Co-exposure of nanoplastics and arsenic causes neurotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) through disrupting homeostasis of microbiota-intestine-brain axis.

Nanoplastics (NPs) and arsenic (As) are toxic pollutants prevalent on the earth and have gained considerable attention in recent decades. Although numerous studies reported NPs and As can cause neurotoxicity there are still significant knowledge gaps in illustrating their combined toxicity and its mechanism. In this study, the co-exposure of environmentally relevant concentrations of NPs and As caused neurobehavioral toxicity in zebrafish, as evidenced by reduced swimming ability, anxiety and impaired short-term learning memory. Potentially, its toxicity mechanism is through disrupting the homeostasis of microbiota-intestine-brain axis in zebrafish. Specifically, the co-exposure reduced the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) production in intestine, which led to lower levels of 5-HT transported by the blood circulation to the brain. Ultimately, neurobehavior was adversely affected by the reduced binding of 5-HT to its receptors. Intestine, the primary source of 5-HT, its impaired health (aggravation in oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and histopathological alterations) induced the dysregulation in the 5-HT system, which may be induced by the increased accumulation of As in the intestine by the co-exposure. Besides, the reduced 5-HT levels were correlated with decreased Firmicutes and Protecbacteria and increased Actinobacteriota and Chloroflexi in intestines. Potentially, intestinal microbiota adversely regulates the intestine-brain axis by reducing SCFAs levels. Thus, the alteration of intestinal microbiota structure may be the other reason for the dysregulation of intestine-brain axis. In summary, co-exposure of NPs and As induced neurobehavior toxicity probably through disrupting the homeostasis of microbiota-intestine-brain axis. This study provides insights into assessing the environmental health risks of the pollution of NPs and As to aquatic organisms.

A comparative study of biological properties of three root canal sealers.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Hiflow with other two kinds of root canal sealers on the biological behavior of stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP), the influence on inflammatory cytokines release and its antibacterial effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Material extracts of Hiflow, iRoot SP, and AH Plus were prepared. Then, SCAP was incubated with extracts. The effects were evaluated by CCK-8, wound healing assay, ALP staining, alizarin red staining, and qRT-PCR. Meanwhile, polymorphonuclears (PMNs) and monocytes were isolated and treated with extracts for 4 h and 24 h respectively. Cell viability was analyzed by Annexin-V/PI double staining flow cytometry. The effects on the release of cytokines were observed by ELISA. The antibacterial effects of different sealers were tested against three kinds of bacteria found in chronic apical periodontitis. RESULTS: A series of results of SCAP showed that Hiflow and iRoot SP could promote cell proliferation, migration, and osteogenesis (p < 0.05). Although Hiflow was associated with greater cell apoptosis and necrosis when incubated with PMNs and monocytes (p < 0.05), it had an approximate release of anti-inflammatory cytokines with iRoot SP, which was higher than AH plus (p < 0.05). The co-culture showed that Hiflow and iRoot SP inhibited the colony formation of F. nucleatum (p < 0.05). However, both sealers had no obvious antibacterial effect on E. faecalis and P. gingivalis (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, Hiflow and iRoot SP both had positive biological stimulus on SCAP. Meanwhile, Hiflow showed a better induction on anti-inflammatory cytokines over the others. All the properties mentioned above and its antibacterial effect of F. nucleatum promise Hiflow a bright application prospect in endodontic uses. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: References for clinical work to use BC Sealer Hiflow as a good biological root canal sealer.

Effect and mechanism of microplastics exposure against microalgae: Photosynthesis and oxidative stress.

The occurrence of microplastics (MPs) within aquatic ecosystems attracts a major environmental concern. It was demonstrated MPs could cause various ecotoxicological effects on microalgae. However, existing data on the effects of MPs on microalgae showed great variability among studies. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of the latest studies on the effects of MPs on photosynthesis and oxidative stress in microalgae. A total of 835 biological endpoints were investigated from 55 studies extracted, and 37 % of them were significantly affected by MPs. In this study, the impact of MPs against microalgae was concentration-dependent and size-dependent, and microalgae were more susceptible to MPs stress in freshwater than marine. Additionally, we summarized the biological functions of microalgae that are primarily affected by MPs. Under MPs exposure, the content of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) was reduced and electron transfer in the photosynthetic system was hindered, causing electron accumulation and oxidative stress damage, which may also affect biological processes such as energy production, carbon fixation, lipid metabolism, and nucleic acid metabolism. Finally, our findings provide important insights into the effects of MPs stress on photosynthesis and oxidative stress in microalga and enhance the current understanding of the potential risk of MPs pollution on aquatic organisms.

Toxic effects of three perfluorinated or polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) on two strains of freshwater algae: Implications for ecological risk assessments.

Perfluorinated or polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) continue entering to the environmental as individuals or mixtures, but their toxicological information remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the toxic effects and ecological risks of Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and its substitutes on prokaryotes (Chlorella vulgaris) and eukaryotes (Microcystis aeruginosa). Based on the calculated EC50 values, the results showed that PFOS was significantly more toxic to both algae than its alternatives including Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and 6:2 Fluoromodulated sulfonates (6:2 FTS), and the PFOS-PFBS mixture was more toxic to both algae than the other two PFC mixtures. The action mode of binary PFC mixtures on Chlorella vulgaris was mainly shown as antagonistic and on Microcystis aeruginosa as synergistic, by using Combination index (CI) model coupled with Monte Carlo simulation. The mean risk quotient (RQ) value of three individual PFCs and their mixtures were all below the threshold of 10-1, but the risk of those binary mixtures were higher than that of PFCs individually because of their synergistic effect. Our findings contribute to enhance the understanding of the toxicological information and ecological risks of emerging PFCs and provide a scientific basis for their pollution control.

Microcomputed tomographic analysis of the efficiency of two retreatment techniques in removing root canal filling materials from mandibular incisors.

This study aimed to evaluate the removal effect of the ProTaper Next system (PTN) combined with manual nickel-titanium Hedström (MNiTiH) files or chloroform on filling materials of mandibular incisors by microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Sixty-four extracted human mandibular incisors were finally selected and assigned to two groups (n = 32) based on root canal morphology after instrumentation. Two subgroups (n = 16) were formed based on two retreatment methods. The volume of residual filling materials (RFMs) and the surface area covered by RFMs were analyzed by micro-CT, the apical extrusion and the time taken for removing the filling materials were recorded. A smaller percentage of the volume of RFMs and less surface area covered by RFMs occurred in PTN combined with MNiTiH groups and round-shaped canal incisors (P < 0.05). The time taken for removing the filling materials was not significantly different in all groups (P > 0.05). The apical extrusion was significantly less in PTN combined with MNiTiH groups than in PTN combined with chloroform groups (P < 0.05). Neither of the two methods rendered root canals completely free from filling materials. PTN combined with MNiTiH could reduce the apical extrusion and remove filling materials more efficiently than PTN combined with chloroform.

The landscape of endodontic education research area: A bibliometric analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Educational research is essential for rationalizing curriculum design, improving evaluation systems, and updating teaching content. This bibliometric study aimed at analyzing the characteristics of publications relevant to endodontic education, thus forming a comprehensive scope of this research area. METHODS: The search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection database in May 2022. Knowledge units of the included publications, such as year of publication, journal, country/institution/author, keywords, and highly cited articles/references, were analyzed. RESULTS: The United States ranked first in the number of articles with a total of 17 articles. The majority of included articles were published in Journal of Dental Education (n = 25), International Endodontic Journal (n = 21), and European Journal of Dental Education (n = 14). The top 3 most frequent keywords were Endodontics, Education, and Root canal treatment. The main topic in endodontic education were curriculum, preclinical education, educational technology, and continuing education. CONCLUSION: Forming a full scope of the endodontic research area, this bibliomertic analysis can help mine the hot topic, predict the frontiers in the field and provide the data necessary to determine the direction of research, rationalize resource allocation, and formulate policy.

Nanoplastics promote arsenic-induced ROS accumulation, mitochondrial damage and disturbances in neurotransmitter metabolism of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

As a carrier, nanoplastics (NPs) can adsorb other toxic substances and thus modify their biological toxicity. Numerous studies have investigated the neurotoxic of high concentrations of arsenic (As, 2.83 mg/L-5 mg/L). However, it is still unknown whether the relatively low environmentally relevant concentrations of As (200 µg/L) can damage the structure and function of fish brains with the presence of NPs. In this study, zebrafish were exposed to polystyrene NPs, As and their mixture for 30 days respectively. Firstly, we found that the presence of NPs promoted the accumulation of As in zebrafish brains. Thereby the co-exposure of NPs and As further promoted the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in zebrafish brains compared with the single exposure of NPs or As, resulting in severe oxidative stress. Moreover, accumulated ROS directly damaged the mitochondrial membrane and mtDNA in zebrafish brains. Moreover, the mitochondrial damage was further aggravated due to inhibited mitochondrial fusion and activated mitochondrial division and mitophagy. Ultimately, the co-exposure led to mitochondrial damage in the zebrafish brain. Damaged mitochondria may not meet the high energy metabolic requirement for neuronal function. As a result, the normal function of nerve cells was adversely affected and eventually cell apoptosis may occur. Besides, the co-exposure caused more significant structural alterations in zebrafish brain tissue. Finally, the co-exposure of NPs and As caused abnormal biosynthesis and degradation of dopamine and acetylcholine. These resulted in decreased dopamine levels and increased acetylcholine levels in zebrafish brains. In conclusion, the presence of NPs promoted the accumulation of As, thereby inducing severe oxidative stress, which caused structural alterations and mitochondrial damage in the zebrafish brain, thus disordering neuromodulation, which may ultimately cause neurological dysfunction in zebrafish. This study will provide a risk assessment for evaluating the biotoxicity of NPs and As to fish and even other animals.

Acute effects of three surface-modified nanoplastics against Microcystis aeruginosa: Growth, microcystin production, and mechanisms.

As plastic pollution continues to increase and plastic waste is shredded to form smaller plastic particles, there is growing concern about the potential impact of nanoplastics (NPs) on freshwater ecosystems. In this work, the effects of three surface-modified NPs, including polystyrene (PS), PS-NH2, and PS-COOH, on the growth, photosynthetic activity, oxidative damage, and microcystins (MCs) production/release of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) were investigated. Results indicated that all three NPs significantly inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa after a 96 h exposure, and the growth inhibition followed the order of PS-NH2 > PS > PS-COOH (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, all three NPs at the concentration of 100 mg/L significantly increased the content of intra-MCs (115 %, 147 %, and 121 % higher than the control, respectively) and extra-MCs (142 %, 175 %, and 151 % higher than the control, respectively) after a 96 h exposure (p < 0.05). Moreover, our findings also suggested that the potential mechanisms of surface-modified PS NPs on M. aeruginosa growth and MCs production/release were associated with physical constraints, photosynthetic activity obstruct, and oxidative damage. Our findings provided direct evidence for different kinds of surface modifications of PS NPs on freshwater algae and improve the understanding of the potential risk of NPs in aquatic ecosystems.

Natural products from traditional medicine as promising agents targeting at different stages of oral biofilm development.

Oral cavity is an ideal habitat for more than 1,000 species of microorganisms. The diverse oral microbes form biofilms over the hard and soft tissues in the oral cavity, affecting the oral ecological balance and the development of oral diseases, such as caries, apical periodontitis, and periodontitis. Currently, antibiotics are the primary agents against infectious diseases; however, the emergence of drug resistance and the disruption of oral microecology have challenged their applications. The discovery of new antibiotic-independent agents is a promising strategy against biofilm-induced infections. Natural products from traditional medicine have shown potential antibiofilm activities in the oral cavity with high safety, cost-effectiveness, and minimal adverse drug reactions. Aiming to highlight the importance and functions of natural products from traditional medicine against oral biofilms, here we summarized and discussed the antibiofilm effects of natural products targeting at different stages of the biofilm formation process, including adhesion, proliferation, maturation, and dispersion, and their effects on multi-species biofilms. The perspective of antibiofilm agents for oral infectious diseases to restore the balance of oral microecology is also discussed.

The Arginine Biosynthesis Pathway of Candida albicans Regulates Its Cross-Kingdom Interaction with Actinomyces viscosus to Promote Root Caries.

The cross-kingdom interactions between Candida albicans and Actinomyces viscosus play critical roles in root caries. However, the key pathway by which C. albicans regulates its interactions with A. viscosus is unclear. Here, we first employed 39 volunteers with root caries and 37 caries-free volunteers, and found that the abundances of C. albicans and A. viscosus were significantly increased in the individuals with root caries and showed a strong positive correlation. Their dual-species combination synergistically promoted biofilm formation and root caries in rats. The arginine biosynthesis pathway of C. albicans was significantly upregulated in dual-species biofilms and dental plaques from another 10 root caries volunteers compared with the 10 caries-free volunteers. The exogenous addition of arginine increased the cariogenicity of the dual-species biofilm. The C. albicans ARG4, a key gene from the arginine biosynthesis pathway, null mutant failed to promote dual-species biofilm formation and root caries in rats; however, the addition of arginine restored its synergistic actions with A. viscosus. Our results identified the critical roles of the C. albicans arginine biosynthesis pathway in its cross-kingdom interactions with A. viscosus for the first time and indicated that targeting this pathway was a practical way to treat root caries caused by multiple species. IMPORTANCE Root caries is a critical problem that threatens the oral health of the elderly population. Our results identified the essential roles of the C. albicans arginine biosynthesis pathway in its cross-kingdom interactions with A. viscosus in root caries for the first time and indicated that targeting this pathway was a practical way to treat root caries caused by multiple species.

Toxic Effect of Combined Exposure of Microplastics and Copper on Goldfish (Carassius auratus): Insight from Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Hepatopancreas and Intestine.

The enhancement of the toxic effect of microplastics (MPs) on heavy metals and its mechanism needs more in-depth and systematic research. In this study, the copper (Cu) accumulation, histological injury, and expression of genes involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and autophagy of goldfish after single or combined exposure of MPs (1 mg/L) and Cu2+ (0.1 mg/L) for 7 days were determined. The results demonstrated that MPs enhanced the Cu accumulation in hepatopancreas and intestine of goldfish and induced more severe oxidative stress in the hepatopancreas and intestine of goldfish. Additionally, combined exposure of MPs and Cu induced inflammation, excessive apoptosis and insufficient autophagy in the hepatopancreas. Contrary, the inflammation and apoptosis were depressed in the intestine after combined exposure of MPs and Cu, which still requires further exploration. Hence, these findings provide further evidence for the threat of MPs and its adsorbed heavy metals.

Joint toxicity mechanisms of binary emerging PFAS mixture on algae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) at environmental concentration.

Since traditional Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were banned in 2009 due to their bioaccumulation, persistence and biological toxicity, the emerging PFAS have been widely used as their substitutes and entered the aquatic environment in the form of mixtures. However, the joint toxicity mechanisms of these emerging PFAS mixtures to aquatic organisms remain largely unknown. Then, based on the testing of growth inhibition, cytotoxicity, photosynthesis and oxidative stress, and the toxicity mechanism of PFAS mixture (Perfluorobutane sulfonate and Perfluorobutane sulfonamide) to algae was explored using the Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The results revealed that all three emerging PFAS treatments had a certain growth inhibitory effect on Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa), but the toxicity of PFAS mixture was stronger than that of individual PFAS and showed a significant synergistic effect at environmental concentration. The joint toxicity mechanisms of binary PFAS mixture to C. pyrenoidosa were related to the damage of photosynthetic system, obstruction of ROS metabolism, and inhibition of DNA replication. Our findings are conductive to adding knowledge in understanding the joint toxicity mechanisms and provide a basis for assessing the environmental risk of emerging PFAS.

An Efficient Modular Gateway Recombinase-Based Gene Stacking System for Generating Multi-Trait Transgenic Plants.

Transgenic technology can transfer favorable traits regardless of reproductive isolation and is an important method in plant synthetic biology and genetic improvement. Complex metabolic pathway modification and pyramiding breeding strategies often require the introduction of multiple genes at once, but the current vector assembly systems for constructing multigene expression cassettes are not completely satisfactory. In this study, a new in vitro gene stacking system, GuanNan Stacking (GNS), was developed. Through the introduction of Type IIS restriction enzyme-mediated Golden Gate cloning, GNS allows the modular, standardized assembly of target gene expression cassettes. Because of the introduction of Gateway recombination, GNS facilitates the cloning of superlarge transgene expression cassettes, allows multiple expression cassettes to be efficiently assembled in a binary vector simultaneously, and is compatible with the Cre enzyme-mediated marker deletion mechanism. The linked dual positive-negative marker selection strategy ensures the efficient acquisition of target recombinant plasmids without prokaryotic selection markers in the T-DNA region. The host-independent negative selection marker combined with the TAC backbone ensures the cloning and transfer of large T-DNAs (>100 kb). Using the GNS system, we constructed a binary vector containing five foreign gene expression cassettes and obtained transgenic rice carrying the target traits, proving that the method developed in this research is a powerful tool for plant metabolic engineering and compound trait transgenic breeding.

Do trace metal(loid)s in road soils pose health risks to tourists? A case of a highly-visited national park in China.

Nowadays, more people tend to spend their recreational time in large national parks, and trace metal(loid)s in soils have attracted long-term attention due to their possible harm to human health. To investigate the pollution levels, potential sources and health risks of trace metal(loid)s in road soils, a total of eight trace metal(loid)s (including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Hg) from 47 soil samples along roads were studied in the Huangshan National Park in Southeast China. The results showed that the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Zn and Hg appeared different degrees of pollution compared with their corresponding background values. According to the pollution indices, Hg and Cd were recognized as significant pollutants presenting moderate to high ecological risk. Combining principal component analysis and positive matrix factorization model, the results showed that traffic, industrial, agricultural and natural sources were the potential origins of trace metal(loid)s in this area, with contribution rates of 39.93%, 25.92%, 10.53% and 23.62%, respectively. Non-carcinogenic risks were all negligible, while the carcinogenic risk of As was higher than the limit (1 × 10-6). Moreover, children were more susceptible to trace metal(loid)s by ingestion which appeared to be a more important exposure pathway than dermal contact and inhalation. The contribution rates of different sources to non-carcinogenic risks and carcinogenic risks were similar among children and adults, while traffic and industrial sources have a significant impact on health risks. This study will give more insights to control the environmental risks of trace metal(loid)s in national parks.

Toxicity mechanism of Nylon microplastics on Microcystis aeruginosa through three pathways: Photosynthesis, oxidative stress and energy metabolism.

Nylon has been widely used all over the world, and most of it eventually enters the aquatic environment in the form of microplastics (MPs). However, the impact of Nylon MPs on aquatic ecosystem remains largely unknown. Thus, the long-term biological effects and toxicity mechanism of Nylon MPs on Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) were explored in this study. Results demonstrated that Nylon MPs had a dose-dependent growth inhibition of M. aeruginosa at the initial stage, and the maximum inhibition rate reached to 47.62% at the concentration of 100 mg/L. Meanwhile, Nylon MPs could obstruct photosynthesis electron transfer, reduce phycobiliproteins synthesis, destroy algal cell membrane, enhance the release of extracellular polymeric substances, and induce oxidative stress. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis indicated that Nylon MPs dysregulated the expression of genes involved in tricarboxylic acid cycle, photosynthesis, photosynthesis-antenna proteins, oxidative phosphorylation, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism. According to the results of transcriptomic and biochemical analysis, the growth inhibition of M. aeruginosa is inferred to be regulated by three pathways: photosynthesis, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism. Our findings provide new insights into the toxicity mechanism of Nylon MPs on freshwater microalgae and valuable data for risk assessment of MPs.

Anti-oxidant mechanisms of Chlorella pyrenoidosa under acute GenX exposure.

GenX, a substitute for perfluorooctanoic acid, has been widely detected in surface water. Due to its bioaccumulation, toxicity and persistence, GenX can cause adverse effects such as oxidative damage on aquatic organisms. To investigate the toxicity of GenX and the anti-oxidant mechanism of algae under acute exposure, the growth, photosynthetic activity and gene expression of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) were tested. Results showed that the growth of C. pyrenoidosa was inhibited under acute GenX exposure. The toxicity of GenX increased with time and concentration but was lower than that of the traditional perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Furthermore, with the increase of GenX concentration, the production of reactive oxygen species increased, while the level of the anti-oxidant enzyme first increased and then decreased. Changes in photosynthetic parameters also indicated that the photosynthetic system of C. pyrenoidosa was negatively affected by GenX exposure. Transcription analysis revealed that the up-regulation of genes related to the glutathione-ascorbate cycle and photosynthesis is a positive strategy to cope with the oxidative stress caused by acute GenX exposure. Our findings provide new insights into the interactions between emerging PFASs and aquatic organisms at the molecular level.

Growth inhibition, toxin production and oxidative stress caused by three microplastics in Microcystis aeruginosa.

Microplastics (MPs) have aroused widespread concern due to their extensive distribution in aquatic environments and adverse effects on aquatic organisms. However, the underlying toxicity of different kinds of MPs on freshwater microalgae has not been examined in detail. In this study, we investigated the effects of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE) MPs on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa, as well as on its toxin production and oxidative stress. We found that all three kinds of MPs had an obvious inhibition effect on the growth of M. aeruginosa. Considering the results of antioxidant-related indicators, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and cell membrane integrity were greatly affected with exposure to PVC, PS and PE MPs. Moreover, the content of intracellular (intra-) and extracellular (extra-) microcystins (MCs) had a noticeable increase due to the presence of PVC, PS, and PE MPs. Finally, according to the comprehensive stress resistance indicators, the resistance of M. aeruginosa to three MPs followed the order: PE (3.701)> PS (3.607)> PVC (2.901). Our results provide insights into the effects of different kinds of MPs on freshwater algae and provide valuable data for risk assessment of different types of MPs.

Toxic effects and mechanisms of PFOA and its substitute GenX on the photosynthesis of Chlorella pyrenoidosa.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its substitute GenX are toxic chemicals that are widespread in the aquatic environment. However, there is little information about their toxicity mechanisms to aquatic organisms. In this study, Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) was treated with two concentrations (100 ng L-1 and 100 µg L-1) of PFOA or GenX for 12 days. The results showed that these two concentrations of PFOA and GenX began to inhibit the growth of algae after 6 days of treatment, and the Chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity of C. pyrenoidosa were also negatively affected by these two chemicals. The transcriptomic results indicated that most of the genes related to the photosynthetic metabolism of C. pyrenoidosa were down-regulated (in 100 ng L-1 treatment groups) on the 12th day. Besides, GenX and PFOA showed similar effects on algae photosynthesis including physical damage and metabolic disorders. According to this study, GenX might not be an ideal substitute for PFOA, and more attention should be paid on the management of emerging perfluoroalkyl substances.

Polystyrene nanoplastics affect growth and microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa.

Nanoplastics are widely distributed in freshwater environments, but few studies have addressed their effects on freshwater algae, especially on harmful algae. In this study, the effects of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics on Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) growth, as well as microcystin (MC) production and release, were investigated over the whole growth period. The results show that PS nanoplastics caused a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on M. aeruginosa growth and a dose-dependent increase in the aggregation rate peaking at 60.16% and 46.34%, respectively, when the PS nanoplastic concentration was 100 mg/L. This caused significant growth of M. aeruginosa with a specific growth rate up to 0.41 d-1 (50 mg/L PS nanoplastics). After a brief period of rapid growth, the tested algal cells steadily grew. In addition, the increase in PS nanoplastics concentration promoted the production and release of MC. When the PS nanoplastic concentration was 100 mg/L, the content of the intracellular (intra-) and extracellular (extra-) MC increased to 199.1 and 166.5 µg/L, respectively, on day 26, which was 31.4% and 31.1% higher, respectively, than the control. Our results provide insights into the action mechanism of nanoplastics on harmful algae and the potential risks to freshwater environments.