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Impact of polystyrene microplastic exposure at low doses on male fertility: an experimental study in rats
Summary
Researchers exposed adult male rats to varying doses of polystyrene microplastics and found dose-dependent declines in semen quality along with disrupted reproductive hormone levels. Higher doses caused increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and inflammatory responses in testicular tissue. The study suggests that even relatively low doses of microplastic exposure may have adverse effects on male reproductive health in animal models.
Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs), widely used in commercial and pharmaceutical products, are emerging endocrine-disrupting pollutants with potential reproductive toxicity. This study evaluated the dose-dependent effects of PS-MPs on adult male rats by assessing semen quality, reproductive hormones, oxidative stress, mitochondrial and inflammatory markers, and testicular histology. Rats were assigned to six groups: a control group and five groups receiving PS-MPs orally (0.1, 1, 10, 20, or 40 µg/kg BW) for 45 days. PS-MP exposure reduced sperm count and motility, increased abnormal sperm, decreased testosterone, and elevated FSH and LH. Mitochondrial biogenesis/function markers (PGC-1α, UCP1, TFAM) were downregulated, while NF-κB, caspase-3, and TBARS were increased, accompanied by significant depletion of antioxidant defenses (GSH, GR, GPx, SOD, GST, CAT, TAC) and pronounced testicular histopathology. These effects were dose-dependent, and PS-MPs were detected in testicular tissue by pyrolysis-GC/MS at the doses of 10 µg/kg and higher. Collectively, the data identify mitochondrial dysfunction-driven oxidative stress and associated inflammation as a key mechanism by which PS-MPs induce spermatogenic failure, hormonal disruption, and testicular damage, highlighting their potential as potent male reproductive toxicants.