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Polylactic acid microplastic exposure induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels by accelerating Leydig cell senescence
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Researchers found that polylactic acid microplastics, often marketed as biodegradable and eco-friendly, caused reproductive harm in male mice by accelerating the aging of testosterone-producing cells. Even at relatively low doses, the microplastics reduced testosterone levels and disrupted the cellular pathways responsible for hormone production. The study suggests that so-called biodegradable plastics may not be as safe as commonly assumed and warrant further investigation for reproductive health effects.
Polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs), despite being marketed as biodegradable and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, have raised growing concerns regarding their potential adverse effects on human health. The reproductive toxicity of PLA-MPs exposure in male mammals has been confirmed in previous studies, but its specific effects on testosterone biosynthesis remain unclear. Male mice were treated with PLA-MPs at doses of low, medium, and high (0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/d, respectively) for a duration of 28 days in this study. Our results demonstrated that PLA-MPs were enriched in mouse testes and led to a dose-dependent decrease in the serum testosterone concentration. We also observed the accumulation of senescent Leydig cells in the testis, along with inhibited autophagy and mitophagy. Moreover, we identified the critical involvement of autophagy and mitophagy in PLA-MPs-induced Leydig cell senescence. Re-establishment of autophagy and mitophagy effectively reserved the senescence of Leydig cell. Overall, our study revealed that PLA-MPs inhibit autophagy and mitophagy, thereby promoting Leydig cell senescence and subsequently reducing testosterone synthesis and secretion. These results advance our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying PLA-MPs-induced reproductive toxicity in male mammals.
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Polylactic Acid Micro/Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Male Reproductive Toxicity by Disrupting Spermatogenesis and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Mice
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Even so-called "eco-friendly" biodegradable plastic (polylactic acid, or PLA) was found to cause reproductive harm in male mice. After breaking down in the digestive system, tiny PLA nanoparticles crossed into the testes and damaged sperm quality, mitochondria (the energy producers in cells), and hormone levels. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are safe and highlights potential risks to male fertility.
Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity and decreased testosterone levels via the LH-mediated LHR/cAMP/PKA/StAR pathway
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Mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics in their drinking water for 180 days showed significant reproductive damage, including reduced testosterone, lower sperm quality, and changes in testicular structure. The researchers identified a specific hormonal pathway through which microplastics suppress testosterone production in the cells that make it. This long-term, low-dose study is particularly relevant because the exposure levels are closer to what humans might experience in everyday life.
Reproductive Toxicity of Chronic Exposure To Polystyrene Microplastics And The Molecular Mechanism of Decrease In Testosterone Levels In Male Mice
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Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics lowered testosterone levels in male mice and disrupted reproductive organ function. The study identified molecular pathways through which microplastics interfere with male hormone production, with implications for reproductive health in humans exposed through diet.
Polylactic acid nanoplastics induced pyroptosis in mice testes by activating TRPM2 through mitochondrial damage
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Mice given polylactic acid (biodegradable plastic) nanoparticles daily for four weeks showed testes damage, reduced sperm production and lower hormone levels. The nanoparticles triggered oxidative stress, damaged cell structures called mitochondria, disrupted calcium levels, and caused a form of inflammatory cell death in testicular cells, contributing to reproductive harm in the mice.
Comment on “Polylactic Acid Micro/Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Male Reproductive Toxicity by Disrupting Spermatogenesis and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Mice”
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A recent mouse study found that tiny plastic particles from polylactic acid (PLA), a "biodegradable" plastic used in things like food packaging and medical devices, can travel through the digestive system, enter the reproductive organs, and damage sperm production by harming the energy-producing parts of cells (mitochondria). This commentary points out an important wrinkle: PLA doesn't just sit in the body as plastic, it can break down into lactic acid, a substance the body already uses for energy, so some of the observed effects might be tied to how the body processes these breakdown products rather than the plastic particles alone. The takeaway for
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