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Photoaged Polystyrene Nanoplastics Result in Transgenerational Reproductive Toxicity Associated with the Methylation of Histone H3K4 and H3K9 in Caenorhabditis elegans
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When roundworms were exposed to sun-aged polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant levels, the reproductive damage passed down to unexposed future generations through changes in gene-regulating chemical marks called histone methylation. Sun-aged nanoplastics caused more severe fertility problems than fresh ones, and these effects persisted for two generations after exposure stopped. This study is alarming because it shows nanoplastic exposure could cause hereditary reproductive harm without changing DNA itself.
Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) are emerging environmental contaminants that are ubiquitously detected in various environments and have toxic effects on various organisms. Nevertheless, the transgenerational reproductive toxicity and underlying mechanisms of PS-NPs remain largely unknown, especially for photoaged PS-NPs under ultraviolet irradiation. In this study, only the parental generation (P0) was exposed to virgin and aged PS-NPs at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1-100 μg/L), and subsequent generations (F1-F4) were cultured under normal conditions. Ultraviolet irradiation induced the generation of environmentally persistent free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which altered the physical and chemical characteristics of PS-NPs. The results of toxicity testing suggested that exposure to aged PS-NPs caused a more severe decrease in brood size, egg ejection rate, number of fertilized eggs, and hatchability than did the virgin PS-NPs in the P0, F1, and F2 generations. Additionally, a single maternal exposure to aged PS-NPs resulted in transgenerational effects on fertility in the F1 and F2 generations. Increased levels of H3K4 and H3K9 methylation were observed in the F1 and F2 generations, which were concomitant with the transgenerational downregulation of the expression of associated genes, such as spr-5, set-17, and met-2. On the basis of correlation analyses, the levels of histone methylation and the expression of these genes were significantly correlated to transgenerational reproductive effects. Further research showed that transgenerational effects on fertility were not observed in spr-5(by134), met-2(n4256), and set-17(n5017) mutants. Overall, maternal exposure to aged PS-NPs induced transgenerational reproductive effects via H3K4 and H3K9 methylation, and the spr-5, met-2, and set-17 genes were involved in the regulation of transgenerational toxicity. This study provides new insights into the potential risks of photoaging PS-NPs in the environment.
More Papers Like This
Transgenerational reproductive toxicity induced by carboxyl and amino charged microplastics at environmental concentrations in Caenorhabditis elegans: Involvement of histone methylation
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This study exposed tiny roundworms to polystyrene microplastics with different surface charges at environmental concentrations and found reproductive damage that persisted across multiple generations. The charged microplastics altered gene activity related to epigenetic markers called histone methylation, suggesting the damage was passed down through chemical changes to DNA packaging rather than direct genetic mutations. This raises concerns that microplastic exposure could cause lasting reproductive harm that continues even after the exposure stops.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induced transgenerational reproductive toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans through enhanced DNA damage accompanied by DNA repair inhibition
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Researchers exposed roundworms (C. elegans) to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found that reproductive harm persisted across multiple generations, even after exposure stopped. The nanoplastics caused DNA damage while simultaneously suppressing the organisms' DNA repair mechanisms, creating a compounding effect. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences that are passed down through generations, amplifying harm beyond the originally exposed organisms.
Transgenerational Response of Germline Nuclear Hormone Receptor Genes to Nanoplastics at Predicted Environmental Doses in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Exposure to very low doses of polystyrene nanoplastics in roundworms caused reproductive and developmental problems that persisted across multiple generations through changes in nuclear hormone receptor genes. These receptors control important signaling pathways, and their disruption altered the expression of insulin and other growth signals in offspring that were never directly exposed to nanoplastics. This demonstrates that nanoplastic effects can be inherited through epigenetic mechanisms even at doses found in the environment.
Photoaged Nanopolystyrene Affects Neurotransmission to Induce Transgenerational Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans
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When tiny roundworms were exposed to sunlight-aged nanoplastics, their offspring showed movement problems and damaged nerve cells for up to two generations, even without further exposure. The aged nanoplastics were more harmful than fresh ones and worked by disrupting key brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, suggesting that weathered plastic particles in the environment may pose greater risks to nervous system health across generations.
Long-term nanoplastics exposure results in multi and trans-generational reproduction decline associated with germline toxicity and epigenetic regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans
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Researchers discovered that a single exposure to nanoplastics in mother roundworms caused reproductive decline that persisted across four subsequent unexposed generations. The study found that nanoplastics triggered DNA damage and cell death in reproductive cells, with these effects passed down through epigenetic changes rather than direct nanoplastic transfer to offspring. This finding suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences for fertility that extend well beyond the initially exposed generation.
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