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Polystyrene nanoplastics induced transgenerational reproductive toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans through enhanced DNA damage accompanied by DNA repair inhibition
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Researchers exposed roundworms (C. elegans) to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found that reproductive harm persisted across multiple generations, even after exposure stopped. The nanoplastics caused DNA damage while simultaneously suppressing the organisms' DNA repair mechanisms, creating a compounding effect. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences that are passed down through generations, amplifying harm beyond the originally exposed organisms.
Microplastics (MPs) are omnipresent environmental pollutants posing potential impacts on organisms. To explore the transgenerational effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) and the molecular mechanisms at environmental relevant concentrations, Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) was applied as an in vivo model. Worms were incubated with PS-NPs at environmental concentrations from L1 larvae stage, while subsequent generations (F1 -F3) were maintained under non-exposure condition. Reproductive potential was estimated based on brood size, fertilized eggs, oocytes, and germline apoptosis. Results indicated that PS-NPs induced transgenerational toxicity in inhibiting reproductive ability, impairing gonad development, and promoting germline apoptosis. And these adverse effects were associated with dysregulated expression of apoptosis-related genes. Furthermore, DNA damage was participated in enhancing germline apoptosis through activating DNA damage checkpoint kinase ATL-1 and p53 ortholog CEP-1. Additionally, PS-NPs reduced the expression of DNA recombination repair protein RAD-51 across generations. This study demonstrates that reproductive toxicity evoked by PS-NPs can be transmitted to offspring by inducing DNA damage through activating ATL-1 and CEP-1, while simultaneously inhibiting DNA repair.
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Long-term nanoplastics exposure results in multi and trans-generational reproduction decline associated with germline toxicity and epigenetic regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers discovered that a single exposure to nanoplastics in mother roundworms caused reproductive decline that persisted across four subsequent unexposed generations. The study found that nanoplastics triggered DNA damage and cell death in reproductive cells, with these effects passed down through epigenetic changes rather than direct nanoplastic transfer to offspring. This finding suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences for fertility that extend well beyond the initially exposed generation.
Activation of FGF signal in germline mediates transgenerational toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles at predicted environmental concentrations in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Using the roundworm C. elegans as a model, researchers investigated how nanoplastic exposure causes toxic effects that persist across generations. They found that polystyrene nanoparticles activate a specific growth factor signaling pathway in reproductive cells, which then transmits harmful effects to offspring. The study provides molecular evidence for how even low, environmentally relevant concentrations of nanoplastics can cause damage that carries over to future generations.
Transgenerational neurotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics induced by oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers exposed the roundworm C. elegans to polystyrene microplastics and tracked the effects across five generations. They found that microplastic exposure caused nerve damage and oxidative stress that persisted in offspring even when those generations were not directly exposed, suggesting microplastics can have lasting effects passed down through generations.
Sulfonate-Modified Polystyrene Nanoparticle at Precited Environmental Concentrations Induces Transgenerational Toxicity Associated with Increase in Germline Notch Signal of Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers exposed tiny roundworms to sulfonate-modified nanoplastics at low, environmentally realistic concentrations and observed harmful effects that persisted across multiple generations. The nanoplastics activated the Notch signaling pathway in reproductive cells, leading to reduced movement and shortened lifespan in unexposed offspring. This suggests nanoplastic exposure could cause lasting biological changes passed down through generations.
Photoaged Polystyrene Nanoplastics Result in Transgenerational Reproductive Toxicity Associated with the Methylation of Histone H3K4 and H3K9 in Caenorhabditis elegans
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When roundworms were exposed to sun-aged polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant levels, the reproductive damage passed down to unexposed future generations through changes in gene-regulating chemical marks called histone methylation. Sun-aged nanoplastics caused more severe fertility problems than fresh ones, and these effects persisted for two generations after exposure stopped. This study is alarming because it shows nanoplastic exposure could cause hereditary reproductive harm without changing DNA itself.
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