Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes brain abnormalities in progeny

Jeong, Bohyeon; Baek, Jeong Yeob; Koo, Jahong; Park, Subin; Ryu, Young‐Kyoung; Kim, Kyoung‐Shim; Zhang, Seungjae; Chung, ChiHye; Dogan, Rumeysa; Choi, Hyung-Seok; Um, Dahun; Kim, Tae‐Kyung; Lee, Wang Sik; Jeong, Jinyoung; Shin, Won-Ho; Lee, Jae-Ran; Kim, Nam-Soon; Lee, Da Yong

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127815

Cited by 138 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Decreased fetal movement is a hallmark sign of central nervous system dysfunction and suggests abnormal brain development in the MP- and NP-exposed fetuses. It is well-established that growth-restricted fetuses exhibit abnormal neurodevelopment and decreased global activity prenatally as well as sustained developmental impacts in childhood. , The impact of PS-NPs on postnatal brain development has recently been reported in mice, with evidence of neuronal dysfunction and cognitive deficits after maternal exposure to very large doses (>500 μg/day) …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…26,27 The impact of PS-NPs on postnatal brain development has recently been reported in mice, with evidence of neuronal dysfunction and cognitive deficits after maternal exposure to very large doses (>500 μg/day). 28 In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report stating that MPs in drinking water pose a low concern for human health. 29 However, they concluded that evidence is limited and further research is needed, particularly about the impact of NPs.…”

Section: ■ Materials and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Aghaei

Sled

Kingdom

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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Plastics are ubiquitous and, when released into the environment, break down into smaller particles termed microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs). These MPs and NPs can be ingested by organisms and potentially accumulate in tissues and organs. Recently, MPs were found in the placentas of healthy women, raising the concern that exposure to plastics may have an impact on pregnancy and fetal development. In this study, we investigated the effect of maternal exposure to plastics on fetal and placental growth using experimental mice. The dams exposed to plastics received either 5 μm or 50 nm polystyrene plastics in filtered drinking water at one of three concentrations (102, 104, or 106 ng/L). In late gestation, MP- and NP-exposed fetuses were significantly growth restricted, with a 12% decrease in fetal weight at the highest exposure concentration. This study represents a crucial first step toward evaluating the risks to human pregnancies posed by exposure to plastics.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: ■ Materials and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Aghaei

Sled

Kingdom

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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“…These NPs inevitably undergo metabolic processes in the liver . Inhalation is another critical NP exposure pathway in humans as NPs suspended in air can be directly inhaled into the respiratory system and penetrate deep into the lungs. , Associations between NP exposure and inflammation, immunotoxicity, and neurological dysfunction have been demonstrated in mice. − In vivo studies have found that NPs are distributed in multiple organs (e.g., liver and lungs). , Furthermore, in vitro data have shown that the internalization of NPs occurs in various human cell lines, , indicating that damage to sensitive organelles may be a primary mechanism of NP-induced toxicity in cells. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrion are crucial organelles and are functionally coordinated, and their interaction regulates many intracellular processes .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolomics Reveal Nanoplastic-Induced Mitochondrial Damage in Human Liver and Lung Cells

Lin

Zhang

Wang

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

159

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Plastic debris in the global biosphere is an increasing concern, and nanoplastic (NPs) toxicity in humans is far from being understood. Studies have indicated that NPs can affect mitochondria, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The liver and lungs have important metabolic functions and are vulnerable to NP exposure. In this study, we investigated the effects of 80 nm NPs on mitochondrial functions and metabolic pathways in normal human hepatic (L02) cells and lung (BEAS-2B) cells. NP exposure did not induce mass cell death; however, transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the NPs could enter the cells and cause mitochondrial damage, as evidenced by overproduction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, alterations in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and suppression of mitochondrial respiration. These alterations were observed at NP concentrations as low as 0.0125 mg/mL, which might be comparable to the environmental levels. Nontarget metabolomics confirmed that the most significantly impacted processes were mitochondrial-related. The metabolic function of L02 cells was more vulnerable to NP exposure than that of BEAS-2B cells, especially at low NP concentrations. This study identifies NP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic toxicity pathways in target human cells, providing insight into the possibility of adverse outcomes in human health.

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“…MPs can cause changes on a phenotypic level in mice, as well as in the expression of genes and epigenetics, as was demonstrated by brain abnormalities in mouse pups whose mothers were fed with plastic microparticles [ 36 ]. Cognitive capacity alterations were discovered, associated with a modification of RNA expression, and immunofluorescence revealed MP infiltrates in the brain of pups.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cognitive capacity alterations were discovered, associated with a modification of RNA expression, and immunofluorescence revealed MP infiltrates in the brain of pups. Jeong et al (2022) [ 36 ] showed that the maternal administration of polystyrene nanoplastics (i.e., plastic fragments with size < 100 nm), during gestation and lactating periods altered the functioning of neural cell compositions and brain histology in progeny. Polystyrene (Ps) nanoplastics also induced molecular and functional defects in cultured neural cells in vitro.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deeply in Plasticenta: Presence of Microplastics in the Intracellular Compartment of Human Placentas

Ragusa

Matta

Cristiano

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Microplastics (MPs) are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. They have been found almost everywhere they have been searched for and recent discoveries have also demonstrated their presence in human placenta, blood, meconium, and breastmilk, but their location and toxicity to humans have not been reported to date. The aim of this study was twofold: 1. To locate MPs within the intra/extracellular compartment in human placenta. 2. To understand whether their presence and location are associated with possible structural changes of cell organelles. Using variable pressure scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, MPs have been localized in ten human placentas. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time the presence and localization in the cellular compartment of fragments compatible with MPs in the human placenta and we hypothesized a possible correlation between their presence and important ultrastructural alterations of some intracytoplasmic organelles (mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum). These alterations have never been reported in normal healthy term pregnancies until today. They could be the result of a prolonged attempt to remove and destroy the plastic particles inside the placental tissue. The presence of virtually indestructible particles in term human placenta could contribute to the activation of pathological traits, such as oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation, characteristic of metabolic disorders underlying obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome and partially accounting for the recent epidemic of non-communicable diseases.

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Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes brain abnormalities in progeny

Cited by 138 publications

References 64 publications

Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Metabolomics Reveal Nanoplastic-Induced Mitochondrial Damage in Human Liver and Lung Cells

Deeply in Plasticenta: Presence of Microplastics in the Intracellular Compartment of Human Placentas

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