Parthenolide Restores Testosterone Biosynthesis After Nanoplastic Exposure by Blocking ROS-Driven NF-κB Nuclear Translocation.

ABSTRACT: Nanoplastics are pervasive contaminants that adversely affect male reproductive function, yet the molecular basis of polystyrene nanoplastic (PS-NP) toxicity in immature testes and effective preventive strategies remain unclear. Here, male mice (postnatal days 22-35, PND 22-35) and TM3 Leydig cells were exposed to graded PS-NPs, followed by transcriptomic profiling to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Candidate therapeutics were prioritized using Connectivity Map (CMap) analysis and molecular docking, and protein interactions were examined by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). PS-NPs accumulated in immature testes, eliciting excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of NF-κB. These events coincided with the downregulation of steroidogenic enzymes (CYP11A1 and StAR)

SUBMITTER: Zhao P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12649254 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature