We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Gestational exposure to micro and nanoplastics differentially impacts cardiac development and function in male and female rats throughout the lifespan
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to airborne micro- and nanoplastics and tracked heart development and function in their offspring from before birth through three months of age. They found that the exposure caused sex-specific cardiac changes, including altered heart wall thickness and chamber dimensions that persisted into adulthood. The study suggests that prenatal microplastic exposure may program lasting cardiovascular differences, with male and female offspring affected in distinct ways.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are a ubiquitous contaminant. Identification of MNPs in the human placenta suggests this toxicant poses a danger to developing offspring. Previously, we demonstrated that maternal pulmonary MNP exposure restricts fetal growth and disrupts fetoplacental cardiovascular function in rats. Herein, we investigated how repeated maternal inhalation of polyamide-12 MNP from gestational day 4-19 during pregnancy (10 mg/m, geometric mean 175.8 ± 1.9 nm, mode particle size 19 nm, size range 6 nm-8 μm) in Sprague Dawley rats influences cardiovascular development and function in male and female offspring at gestational day 20, 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months of age. Exposed neonates demonstrated decreased relative left ventricle wall thickness while dilation of the left ventricle was identified in MNP-exposed adolescents and adults. Analyses of offspring myocardial mRNA suggest that maternal MNP exposure disrupted mitochondrial function, calcium handling, and defense against oxidative species. MNP exposure increased blood flow velocity within the left ventricle, decreased fractional shortening, and increased relative cardiac output at the fetal, adolescent and adult stages, respectively. Although variable, select experimental outcomes were changed in a sexually dimorphic manner after gestational MNP.
More Papers Like This
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific cardiotoxicity in offspring mice
AI summary Read the abstract
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 differences in cardiac fibrosis induced by gestational exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics in mice offspring
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics and examined the hearts of their adult offspring, finding dose-dependent cardiac fibrosis and cell death that differed between males and females. Male offspring showed greater changes in estrogen receptor gene expression compared to females, which may explain the observed sex differences in heart damage. The study suggests that prenatal nanoplastic exposure could have lasting effects on heart health, with males potentially more vulnerable.
Maternal Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Impairs Cardiac Development in Mouse Offspring and Identifies Lactation as a Sensitive Window in Males
AI summary Read the abstract
When pregnant mice were exposed to nanoplastics (tiny plastic particles), their babies developed weaker, damaged hearts — and surprisingly, exposure through breast milk caused even more harm than exposure in the womb. Male offspring also showed disrupted gut bacteria alongside the heart changes, suggesting the two problems may be linked. While this is animal research, it raises real concerns about how microplastic exposure during pregnancy and breastfeeding could affect infant heart development in humans.
Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces sex-specific kidney injury in offspring
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that when pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (nano-sized plastic particles), their male offspring suffered more severe kidney damage than females — including reduced kidney cell numbers, increased scarring, and altered immune responses. The sex-specific nature of these effects suggests that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may carry different long-term health risks depending on the sex of the child.
Microplastic exposure elicits sex-specific atherosclerosis development in lean low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.