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Oligomeric lactic acid nanoplastics induce intrauterine growth restriction in mice by disrupting GATA2-mediated placental vascular development
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Gestational exposure to oligomeric lactic acid nanoplastics from biodegradable PLA plastic crossed the placental barrier, disrupted GATA2-mediated vascular development, and caused intrauterine growth restriction in mice. The finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safe, showing that even "eco-friendly" nanoplastics can interfere with fetal development at environmentally relevant doses.
Humans are increasingly exposed to "eco-friendly" biodegradable microplastic pollution, whose usage in packaging and medical applications is growing exponentially. The bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA) has recently been demonstrated to release large quantities of oligomeric lactic acid (OLA) nanoplastics causing adverse health effects. No research has reported on intrauterine biodistribution of OLA, and how gestational exposure may impact on early development of the fetus. Here, we reveal that OLA plastics can readily breach the placental barrier and accumulate in various fetal organs in a mouse model. Gestational exposure to environmentally relevant dose of OLA impairs vasculature development, causing intrauterine growth restriction in the pups. Mechanistically, OLA causes blockage of the vascular endothelial growth factor pathway and abnormal physiological development of placenta, which is mediated by the obstruction of transcription factor GATA2 translocation into the nucleus. This study highlights the potential developmental health effect of oligomer nanoparticles released from biodegradable PLA plastic.
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This review summarizes existing research on tiny plastic particles found in pregnant women's blood and placenta, and how they might disrupt fat processing in the placenta. Studies in animals and lab-grown cells link plastic exposure to changes that could affect fetal growth, but the review states that proof of this happening in humans is still lacking.
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