State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Institute of Women, Children and Reproductive Health, Shandong University, 250012, China; National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology (Shandong University), Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 1;949:174972. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174972. Epub 2024 Jul 23.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution poses a global environmental challenge with significant concerns regarding its potential impact on human health. Toxicological investigations have revealed multi-system impairments caused by MPs in various organisms. However, the specific reproductive hazards in human contexts remain elusive, and understanding the transgenerational reproductive toxicity of MPs remains limited. This study delves into the reproductive toxicity resulting from lactational exposure to polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) in female mice, extending the inquiry to assess the reproductive effects on their offspring bred by rigorous natural mating. The MPs dosage corresponds to the detected concentration in infant formula prepared using plastic bottles. By systematically evaluating the reproductive phenotypes of F0 female mice from birth to adulthood, we found that female mice exposed to PS-MPs exhibited delayed puberty, disturbed estrous cyclicity, diminished fertility, elevated testosterone, abnormal follicle development, disrupted ovarian steroidogenesis, and ovarian inflammation. Importantly, the observed inheritable reproductive toxicity manifested with gender specificity, showcasing more pronounced abnormalities in male offspring. Specifically, reproductive disorders did not manifest in female offspring; however, a significant decrease in sperm count and viability was observed in PS-MPs-exposed F1 males. Testicular transcriptomics analysis of F1 males significantly enriched pathways associated with reproductive system development and epigenetic modification, such as male germ cell proliferation, DNA methylation, and histone modification. In summary, real-life exposure to PS-MPs impaired the reproductive function of female mice and threateningly disrupted the spermatogenesis of their F1 male offspring, which raises serious concerns about inter- and trans-generational reproductive toxicities of MPs in mammals. These findings underscore the potential threats of MPs to human reproductive health, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and research in this critical area.
微塑料 (MPs) 污染是一个全球性的环境挑战，其对人类健康的潜在影响引起了广泛关注。毒理学研究表明，MPs 对各种生物都具有多系统损伤作用。然而，其在人类环境中的具体生殖危害仍不清楚，对 MPs 的跨代生殖毒性的理解也有限。本研究深入探讨了哺乳期雌性小鼠暴露于聚苯乙烯 MPs (PS-MPs) 引起的生殖毒性，并扩展研究评估了通过严格自然交配繁殖的后代的生殖影响。MPs 的剂量与从使用塑料瓶制备的婴儿配方中检测到的浓度相对应。通过系统评估 F0 雌性小鼠从出生到成年的生殖表型，我们发现暴露于 PS-MPs 的雌性小鼠青春期延迟、动情周期紊乱、生育能力下降、睾酮升高、卵泡发育异常、卵巢类固醇生成障碍和卵巢炎症。重要的是，观察到的可遗传生殖毒性表现出性别特异性，雄性后代表现出更明显的异常。具体而言，雌性后代未出现生殖障碍，但暴露于 PS-MPs 的 F1 雄性后代的精子数量和活力显著下降。F1 雄性的睾丸转录组学分析显著富集了与生殖系统发育和表观遗传修饰相关的途径，如精原细胞增殖、DNA 甲基化和组蛋白修饰。综上所述，现实生活中暴露于 PS-MPs 会损害雌性小鼠的生殖功能，并严重破坏其 F1 雄性后代的精子发生，这对 MPs 在哺乳动物中的跨代生殖毒性提出了严重的担忧。这些发现突显了 MPs 对人类生殖健康的潜在威胁，强调了在这一关键领域继续保持警惕和研究的必要性。
