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Polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics-induced neurotoxicity in adult male Swiss albino mice with amelioration of betaine: a histopathological, neurochemical, and molecular investigation
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Mice exposed to PET nanoplastics (the type found in food packaging and cosmetics) showed signs of brain damage including increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and reduced levels of a key brain enzyme. The study also found that the supplement betaine significantly protected against this brain damage, suggesting a potential way to counteract nanoplastic-related neurotoxicity.
Medicines, food packaging, personal care products, and cosmetics extensively use polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics (PET-NaPs). However, they also have harmful impacts on several organs. Betaine demonstrates potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Our goal was to investigate the detrimental impact of PET-NaPs on the mouse brain and evaluate the neuroprotective properties of betaine. We allocated 40 completely mature male Swiss albino mice into four distinct groups: control group, betaine group, PET-NaPs group, and betaine-co-treated group. Following a 30-day duration, euthanasia was performed on the mice, and analyzed tissue samples were obtained from the cerebrum, cerebellum, and hippocampus. PET-NaPs resulted in an elevated level of malondialdehyde and upregulated cyclooxygenase-2 and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) expression while significantly reducing the levels of glutathione and downregulating acetylcholinesterase. The PET-NPs also caused significant changes in the histopathology of the brain tissue, and there was a demonstrable rise in the immunostaining of IL-1β and glial fibrillary acidic proteins. Consequently, betaine effectively alleviated the negative consequences of PET-NaPs. Therefore, betaine possesses the capacity to mitigate the neurotoxic consequences induced by PET-NaPs.
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Scientists fed mice tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) and found they worsened depression-like behavior and memory problems, especially in mice already under chronic stress—mimicking the toll of everyday stress in humans. The nanoplastics appeared to damage brain cells in the hippocampus (the brain's memory center) by disrupting a key protein that helps neurons grow and communicate. While this study was in mice, it raises concerns about how the growing amount of plastic particles in our food, water, and air might affect mental health and brain function in people, particularly those already dealing with chronic stress.
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