Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China; Wenzhou Municipal Key Laboratory of Neurodevelopmental Pathology and Physiology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China.
Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Watershed Sciences and Health, School of Public health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035, PR China.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Jun 25;931:172795. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172795. Epub 2024 Apr 25.
The ubiquitous presence of micro-and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment and everyday products has attracted attention due to their hazardous risks. However, the effects of MNPs on reproduction and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The present study investigated the impact of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics of 80, 200 and 500 nm diameters on zebrafish reproduction at an environmentally relevant concentration of 0.5 mg/L. Exposure to PS delayed spermatogenesis and caused aberrant follicular growth, resulting in dysgenesis in F0 adults and impacting F1 embryo development. Notably, the reproductive toxicity exhibited size-dependency, with the 500 nm PS being the most detrimental. Combined analyses of transcriptomics and metabolomics in ovary tissue revealed that treatment with 500 nm PS affected the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, dysregulated lipid transport, binding and activity processes, and led to dysgenesis in zebrafish. Specifically, the ovulatory dysfunction induced by PS exposure resembled clinical manifestations of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and can be attributed to lipid metabolism disorder involving glycerophospholipid, sphingolipid, arachidonic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid. Collectively, our results provide new evidence revealing the molecular mechanisms of PS-induced reproductive toxicity, highlighting that MNPs may pose a risk to female reproductive health.
微塑料和纳米塑料（MNPs）在环境和日常产品中的普遍存在，因其潜在的危害风险而受到关注。然而，MNPs 对生殖的影响及其潜在机制仍不清楚。本研究探讨了环境相关浓度 0.5mg/L 下，不同直径（80nm、200nm 和 500nm）聚苯乙烯纳米塑料对斑马鱼生殖的影响。暴露于 PS 会延迟精子发生并导致异常的卵泡生长，从而导致 F0 代成年个体发育异常，并影响 F1 胚胎发育。值得注意的是，这种生殖毒性具有尺寸依赖性，其中 500nm PS 的危害性最大。对卵巢组织进行转录组学和代谢组学联合分析表明，500nm PS 的处理会影响过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体（PPAR）信号通路，扰乱脂质转运、结合和活性过程，导致斑马鱼发育异常。具体来说，PS 暴露引起的排卵功能障碍类似于多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）的临床表现，可归因于涉及甘油磷脂、鞘脂、花生四烯酸和α-亚麻酸的脂代谢紊乱。总之，我们的研究结果提供了新的证据，揭示了 PS 诱导生殖毒性的分子机制，强调了 MNPs 可能对女性生殖健康构成风险。
