the developmental potential of porcine oocytes by regulating mitochondrial and ER function. The effect of Gly in protecting oocytes against MBP-induced damage was studied. The results showed that the addition of Gly significantly decreased the rate of MBP-induced spindle abnormalities, decreased the frequency of MBP-induced mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM) interactions, and downregulated the protein and gene expression of the linkage molecules Mitofusin 1 (MFN1) and Mitofusin 2 (MFN2) in the MAM. Additionally, treatment with Gly restored the distribution of the 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 1 (IP₃R1) and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), further decreasing the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]ᵢ) levels and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]ₘ) , increasing the ER Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]ER) levels, and thus significantly increasing the ER levels and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ m). Gly also decreased the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increased the levels of Glutathione (GSH), oocyte apoptosis-related indicators (Caspase-3 activity and Annexin V) and oocyte apoptosis-related genes (BAX, Caspase 3 and AIFM1). Our results suggest that Gly can ameliorate microtubule cytoskeleton abnormalities and improve oocyte maturation by reducing the defective mitochondrial–ER interactions caused by MBP exposure in vitro.

The main intent of the current research was to appraise if combined application of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S, 0.2 mM) and silicon (Si 2.0 mM) could improve tolerance of tomato plants to arsenic (As as sodium hydrogen arsenate heptahydrate, 0.2 mM) stress. Plant growth, chlorophylls (Chl), PSII maximum efficiency (Fv/Fm), H₂S concentration and L-cysteine desulfhydrase activity were found to be suppressed, but leaf and root As, leaf proline content, phytochelatins, malondialdehyde (MDA) and H₂O₂ as well as the activity of lipoxygenase (LOX) increased under As stress. H₂S and Si supplied together or alone enhanced the concentrations of key antioxidant biomolecules such as ascorbic acid, and reduced glutathione and the activities of key antioxidant system enzymes including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). In comparison with individual application of H₂S or Si, the joint supplementation of both had better effect in improving growth and key biochemical processes, and reducing tissue As content, suggesting a putative collaborative role of both molecules in improving tolerance to As-toxicity in tomato plants.

The accumulation of arsenic in crop plants has become a worldwide concern that affects millions of people. The major source of arsenic in crop plants is irrigation water and soil. In this study, Serendipita indica, an endophytic fungus, was used to investigate the protection against arsenic and its accumulation in the tomato plant. We found that inoculation of S. indica recovers seed germination, plant growth and improves overall plant health under arsenic stress. A hyper-colonization of fungus in the plant root was observed under arsenic stress, which results in reduced oxidative stress via modulation of antioxidative enzymes, glutathione, and proline levels. Furthermore, fungal colonization restricts arsenic mobilization from root to shoot and fruit by accumulating it exclusively in the root. We observed that fungal colonization enhances the arsenic bioaccumulation factor 1.48 times in root and reduces the arsenic translocation factor by 2.96 times from root to shoot and 13.6 times from root to fruit compared to non colonized plants. Further, investigation suggests that S. indica can tolerate arsenic by immobilizing it on the cell wall and accumulating it in the vacuole. This study shows that S. indica may be helpful for the reduction of arsenic accumulation in crops grown in arsenic-contaminated agriculture fields.

Evidence suggests that the invasion of Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) poses potentially serious risks to the stability of coastal wetlands, an ecosystem that is extremely vulnerable to both biological and non-biological threats. However, the effects and mechanisms of sulfur (S) in mediating the growth and expansion of S. alterniflora are poorly understood, particularly when sediments are contaminated with cadmium (Cd). A 6-month greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the mediating effect of S on Cd tolerance and growth of S. alterniflora. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of three S rates (applied as Na₂SO₄; 0, 500, 1000 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight (DW), as S₀, S₅₀₀, and S₁₀₀₀) and four Cd rates (applied as CdCl₂; 0, 1, 2, 4 mg kg⁻¹ DW, as Cd₀, Cd₁, Cd₂, and Cd₄). Results showed that although the exogenous S supply obviously increased Cd accumulation in roots (up to 71.22 ± 6.43 mg kg⁻¹ DW) due to the decrease of Fe concentration in iron plaque (down to 4.02 ± 1.18 mg g⁻¹ DW), biomass reduction and oxidative stress in plant tissues were significantly alleviated. The addition of S significantly up-regulated the concentration of compounds related to Cd tolerance, including proline and glutathione. Therefore, the translocation of Cd was restricted, and plant growth was not impacted. The present study demonstrated that the exogenous sulfur supply could promote the growth of S. alterniflora and enhance its tolerance to Cd. Therefore, under the effects of S. alterniflora, the increased fluctuations of S pool caused by the release and deposition of S might further exacerbate S. alterniflora expansion in Cd contaminated coastal wetlands.

Zn and Cu are two of the essential trace elements and it is important to understand the regulation of their distribution on cellular functions. Herein, we for the first time investigated the subcellular fate and behavior of Zn and Cu in zebrafish cells through bioimaging, and demonstrated the completely different behaviors of Zn and Cu. The distribution of Zn²⁺ was concentration-dependent, and Zn²⁺ at low concentration was predominantly located in the lysosomes (76.5%). A further increase of cellular Zn²⁺ resulted in a spillover and more diffusive distribution, with partitioning to mitochondria and other regions. In contrast, the subcellular distribution of Cu⁺ was time-dependent. Upon entering the cells, Cu²⁺ was reduced to Cu⁺, which was first concentrated in the mitochondria (71.4%) followed by transportation to lysosomes (58.6%), and finally removal from the cell. With such differential transportation, Cu²⁺ instead of Zn²⁺ had a negative effect on the mitochondrial membrane potential and glutathione. Correspondingly, the pH of lysosomes was more sensitive to Zn²⁺ exposure and decreased with increasing internalized Zn²⁺, whereas it increased upon Cu²⁺ exposure. The responses of cellular pH showed an opposite pattern from the lysosomal pH. Lysosome was the most critical organelle in response to incoming Zn²⁺ by increasing its number and size, whereas Cu²⁺ reduced the lysosome size. Our study showed that Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ had completely different cellular handlings and fates with important implications for understanding of their toxicity.

Increasing rates of commercialization and industrialization have led to the comprehensive evaluation of toxic effects of microplastics on crop plants. However, research on the impact of functionalized polystyrene nanoplastics on the toxicity of heavy metals remains limited. This study investigated the effects of polystyrene, carboxy-modified polystyrene, and amino-modified polystyrene on lead (Pb) toxicity in dandelion seedlings. The results showed that carboxy -modified polystyrene with a negative charge absorbed more Pb²⁺ than polystyrene and amino-modified polystyrene, and their maximum adsorption amounts were 5.328, 0.247, and 0.153 μg g⁻¹, respectively. The hydroponic experiment demonstrated that single amino-modified polystyrene was more toxic to dandelion seedlings than polystyrene and carboxy-modified polystyrene. The presence of Pb²⁺ was found to increase antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and non-antioxidant enzymes (glutathione and ascorbic acid) activities in response to excessive reactive oxygen species in dandelion leaves and roots treated with polystyrene and carboxy-modified polystyrene, while it did not change much when amino-modified polystyrene was added. Interestingly, compared with single Pb²⁺, the addition of amino-modified polystyrene with positive charges induced an obvious decrease in the above parameters; however, they declined slightly in the treatments with polystyrene and carboxy-modified polystyrene despite a stronger adsorption capacity for Pb²⁺. Similarly, the bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, polyphenols, and polysaccharides in dandelion, showed a scavenging effect on O₂⁻ and H₂O₂, thereby inhibiting the accumulation and reducing medicinal properties. This study found that the effects of microplastics on the uptake, distribution, and toxicity of heavy metals depended on the nanoparticle surface charge.

Due to the unreasonable use and discharge of the aquaculture industry, over standard of the antibiotics has been frequent in different types of water environments, causing adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Lycopene (LYC) is an esculent carotenoid, which is considered to be a strong antioxidant. This study was designed to explore the therapeutic effect of LYC on antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole (SMZ)) induced intestinal injury in grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. The 120 carps (the control, LYC, SMZ, and co-administration groups) were treated for 30 days. We found that treatment with LYC significantly suppressed SMZ-induced intestinal epithelial cell damage and tight junction protein destruction through histopathological observation, transmission electron microscopy and detection of related genes (Claudin-1/3/4, Occludin and zonula occludens (ZO)-1/2). Furthermore, LYC mitigated SMZ-induced dysregulation of oxidative stress markers, including elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and consumed super oxide dimutese (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities and glutathione (GSH) content. In the same treatment, LYC reduced inflammation and apoptosis by a detectable change in pro-inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-β), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8), anti-inflammatory factors (transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and IL-10) and pro-apoptosis related genes (p53, p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase-3/9). In addition, activation of autophagy (as indicated by increased autophagy-related genes through AMPK/ATK/MTOR signaling pathway) under the stress of SMZ was also dropped back to the original levels by LYC co-administration. Collectively, our findings identified that LYC can serve as a protectant agent against SMZ-induced intestinal injury.

Frequency and intensity of wildfire occurrences are dramatically increasing worldwide due to global climate change, having a devastating effect on the entire ecosystem including plants. Moreover, distribution of fire-smoke can influence the natural environment over very long distances, i.e. hundreds of kilometres. Dry plant matter contains 0.1–0.9% (w/w) sulphur, which is mainly released during combustion into the atmosphere as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) resulting in local concentrations of up to 3000 nL L⁻¹. SO₂ is a highly hazardous gas, which enters plants mostly via the stomata. Toxic sulphite is formed inside the leaves due to conversion of SO₂. Plants as sessile organisms cannot escape from threats, why they evolved an impressive diversity of molecular defence mechanisms. In the present study, two recent wildfires in Germany were evaluated to analyse the effect of SO₂ released into the atmosphere on deciduous trees: the Meppen peat fire in 2018 and the forest fire close to Luebtheen in 2019. Collected leaf material from beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (Quercus robur) was examined with respect to detoxification of sulphur surplus due to the exposure to elevated SO₂. An induced stress reaction in both species was indicated by a 1.5-fold increase in oxidized glutathione. In beech leaves, the enzymatic activities of the sulphite detoxification enzymes sulphite oxidase and apoplastic peroxidases were increased 5-fold and a trend of sulphate accumulation was observed. In contrast, oaks did not regulate these enzymes during smoke exposure, however, the constitutive activity is 10-fold and 3-fold higher than in beech. These results show for the first time sulphite detoxification strategies of trees in situ after natural smoke exposure. Beech and oak trees survived short-term SO₂ fumigation due to exclusion of toxic gases and different oxidative detoxification strategies. Beeches use efficient upregulation of oxidative sulphite detoxification enzymes, while oaks hold a constitutively high enzyme-pool available.

Ionic liquids (ILs), also known as green solvents, are widely acknowledged in several fields, such as chemical separation, synthesis, and electrochemistry, owing to their excellent physiochemical properties. However, their poor biodegradability may lead to environmental and health risks, posing a severe threat to humans, thus requiring further research. In this study, the biotoxicities of the imidazolium-based ILs were evaluated in Tetrahymena pyriformis. Moreover, IL detoxification was investigated by addition of glutathione (GSH), cysteine, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) initiated by different IL types caused damage to Tetrahymena, while glutathione, cysteine, and NADH eliminated ROS, achieving the detoxification purposes. Detoxification results showed that NADH exhibited the best detoxification ability, followed by glutathione and cysteine. Finally, RT-PCR results suggested that metallothionein might have participated in IL detoxification.

We investigated the in vitro effects of pyriproxyfen on ionic balance in the testis of the zebrafish by measuring ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ influx. In vivo pyriproxyfen treatment was carried out to study oxidative stress, and conduct morphological analysis of the testis and liver. Whole testes were incubated in vitro with/without pyriproxyfen (10⁻¹², 10⁻⁹ or 10⁻⁶ M; 30 min) and ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ influx determined. To study pyriproxyfen’s mechanism of action, inhibitors/activators of ionic channels or pumps/exchangers, protein kinase inhibitors or a calcium chelator were added 15 min before the addition of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ and pyriproxyfen. We evaluated the in vivo effects of 7 day exposure to waterborne pyriproxyfen (10⁻⁹ M) on reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, lipid peroxidation, and reduced glutathione content (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity. Morphological analyses of the testis and liver were carried out after in vivo exposure of D. rerio to pyriproxyfen. Pyriproxyfen increased ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ influx by opening the voltage-dependent T-type channels (T-type VDCC), inhibiting sarco/endoplasmic reticulum ⁴⁵Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) and the NCX exchanger (forward mode) and by mobilizing calcium from stores. The involvement of potassium channels and protein kinase C (PKC) was also demonstrated in pyriproxyfen-induced intracellular calcium elevation. In vivo pyriproxyfen treatment of D. rerio increased lipid peroxidation, decreased GSH content and increased GST activity in testes, in addition to increasing the number and size of spermatogonia cysts and inducing hepatocyte basophilia and dilation of blood vessels in the liver. The toxicity of pyriproxyfen is mediated by calcium overload, increased lipid peroxidation, and a diminished antioxidant capacity in the testis, due to GSH depletion, and altered spermatogenesis. The development of high basophilia in the liver suggests that pyriproxyfen may have estrogenic activity, possibly acting as an endocrine-disruptor. These findings indicate that these alterations may contribute to pyriproxyfen toxicity and spermatogenesis disruption.