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Ototoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in mice, HEI-OC1 cells and zebrafish
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics can enter auditory organs and cause hearing-related damage in mice, cell cultures, and zebrafish. The nanoplastics triggered cell death and oxidative stress in hair cells responsible for detecting sound, leading to measurable hearing impairment. The study identifies the auditory system as a previously unrecognized target of nanoplastic toxicity, suggesting that exposure to these particles may pose risks to hearing health.
Polystyrene nanoplastics are a novel class of pollutants. They are easily absorbed by living organisms, and their potential toxicity has raised concerns. However, the impact of polystyrene nanoplastics on auditory organs remains unknown. Here, our results showed that polystyrene nanoplastics entered the cochlea of mice, HEI-OC1 cells, and lateral line hair cells of zebrafish, causing cellular injury and increasing apoptosis. Additionally, we found that exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics resulted in a significant elevation in the auditory brainstem response thresholds, a loss of auditory sensory hair cells, stereocilia degeneration and a decrease in expression of Claudin-5 and Occludin proteins at the blood-lymphatic barrier in mice. We also observed a significant decrease in the acoustic alarm response of zebrafish after exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics. Mechanistic analysis revealed that polystyrene nanoplastics induced up-regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, increased levels of malondialdehyde, and decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase levels in cochlea and HEI-OC1 cells. Furthermore, we observed that the expression of ferroptosis-related indicators GPX4 and SLC7A11 decreased as well as increased expression of ACLS4 in cochlea and HEI-OC1 cells. This study also revealed that polystyrene nanoplastics exposure led to increased expression of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and COX2 in cochlea and HEI-OC1 cells. Further research found that the cell apoptosis, ferroptosis and inflammatory reactions induced by polystyrene nanoplastics in HEI-OC1 cells was reversed through the pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, a reactive oxygen species inhibitor. Overall, our study first discovered and systematically revealed the ototoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and its underlying mechanism.
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Polystyrene microplastics induce auditory neurotoxicity in mammals: Integrated multi-omics profiling reveals oxidative damage and synaptic molecular dysregulation
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In rats, tiny plastic particles called microplastics were found to travel to the brain's hearing centers and disrupt how neurons communicate, causing damage that showed up in brain processing before it affected the ears themselves. The plastics triggered harmful oxidative stress and interfered with a key cell signaling pathway, but researchers found that boosting this pathway could help protect brain cells from the damage. While this study was done in rats, not humans, it raises important questions about whether the microplastics we're constantly exposed to in food, water, and air could affect our hearing and brain health.
Single‐Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Hair Cell‐Specific Molecular Responses to Polystyrene Nanoplastics in a Zebrafish Embryo Model
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Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and used single-cell RNA sequencing to identify hair cell-specific transcriptional changes in the inner ear, finding molecular-level effects without overt developmental phenotypes.
Polystyrene Nanoplastics Disrupt Lateral Line Neuromasts and Impair Flow-Guided Behaviors in Zebrafish
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Researchers exposed zebrafish, at both adult and larval stages, to tiny polystyrene nanoplastic particles in the lab. The fish showed damage to sensory cells that detect water flow, along with changes in swimming behavior and cellular stress signals linked to energy use, inflammation and cell damage.
In vivo and In vitro assessment of the retinal toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics
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Researchers found that orally ingested polystyrene nanoplastics can reach the mouse retina within just two hours and, after prolonged exposure, damage the blood-retina barrier, cause oxidative stress, and trigger cell death in retinal tissue. Tests on human retinal cells confirmed similar toxic effects, suggesting that nanoplastic exposure through food and water could pose previously unrecognized risks to eye health.
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This study found that polystyrene micro and nanoparticles damaged retinal cells in both lab dishes and live mice, causing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the eye. Nanoparticles were able to penetrate into cells and trigger more severe damage than microparticles. With growing use of contact lenses and eye treatments that may introduce plastic particles, these findings raise concerns about microplastic effects on eye health.
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