Saeed Anam, Akhtar Muhammad Furqan, Saleem Ammara, Akhtar Bushra, Sharif Ali
Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University, Lahore, Pakistan.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 May;30(22):63185-63199. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-26565-6. Epub 2023 Mar 24.
Microplastics, such as polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs), have become an emerging environmental hazard for animals and humans. Long-term exposure to PS-MPs has led to neurotoxicity, reproductive dysfunction, and carcinogenesis. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of sub-chronic exposure of PS-MPs on metabolic and reproductive functions in female rats. The PS-MPs were prepared by cryogenic technique. The PS-MPs were given orally to female Wistar rats for 45 days at 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg/day. The average PS-MPs' size diameter was 876 nm. The PS-MPs administration resulted in a significant decrease in the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the liver and ovary. The effect of PS-MPs on reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation in the liver and ovarian tissues of rats was statistically insignificant. The PS-MP exposure exhibited an increase in the levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein and decrease in high-density lipoprotein. The PS-MPs caused glucose intolerance and increase in insulin. Moreover, the PS-MP exposure increased follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, and testosterone. Serum level of interleukin-6 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) was elevated in animals treated with PS-MPs. The PS-MP exposed rats showed normal ovarian histology, but activated hepatic stellate cells and liver fibrosis. It is concluded that the sub-chronic exposure to PS-MPs resulted in metabolic and endocrine disruption in female rats through oxidative damage, hormonal imbalance, and chronic inflammation.
微塑料，如聚苯乙烯微塑料（PS-MPs），已成为对动物和人类新出现的环境危害。长期接触PS-MPs会导致神经毒性、生殖功能障碍和致癌作用。本研究的目的是评估亚慢性暴露于PS-MPs对雌性大鼠代谢和生殖功能的影响。PS-MPs采用低温技术制备。将PS-MPs以2.5、5和10毫克/千克/天的剂量口服给予雌性Wistar大鼠45天。PS-MPs的平均粒径为876纳米。给予PS-MPs导致肝脏和卵巢中超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶的活性显著降低。PS-MPs对大鼠肝脏和卵巢组织中还原型谷胱甘肽和脂质过氧化的影响在统计学上不显著。暴露于PS-MPs导致甘油三酯、总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白水平升高，高密度脂蛋白水平降低。PS-MPs导致葡萄糖耐量异常和胰岛素增加。此外，暴露于PS-MPs会增加促卵泡激素、雌二醇和睾酮。用PS-MPs处理的动物血清白细胞介素-6和核因子κB（NF-κB）水平升高。暴露于PS-MPs的大鼠卵巢组织学正常，但肝星状细胞活化且出现肝纤维化。结论是，亚慢性暴露于PS-MPs通过氧化损伤、激素失衡和慢性炎症导致雌性大鼠代谢和内分泌紊乱。
