Zhang Yunbo, Hales Barbara F, Robaire Bernard
Department of Environmental Hygiene, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Arch Toxicol. 2025 Apr;99(4):1445-1454. doi: 10.1007/s00204-025-03969-6. Epub 2025 Feb 3.
Given the ubiquitous presence of plastic products in daily life, human exposure to nanoplastics (NPs) is inevitable. Previous studies have suggested that exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) may contribute to reproductive disorders; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of PSNPs on KGN human ovarian granulosa cells. KGN cells were exposed to varying concentrations of PSNPs (0-400 μg/mL) for 48 h; alterations in cell survival and morphology were assessed to elucidate potential toxic effects. PSNPs were shown to enter KGN cells. Exposure to PSNPs did not induce significant changes in cytotoxicity, Calcein intensity, or active mitochondria levels in KGN cells. However, PSNP exposure did induce a dose-dependent increase in cytoplasmic vacuoles and an increase in total lysosome area and in the numbers of lipid droplets in KGN cells. Our findings provide compelling evidence that PSNPs can penetrate cell cytoplasm and induce toxicity, resulting in an elevation in the numbers of lysosomes and lipid droplets. This may represent one mechanism by which PSNPs exert damage on the reproductive system.
鉴于塑料制品在日常生活中无处不在，人类不可避免地会接触到纳米塑料（NPs）。先前的研究表明，接触聚苯乙烯纳米塑料（PSNPs）可能会导致生殖系统紊乱；然而，其潜在机制仍不清楚。本研究的目的是调查PSNPs对KGN人卵巢颗粒细胞的影响。将KGN细胞暴露于不同浓度的PSNPs（0 - 400μg/mL）中48小时；评估细胞存活和形态的变化以阐明潜在的毒性作用。结果表明PSNPs可进入KGN细胞。暴露于PSNPs并未在KGN细胞中诱导细胞毒性、钙黄绿素强度或活性线粒体水平的显著变化。然而，PSNP暴露确实在KGN细胞中诱导了细胞质空泡的剂量依赖性增加以及总溶酶体面积和脂滴数量的增加。我们的研究结果提供了令人信服的证据，即PSNPs可穿透细胞质并诱导毒性，导致溶酶体和脂滴数量增加。这可能是PSNPs对生殖系统造成损害的一种机制。
