We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
MicroRNA and Gut Microbiota Alter Intergenerational Effects of Paternal Exposure to Polyethylene Nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
In a mouse study, when fathers were exposed to polyethylene nanoplastics, their male offspring suffered reproductive damage including lower sperm counts and testicular injury — even though the offspring were never directly exposed. The effects were passed down through changes in small RNA molecules and gut bacteria, suggesting that nanoplastic exposure could affect fertility across generations.
Nanoplastics (NPs), as emerging contaminants, have been shown to cause testicular disorders in mammals. However, whether paternal inheritance effects on offspring health are involved in NP-induced reproductive toxicity remains unclear. In this study, we developed a mouse model where male mice were administered 200 nm polyethylene nanoparticles (PE-NPs) at a concentration of 2 mg/L through daily gavage for 35 days to evaluate the intergenerational effects of PE-NPs in an exclusive male-lineage transmission paradigm. We observed that paternal exposure to PE-NPs significantly affected growth phenotypes and sex hormone levels and induced histological damage in the testicular tissue of both F0 and F1 generations. In addition, consistent changes in sperm count, motility, abnormalities, and gene expression related to endoplasmic reticulum stress, sex hormone synthesis, and spermatogenesis were observed across paternal generations. The upregulation of microRNA (miR)-1983 and the downregulation of miR-122-5p, miR-5100, and miR-6240 were observed in both F0 and F1 mice, which may have been influenced by reproductive signaling pathways, as indicated by the RNA sequencing of testis tissues and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction findings. Furthermore, alterations in the gut microbiota and subsequent Spearman correlation analysis revealed that an increased abundance of Desulfovibrio (C21_c20) and Ruminococcus (gnavus) and a decreased abundance of Allobaculum were positively associated with spermatogenic dysfunction. These findings were validated in a fecal microbiota transplantation trial. Our results demonstrate that changes in miRNAs and the gut microbiota caused by paternal exposure to PE-NPs mediated intergenerational effects, providing deeper insights into mechanisms underlying the impact of paternal inheritance.
More Papers Like This
Paternal Microplastic Exposure Alters Sperm Small Noncoding RNAs and Affects Offspring Metabolic Health in Mice
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that paternal microplastic exposure in mice altered sperm small noncoding RNA profiles and had sex-specific effects on offspring metabolic health, including altered body composition and worsened insulin resistance in female offspring fed a high-fat diet. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may cause intergenerational health effects transmitted through epigenetic changes in sperm.
Paternal Inheritance Is an Important, but Overlooked, Factor Affecting the Adverse Effects of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Subsequent Generations
AI summary Read the abstract
This review highlights that paternal exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics can transmit adverse effects to offspring through epigenetic inheritance, a pathway largely overlooked in multigenerational toxicity research. The authors call for greater focus on paternal transmission mechanisms to fully understand intergenerational risks.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics during gestation and lactation induces hepatic and testicular toxicity in male mouse offspring
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics impairs sperm metabolism and pre-implantation embryo development in mice
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that male mice given polystyrene nanoplastics by mouth showed significant harm to sperm function and early embryo development, with changes in gene expression that could affect offspring. The findings raise concerns that nanoplastic exposure could impair male fertility and potentially pass harmful effects to the next generation.
Perinatal exposure to polystyrene microplastics induces multigenerational impairment of male reproduction via disrupted steroidogenesis and proteostasis
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that when pregnant and nursing rats were exposed to tiny plastic particles (microplastics), their male babies and grandbabies had damaged reproductive systems with lower sperm counts and reduced fertility hormones. While the grandbabies showed some ability to recover from this damage, the study suggests that microplastics in our environment could potentially harm male fertility across multiple generations. This research is concerning because humans are increasingly exposed to microplastics through food, water, and air.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.