Abnormality of mussel in the early developmental stages induced by graphene and triphenyl phosphate: In silico toxicogenomic data-mining, in vivo, and toxicity pathway-oriented approach

Abstract

Increasing number of complex mixtures of organic pollutants in coastal area (especially for nanomaterials and micro/nanoplastics associated chemicals) threaten aquatic ecosystems and their joint hazards are complex and demanding tasks. Mussels are the most sensitive marine faunal groups in the world, and their early developmental stages (embryo and larvae) are particularly susceptible to environmental contaminants, which can distinguish the probable mechanisms of mixture-induced growth toxicity. In this study, the potential critical target and biological processes affected by graphene and triphenyl phosphate (TPP) were developed by mining public toxicogenomic data. And their combined toxic effects were verified by toxicological assay at early developmental stages in filter-feeding mussels (embryo and larvae). It showed that interactions among graphene/TPP with 111 genes (ABCB1, TP53, SOD, CAT, HSP, etc.) affected phenotypes along conceptual framework linking these chemicals to developmental abnormality endpoints. The PPAR signaling pathway, monocarboxylic acid metabolic process, regulation of lipid metabolic process, response to oxidative stress, and gonad development were noted as the key molecular pathways that contributed to the developmental abnormality. Enriched phenotype analysis revealed biological processes (cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, inflammatory response, response to oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism) affected by the investigated mixture. Combined, our results supported that adverse effects induced by contaminants/ mixture could not only be mediated by single receptor signaling or be predicted by the simple additive effect of contaminants. The results offer a framework for better comprehending the developmental toxicity of environmental contaminants in mussels and other invertebrate species, which have considerable potential for hazard assessment of coastal mixture.

Keywords: Combined hazards; Developmental abnormality; Graphene-based nanomaterials; Plastic additives; Toxicogenomic data mining.