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Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific kidney injury in offspring
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Researchers found that when pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (nano-sized plastic particles), their male offspring suffered more severe kidney damage than females — including reduced kidney cell numbers, increased scarring, and altered immune responses. The sex-specific nature of these effects suggests that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may carry different long-term health risks depending on the sex of the child.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) during pregnancy and lactation has been linked to adverse effects on offspring kidney development, with sex-specific outcomes. This study investigated the impact of maternal PS-NPs exposure on kidney weight, histology, transcriptomics, and functional pathways in offspring mice. Offspring exposed to PS-NPs exhibited significantly lower body weight (P < 0.05) and an increased kidney-to-body weight ratio (P < 0.05), particularly in males. Histological analysis revealed a reduction in glomerular number in PS-NP-treated groups. Transcriptome profiling identified 758 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in male and 101 DEGs in female offspring, with males showing a more pronounced alteration in gene expression. KEGG pathway enrichment highlighted disruptions in immune response, cell cycle regulation, and metabolism, with males exhibiting more extensive pathway changes than females. Additionally, PS-NPs exposure increased renal fibrosis (P < 0.05), with molecular analyses confirming sex-specific gene expression patterns linked to fibrosis and apoptosis. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed enhanced macrophage infiltration and cleaved caspase-3 expression, indicating heightened immune and apoptotic responses in males. Further investigation identified small molecules BI-D1870 and Resatorvid as potential therapeutic agents, reducing fibrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis in male and female offspring, respectively. These findings demonstrate that maternal PS-NPs exposure induces sex-specific kidney injury in offspring, disrupting key biological processes and pathways. The study underscores the need for targeted therapeutic interventions to mitigate these effects and highlights potential compounds for future treatment.
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Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific cardiotoxicity in offspring mice
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When pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics, their offspring developed heart damage that differed between males and females. Female offspring lost more body and heart weight, while males showed signs of atherosclerosis and females showed viral heart inflammation markers. This study suggests that prenatal nanoplastic exposure could program sex-specific cardiovascular problems in children, raising concerns about plastic exposure during pregnancy.
Gender-specific effects of prenatal polystyrene nanoparticle exposure on offspring lung development
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Researchers found that prenatal exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles impairs lung development in mouse offspring in sex-specific ways — females showed inflammation and disrupted surfactant proteins while males had impaired blood vessel growth — both increasing the risk of a serious lung condition called bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt mouse placenta development in a sex-dependent manner.
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Scientists fed pregnant mice tiny plastic particles (similar to what humans are exposed to daily) and found they damaged the structure of the placenta, the organ that nourishes a developing baby, with male fetuses showing more harm than females. While this study was in mice, not humans, it raises real concerns about how the microplastics we're all exposed to through food, water, and air might affect pregnancy and fetal development, and suggests more research is urgently needed.
Effects of polystyrene nanoplastic gestational exposure on mice
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Researchers exposed pregnant mice to airborne polystyrene nanoplastics and studied the effects on both mothers and offspring. High-dose exposure caused fatty liver disease in the mothers and in adult female offspring, but not in male offspring, with each group showing different underlying molecular mechanisms. The study suggests that prenatal exposure to airborne nanoplastics may have sex-specific effects on metabolic health that persist into adulthood.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Disrupt Mouse Placenta Development in a Sex-Dependent Manner
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Scientists fed pregnant mice tiny plastic particles (like those found in everyday plastic waste) at levels similar to what humans might realistically encounter, and found the plastics changed the structure and hormone-related signaling of the placenta—the organ that nourishes a developing baby. Interestingly, male placentas were more affected than female ones, suggesting nanoplastics may act like hormone disruptors during pregnancy. While this study was done in mice, it raises real concerns about whether the microplastics we're constantly exposed to could affect pregnancy health and fetal development in humans too.
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