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Microplastic exposure elicits sex-specific atherosclerosis development in lean low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice
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Researchers found that microplastic exposure significantly increased atherosclerosis in male mice by 63% in key arteries, while female mice were largely unaffected, revealing an unexpected sex-specific cardiovascular response. Single-cell analysis showed that microplastics altered blood vessel cell behavior in ways that promote plaque buildup, with similar pro-inflammatory effects confirmed in human endothelial cells grown in the lab.
Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles emerging as significant environmental pollutants and humans are ubiquitously exposed to MPs. MPs can be detected in human atherosclerotic plaques and are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke in humans. However, the impact of MP exposure on the cardiovascular system remains elusive. In the current study, we investigated the effects of exposure to MPs at an environmentally relevant dose on atherosclerosis development in male and female low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLR) mice. LDLR mice were fed a semisynthetic low-fat (4.3 %), low-cholesterol (0.02 %) diet and exposed to 10 mg/kg body weight MPs via daily oral gavage for 9 weeks. Male and female LDLR mice fed the low-fat diet did not develop obesity phenotype and exposure to MPs did not affect adiposity and circulating lipid profiles in those lean mice. Intriguingly, MP exposure increased atherosclerotic lesion areas in the aortic root by 63 % (p = 0.0185) and brachiocephalic artery by 624 % (p = 0.0541) in male LDLR mice but did not significantly affect atherosclerosis in female mice. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of the whole aorta revealed that exposure to MPs affected the proportions and cellular processes of key atherogenesis-related cell types, especially endothelia cells. Consistently, MP exposure induced pro-atherogenic gene expression in murine primary endothelia cells and human endothelial cells in vitro. Our findings reveal the sex-specific atherogenic effects of MPs in vivo and provide mechanistic insights and new understanding of the impact of MPs on atherosclerosis development and CVD risk in humans.
More Papers Like This
Abstract Or114: Microplastic exposure elicits sex-specific atherosclerosis development in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed male and female low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice to microplastics and assessed atherosclerosis development, finding sex-specific responses. Female mice developed more severe atherosclerotic plaques than males under the same microplastic exposure, suggesting that sex is an important variable in cardiovascular risk from plastic pollutant exposure.
Sex-specific gene expression alterations in response to ingested PVC microplastics in Wistar rats
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Researchers examined sex-specific differences in gene expression changes in mice exposed to PVC microplastics via ingestion, finding that male and female animals responded differently at the molecular level. The sex-specific patterns suggest that biological sex may be an important variable in microplastic health risk assessments.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific cardiotoxicity in offspring mice
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When pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics, their offspring developed heart damage that differed between males and females. Female offspring lost more body and heart weight, while males showed signs of atherosclerosis and females showed viral heart inflammation markers. This study suggests that prenatal nanoplastic exposure could program sex-specific cardiovascular problems in children, raising concerns about plastic exposure during pregnancy.
Sex-specific effects of aged polystyrene microplastics on hepatic AMPK pathway activation and lipid droplet accumulation in MAFLD mice
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Researchers examined how aged polystyrene microplastics affect liver fat metabolism differently in male and female mice with fatty liver disease. They found that while both sexes showed increased inflammation and oxidative stress, only female mice experienced a reduction in liver fat accumulation, potentially linked to estrogen-related metabolic pathways. The study reveals important sex-specific differences in how microplastics interact with metabolic conditions, suggesting that health effects may vary between males and females.
Sex-specific toxicological observations following 28-day oral gavage exposure to spherical and milled polystyrene nano- and microplastic particles in mice
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Mice fed tiny plastic particles (like those found in food and water) for a month showed different health effects depending on their sex: males developed more gallbladder inflammation, while females had changes in their gut lining and mucus production. Overall body weight and blood tests looked normal, but the plastic particles did travel into the liver and intestines in both sexes, suggesting that even short-term microplastic exposure may affect male and female bodies differently, which matters as scientists work out what these ubiquitous plastic particles mean for long-term human health.
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