Determination of Biological and Molecular Attributes Related to Polystyrene Microplastic-Induced Reproductive Toxicity and Its Reversibility in Male Mice

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Res Public Health

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Environmental Health
Public Health

Date 2022 Nov 11

PMID 36360968

Authors

Tao Liu

Baolian Hou

Yecui Zhang

Zhiping Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Microplastics exist not only in the natural environment, but also in human tissue such as blood and even placenta. Polystyrene microplastic exposure can cause abnormal sperm quality in mice; however, the mechanism is unclear, and whether sperm abnormalities can be restored has not been reported. ICR mice were exposed to 5 μm polystyrene microplastics through the drinking water. After one spermatogenic cycle, mitochondrial damage was observed to explain the possible cause of sperm damage. After 1-2 spermatogenic cycles of recovery, whether the damaged sperm could be recovered was observed. The results show that polystyrene microplastics caused a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential, an imbalance of kinetic homeostasis, a change in genetic characteristics, mitophagy, and a decrease in the ATP content in mouse testicular tissue. Oxidative stress may be the cause of mitochondrial damage. After 1-2 spermatogenic cycles, mitochondrial damage was restored and sperm quality was improved. This study explored the mitochondrial causes of reproductive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics and the reversibility of reproductive toxicity, providing data for further research on the toxicity of microplastics and the prevention and treatment of its harm.

Citing Articles

Concerning influences of micro/nano plastics on female reproductive health: focusing on cellular and molecular pathways from animal models to human studies.

Balali H, Morabbi A, Karimian M Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2024; 22(1):141.

PMID: 39529078 PMC: 11552210. DOI: 10.1186/s12958-024-01314-7.

Micro(nano)plastics: an Emerging Burden for Human Health.

Donisi I, Colloca A, Anastasio C, Balestrieri M, DOnofrio N Int J Biol Sci. 2024; 20(14):5779-5792.

PMID: 39494332 PMC: 11528458. DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.99556.

PLASTAMINATION: Outcomes on the Central Nervous System and Reproduction.

Santoro A, Marino M, Vandenberg L, Szychlinska M, Lamparelli E, Scalia F Curr Neuropharmacol. 2024; 22(11):1870-1898.

PMID: 38549522 PMC: 11284724. DOI: 10.2174/1570159X22666240216085947.

Behavioral Studies of Zebrafish Reveal a New Perspective on the Reproductive Toxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics.

Wu B, Yu H, Yi J, Lei P, He J, Ruan J Toxics. 2024; 12(3).

PMID: 38535911 PMC: 10975907. DOI: 10.3390/toxics12030178.

Microplastics exposure: implications for human fertility, pregnancy and child health.

Zurub R, Cariaco Y, Wade M, Bainbridge S Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 14:1330396.

PMID: 38239985 PMC: 10794604. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1330396.

References

Ragusa A, Svelato A, Santacroce C, Catalano P, Notarstefano V, Carnevali O . Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta. Environ Int. 2021; 146:106274. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274. View

Thompson R, Olsen Y, Mitchell R, Davis A, Rowland S, John A . Lost at sea: where is all the plastic?. Science. 2004; 304(5672):838. DOI: 10.1126/science.1094559. View

Hamed M, Soliman H, Osman A, Sayed A . Assessment the effect of exposure to microplastics in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) early juvenile: I. blood biomarkers. Chemosphere. 2019; 228:345-350. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.04.153. View

Rajender S, Rahul P, Mahdi A . Mitochondria, spermatogenesis and male infertility. Mitochondrion. 2010; 10(5):419-28. DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2010.05.015. View

Wang J, Li Y, Lu L, Zheng M, Zhang X, Tian H . Polystyrene microplastics cause tissue damages, sex-specific reproductive disruption and transgenerational effects in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). Environ Pollut. 2019; 254(Pt B):113024. DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113024. View

Dris R, Gasperi J, Saad M, Mirande C, Tassin B . Synthetic fibers in atmospheric fallout: A source of microplastics in the environment?. Mar Pollut Bull. 2016; 104(1-2):290-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.01.006. View

Li D, Shi Y, Yang L, Xiao L, Kehoe D, Gunko Y . Microplastic release from the degradation of polypropylene feeding bottles during infant formula preparation. Nat Food. 2023; 1(11):746-754. DOI: 10.1038/s43016-020-00171-y. View

Song G, Lewis V . Mitochondrial DNA integrity and copy number in sperm from infertile men. Fertil Steril. 2008; 90(6):2238-44. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.10.059. View

Hartmann N, Huffer T, Thompson R, Hassellov M, Verschoor A, Daugaard A . Are We Speaking the Same Language? Recommendations for a Definition and Categorization Framework for Plastic Debris. Environ Sci Technol. 2019; 53(3):1039-1047. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05297. View

10.

Yong C, Valiyaveettil S, Tang B . Toxicity of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Mammalian Systems. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(5). PMC: 7084551. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051509. View

11.

May-Panloup P, Chretien M, Savagner F, Vasseur C, Jean M, Malthiery Y . Increased sperm mitochondrial DNA content in male infertility. Hum Reprod. 2003; 18(3):550-6. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deg096. View

12.

Wei L, Wang J, Chen A, Liu J, Feng X, Shao L . Involvement of PINK1/parkin-mediated mitophagy in ZnO nanoparticle-induced toxicity in BV-2 cells. Int J Nanomedicine. 2017; 12:1891-1903. PMC: 5352242. DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S129375. View

13.

Kosuth M, Mason S, Wattenberg E . Anthropogenic contamination of tap water, beer, and sea salt. PLoS One. 2018; 13(4):e0194970. PMC: 5895013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194970. View

14.

de Souza Machado A, Kloas W, Zarfl C, Hempel S, Rillig M . Microplastics as an emerging threat to terrestrial ecosystems. Glob Chang Biol. 2017; 24(4):1405-1416. PMC: 5834940. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14020. View

15.

Zhang M, Jiang M, Bi Y, Zhu H, Zhou Z, Sha J . Autophagy and apoptosis act as partners to induce germ cell death after heat stress in mice. PLoS One. 2012; 7(7):e41412. PMC: 3405141. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041412. View

16.

Daniel D, Ashraf P, Thomas S, Thomson K . Microplastics in the edible tissues of shellfishes sold for human consumption. Chemosphere. 2020; 264(Pt 2):128554. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128554. View

17.

Pitt J, Trevisan R, Massarsky A, Kozal J, Levin E, Di Giulio R . Maternal transfer of nanoplastics to offspring in zebrafish (Danio rerio): A case study with nanopolystyrene. Sci Total Environ. 2018; 643:324-334. PMC: 7012458. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.186. View

18.

Lee H, Wei Y . Mitochondria and aging. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2012; 942:311-27. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-2869-1_14. View

19.

Wu B, Wu X, Liu S, Wang Z, Chen L . Size-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on cytotoxicity and efflux pump inhibition in human Caco-2 cells. Chemosphere. 2019; 221:333-341. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.056. View

20.

Zorov D, Juhaszova M, Sollott S . Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-induced ROS release. Physiol Rev. 2014; 94(3):909-50. PMC: 4101632. DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00026.2013. View