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Exposure to polystyrene microplastics during lactational period alters immune status in both male mice and their offspring
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This study found that when male mice were exposed to polystyrene microplastics during the nursing period, both the adult mice and their offspring showed changes in immune cell populations in the spleen. The microplastics altered the balance of different types of immune cells, suggesting the immune system was being disrupted. This is especially concerning because it shows that microplastic exposure during early life can affect immune development in the next generation.
The widespread use of microplastics and their harmful effects on the environment have emerged as serious concerns. However, the effect of microplastics on the immune system of mammals, particularly their offspring, has received little attention. In this study, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) were orally administered to male mice during lactation. Flow cytometry was used to assess the immune cells in the spleens of both adult male mice and their offspring. The results showed that mice exposed to PS-MPs exhibited an increase in spleen weight and an elevated number of B and regulatory T cells (Tregs), irrespective of dosage. Furthermore, the F male offspring of the PS-MPs-exposed group had enlarged spleens; an increased number of B cells, T helper cells (Th cells), and Tregs; and an elevated ratio of T helper cells 17 (Th17 cells) to Tregs and T helper cells 1 (Th1 cells) to T helper cells 2 (Th2 cells). These results suggested a pro-inflammatory state in the spleen. In contrast, in the F female offspring exposed to PS-MPs, the changes in splenic immune cells were less pronounced. In the F generation of mice with exposed to PS-MPs, minimal alterations were observed in spleen immune cells and morphology. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that exposure to real human doses of PS-MPs during lactation in male mice altered the immune status, which can be passed on to F offspring but is not inherited across generations.
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Polystyrene Microplastics Disrupt Vertical Transmission of the Breast Milk Microbiome, Impairing Early‐Life Gut Colonization and Immune Development in Offspring
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Researchers exposed pregnant and lactating mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that maternal exposure disrupted the breast milk microbiome, reducing beneficial bacteria like Ligilactobacillus while increasing potentially harmful ones. Offspring from exposed mothers showed altered gut colonization, excessive weight gain, reduced immune markers, and compromised intestinal barrier integrity, suggesting microplastics may affect infant development through changes in breast milk composition.
Maternal Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure during Gestation and Lactation Altered Metabolic Homeostasis in the Dams and Their F1 and F2 Offspring
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Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics during pregnancy and nursing and found significant metabolic disruptions in both the mothers and their offspring across two generations. The microplastics altered lipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition, and key metabolic signaling pathways. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during critical developmental windows may have lasting health consequences that pass to future generations.
Polystyrene microplastics disturb maternal-fetal immune balance and cause reproductive toxicity in pregnant mice
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Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles disrupted the delicate immune balance between mother and fetus. Exposure led to increased embryo loss and altered immune cell populations at the maternal-fetal interface. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during early pregnancy may pose reproductive risks by interfering with the immune tolerance mechanisms needed for successful pregnancy.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics during gestation and lactation induces hepatic and testicular toxicity in male mouse offspring
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Researchers exposed pregnant and nursing mice to polystyrene nanoplastics and studied the effects on their male offspring. The offspring showed reduced body weight, liver damage with inflammation and disrupted sugar metabolism, and testicular harm including decreased sperm counts. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause significant organ damage in the next generation.
Differential parental exposure to polystyrene microplastics from weaning period to maturity: Immune homeostasis dysregulation in F1 offspring
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When rat parents drank water containing microplastics for three months, their babies were born with disrupted gut bacteria and weaker immune systems, even though the babies themselves were never directly exposed. Interestingly, the effects differed depending on whether the mother, father, or both parents were exposed, with mother's exposure causing the most damage to offspring's immune organs and gut health. While this is animal research, it raises concerns that microplastic exposure before pregnancy could affect children's immune development in ways that might not show up until later.
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