Project description:The widespread presence of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater systems has raised concerns about their potential ecotoxicity on aquatic organisms. In this study, we evaluated the effects of four MPs with different compositions, namely polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP), on freshwater microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. PS and PVC MPs caused greater growth inhibition and stronger oxidative stress response than PP and PE MPs. Proteomics analysis was employed to explore the mechanical understanding of the composition-dependent toxicity of MPs on microalgae. Proteins involved in photosynthesis processes were identified as contributors to the diverse responses of microalgae to differently composed MPs. Photosynthesis activity of algae, including pigment content and photoprotective response, was determined to reflect the distinct effect of the four MPs. The indicated down-regulated expression of photosynthetic proteins by proteomics analysis was further confirmed using western blot, with PVC and PS showing greater impacts on their expression reduction. Our findings not only show the composition-dependent effect of MPs on microalgae but also provide important insights into the molecular mechanism of MPs’ toxicity on natural phytoplankton species.
Project description:we studied the effect that 16.4 µm fragment type polypropylene (PP) MPs, which have an irregular shape and sharp edges and form naturally in the environment, had on breast cancer PPMP incubation for 24 hours in the MDA-MB-231 cells significantly altered the level of cell cycle-related transcripts in an RNA-seq analysis
Project description:Microplastics are defined as plastics ranging in size from 0.1μm to 5mm. Currently, research is being conducted across various fields to examine the effects of microplastics. Some studies demonstrated negative impacts on cells and mice. However, there is a lack of research on the effects by long-term exposure to microplastics. Most of the papers evaluated cytotoxicity with period of less than 2 months. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the potential issues that may arise from prolonged exposure through food mixed with Polypropylene microplastic (PP-MP) for over a year. We divided our study into short, mid, and long-term periods to assess cytotoxicity through Glucose tolerance test, Insulin tolerance test, analysis of insulin and c-peptide levels, hanging, grip, treadmill, Y-maze and open field tests, Respiratory Exchange Ratio, Energy Expenditure, Activity, and body composition. Through this, we comprehensively examined potential issues related to mouse behavior, muscle, metabolism and other factors. After dissection, RNA sequencing was carried out to investigate the effects on genes. For further verification, RT-qPCR was conducted. To summarize, our study provides evidence suggesting that treatment of microplastics for a short term has adverse effects, but with prolonged exposure, their effects tend to diminish.
Project description:Microplastics (MPs) as widespread contamination pose high risk for aquatic organisms.Intestinal microbiotahas have high interaction with immune system of host body. In this study, intestinal microbiota of zebrafish after Polystyrene (PS-MPs) exposure were characterized by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. We found that 100nm and 200μm PS-MPs exposure significantly increased diversity of intestinal microbiota and all the three sizes of PS-MPs increased abundance of pathogenic bacteria.
Project description:Plastic is widespread in our lives, releasing various Microplastics (MPs) with toxicity. In recent years, the potential threat of MPs on reproductive system arouses public concern. Numerous reports have focused on its damage to spermatogenesis. Nevertheless, the toxicity of MPs on female reproduction is unclear. Here, we explored this question using bovine oocyte. We found that MPs disrupts spindle organization, chromosomes alignment and actin assembly, leading to failed maturation of bovine oocytes. Meanwhile, cortical granule secretion is obstructed, suggesting the failure of cytoplasmic maturation. Therefore, embryonic development is impacted. In transcriptome results, MPs induces the expression change of Mitochondrial-related genes, reflecting the damage of MPs are mediated by mitochondrial functions. MPs indeed causes oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis. Taurine is capable for stabilizing cellular antioxidant level. We surprisingly find that Taurine suppresses mitochondrial dysfunction, reversing the failure of oocyte maturation and embryo development after MPs exposure. Collectively, we reveal the reproduction toxicity of MPs on bovine oocytes, and demonstrates the restorative effect of Taurine against MPs.
Project description:Microplastics (MPs) as widespread contamination pose high risk for aquatic organisms. However, current understanding of MP toxicities are based on cell population-averaged measurements. Here we used single-cell RNA sequencing to provide the transcriptome heterogeneity of 12000 intestinal cells obtained from zebrafishes exposed to 100nm, 5μm and 200μm polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) for 21 days. Eight intestinal cell populations were identified. We found that all the three sizes of PS-MPs induced dysfunction of intestinal immune cells (including phagosome and regulation of immune system process).
Project description:Aims: Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) are emerging environmental pollutants, but their impact on lung cancer treatment remains unclear. This study investigates how PS-MPs affect radiotherapy efficacy in lung cancer, focusing on their role in ferroptosis regulation and NF-κB pathway activation. Results: PS-MPs were rapidly internalized by lung cancer cells and remained detectable across multiple passages. Exposure to PS-MPs promoted lung cancer cell proliferation, increased mitochondrial length, and elevated Ki67 and c-Myc expression. Following ionizing radiation, PS-MPs significantly attenuated radiation-induced ferroptosis, as evidenced by reduced mitochondrial damage, lipid peroxidation, and GSH depletion. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PS-MPs activated the NF-κB pathway, leading to increased phosphorylation of IKKβ, IκBα degradation, and enhanced nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In vivo, PS-MPs accumulated in lung tumor-bearing mice, reducing radiotherapy efficacy by increasing tumor volume and weight while decreasing survival rates. Knockdown of NF-κB restored ferroptosis sensitivity and mitigated PS-MPs-induced radioresistance, confirming the NF-κB-dependent inhibition of ferroptosis. Innovation and Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that PS-MPs impair radiotherapy efficacy in lung cancer by suppressing ferroptosis via NF-κB activation. Unlike previous research focusing on microplastic toxicity in normal tissues, our findings highlight their oncological impact and potential role as an environmental factor influencing cancer therapy resistance. These results emphasize the need for further investigation into microplastics as emerging disruptors of redox homeostasis in oncology and their broader implications for environmental and cancer research.
Project description:Ingested microplastics (MPs) can accumulate throughout whole body, which may induce the dysfunction of immune system. However, it remains unclear how MP exposure affects innate immune responses at the cellular level. We found that mouse neutrophils strongly bind and then engulf polystyrene MPs. This interaction leads to proinflammatory state of neutrophils and eventually results in apoptotic cell death through toll-like receptor signaling pathway in a bacteria-recognition mimetic manner. Moreover, our data verified that orally administered polystyrene MPs reach various organs in mice, where they are interacted with and endocytosed by neutrophils. We confirmed that human neutrophils also strongly bind and internalize polystyrene MPs. Additionally, RNA sequencing analysis of polystyrene MPs-exposed human neutrophils showed the upregulation of cell death-related function. Therefore, the accumulated MPs may exacerbate inflammatory immune response by disrupting neutrophil function. These results provide novel insight into the adverse responses of neutrophils induced by MP exposure.
Project description:Microplastics (MPs) are considered as one of the main reasons for male and female infertility. However, the reproductive toxicity and its related mechanisms are understood by animal models with acute exposure to MPs at present. In the study, we show the low-dose polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) exposure results in severely abnormal reproduction in female, but not male in mouse model, exhibiting failed oocyte meiotic maturation. Mechanistically, the PSMPs exposure induces the over-activation of cell metabolism pathways, insufficient HDACs and H4K16 hyperacetylation in oocytes in vivo and in vitro. By addition of HDAC3 inhibitor, the failed oocyte maturation, over-activation of cell metabolism pathways and H4K16 hyperacetylation are recapitulated, and the overexpression of HDAC3 can rescue the defects of meiotic maturation induced by PSMPs. Our observations suggest a direct link of the maturation defects induced by PSMPs to HDAC3 insufficiency. Thus, we propose the potential treatments for therapy of the failed meiotic maturation of oocyte from women highly exposed to MPs by activating or supplying HDAC3.
Project description:Microplastics are defined as plastics ranging in size from 0.1μm to 5mm. Currently, research is being conducted across various fields to examine the effects of microplastics. Some studies demonstrated negative impacts on cells and mice. However, there is a lack of research on the effects by long-term exposure to microplastics. Most of the papers evaluated cytotoxicity with period of less than 2 months. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the potential issues that may arise from prolonged exposure through food mixed with Polypropylene black microplastic (PB-MP) for over a year. We divided our study into short, mid, and long-term periods to assess cytotoxicity through Glucose tolerance test, Insulin tolerance test, analysis of insulin and c-peptide levels, hanging, grip, treadmill, Y-maze and open field tests, Respiratory Exchange Ratio, Energy Expenditure, Activity, and body composition. Through this, we comprehensively examined potential issues related to mouse behavior, muscle, metabolism and other factors. After dissection, RNA sequencing was carried out to investigate the effects on genes. For further verification, RT-qPCR was conducted. To summarize, our study provides evidence suggesting that treatment of microplastics for a short term has adverse effects, but with prolonged exposure, their effects tend to diminish.