Intestinal toxicity and microbial community disorder induced by bisphenol F and bisphenol S in zebrafish

The intestine is the important bioaccumulation and target organ of Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS). Morphological and functional abnormalities induced by BPS and BPF exposure in zebrafish intestine have been reported. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood, and the combined toxicities of BPS and BPF in the intestine have not been studied. Here, the zebrafish were treated by single and combined exposure of BPF and BPS at 1, 10, 100, 1000 mu g/L. Oxidative damage, inflammation, and transcriptome profiles in the zebrafish intestine were determined. Changes in microbial community structure in zebrafish intestine were analyzed. Results showed that BPF, BPS, and BPF + BPS exposures significantly increased MDA, 8-OHdG, IL-1 beta, and TNF-alpha levels in the zebrafish intestine, indicating oxidative damage and inflammatory effects. Co-exposure of BPS and BPF did not cause synergistic effects on the above effects but induced more changes in gene expression profiles. The changes in the PPAR signaling pathway might be associated with oxidative damage and inflammation. The amino acid metabolism and steroid biosynthesis were specifically altered by co-exposure of BPF and BPS. Moreover, BPF and/or BPS exposures altered microbial community structure in the zebrafish intestine, which showed different influence patterns. Increased abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria (such as Flavobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas) might indicate one of the potential health hazards in zebrafish intestine. The above results provide basic information for the health risk assessment of BPS and BPF in aquatic organisms.

Automated summary

The intestine serves as an important bioaccumulation site for Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS). Exposure to BPF and BPS in zebrafish has been found to induce morphological and functional abnormalities. However, the mechanisms behind this and the combined toxicities of BPS and BPF in the intestine have not been well-studied. The study showed that exposure to BPF, BPS, and the combination of BPF and BPS resulted in increased oxidative damage and inflammation in the zebrafish intestine, with changes in gene expression profiles and alterations in microbial community structure. Increased levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria in the intestine may indicate health hazards. These results provide important information for assessing the health risks of BPS and BPF in aquatic organisms.