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Co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics and iron aggravates cognitive decline in aging mice via ferroptosis induction
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Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastic and iron exposure on cognitive function in aging mice. They found that polystyrene microplastics accumulated in the brain's cortex and hippocampus, and when combined with iron, significantly worsened cognitive decline through a cell death process called ferroptosis. The study suggests that co-exposure to microplastics and metals may pose heightened risks to brain health in aging populations.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of co-exposure of iron and microplastics (MPs) on the cognitive function of aged humans and animals. It was already known that individual iron or MPs exposure can initiate potential neurotoxicity. However, the combined effect of MPs and iron remained to be elucidated. In this study, the toxicity of iron, MPs, co-treatment of MPs & iron, and the underlying mechanisms were evaluated in vivo. Our findings suggest that 5 µm MPs could enter the aging mice brain and accumulate in cortex and hippocampus. In addition, MPs and iron have a good binding ability, therefore, co-exposure of MPs & iron cause significant iron overload and cognitive deficits as compared to control and individual treatments of iron and MPs. Moreover, the lipid peroxidation and inflammation, which are involved in ferroptosis, get significantly elevated by co-exposure of iron and MPs. Taken together, our results provide compelling evidence that co-exposure of iron and MPs could aggravate the cognitive impairment via disturbing brain iron homeostasis and inducing ferroptosis in cognitive-related brain areas, what's more, the results warn that MPs may act as vectors of pollutants (mostly heavy metals) increasing the health burden on body.
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Implication of ferroptosis in hepatic toxicity upon single or combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium
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This study found that polystyrene microplastics combined with cadmium caused more severe liver damage in mice than either pollutant alone. The microplastics absorbed cadmium on their surface, increasing the amount of the toxic metal delivered to liver cells, and triggered a type of cell death called ferroptosis. This is concerning because microplastics in the environment commonly carry heavy metals, meaning the combined exposure people face may be more harmful than we thought.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induce hippocampal damage and cognitive deficits through oxidative stress-triggered microglial extracellular traps and neuronal ferroptosis
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Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics impair spatial memory in mice by triggering a cascade in which hippocampal oxidative stress activates microglia to release extracellular traps, sustaining neuroinflammation that drives neuronal ferroptosis — a form of iron-dependent cell death — and that the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine blocks this entire pathway and preserves cognitive function.
Understanding the mechanistic roles of microplastics combined with heavy metals in regulating ferroptosis: Adding new paradigms regarding the links with diseases
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This review explores the emerging connection between microplastics combined with heavy metals and a type of cell death called ferroptosis, which involves iron-dependent damage to cell membranes. Researchers found that both microplastics and heavy metals can independently trigger ferroptosis, and their combined presence may amplify this effect in organs like the liver, kidneys, and brain. The study suggests that understanding this cell death pathway could provide new insights into how environmental pollutant mixtures contribute to disease.
Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics Promotes the Progression of Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease: Association with Induction of Microglial Pyroptosis
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In a mouse study, polystyrene microplastics worsened cognitive decline in an Alzheimer's disease model by triggering a type of inflammatory cell death called pyroptosis in brain immune cells. The microplastics caused brain inflammation that accelerated memory loss and cognitive impairment beyond what Alzheimer's alone caused. This is one of the first studies suggesting that microplastic exposure could make neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's progress faster.
The iron matters: Aged microplastics disrupted the iron homeostasis in the liver organoids
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Researchers compared the effects of fresh versus aged polystyrene microplastics on lab-grown human liver tissue and found that aged particles caused significantly more damage. The aged microplastics disrupted iron balance in liver cells, leading to a form of cell death called ferroptosis, and triggered inflammatory responses. The study suggests that weathered microplastics encountered in everyday life may pose greater risks to liver health than the pristine particles typically used in laboratory studies.
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