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Article Tier 2 Nanoplastics Policy & Risk Reproductive & Development Sign in to save

Internalized polystyrene nanoplastics trigger testicular damage and promote ferroptosis via CISD1 downregulation in mouse spermatocyte

Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2025 8 citations

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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics cause testicular damage in mice through a cell death process called ferroptosis. The nanoplastics triggered the breakdown of iron-storage proteins and reduced levels of a protective mitochondrial protein called CISD1 in sperm cells. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may contribute to male reproductive harm by driving excess iron into mitochondria.

Polymers
Body Systems
Models

Our results indicate that PS-NPs cause mouse testicular damage through ferroptosis. Mechanistically, we confirmed that PS-NPs trigger NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy and CISD1 downregulation in spermatocyte, which aggravates the flow of ferrous iron from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria.

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