Papers

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Article Tier 2

Exposure to high dose of polystyrene nanoplastics causes trophoblast cell apoptosis and induces miscarriage

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics triggered a cell death pathway in the placental cells (trophoblasts) that are essential for maintaining pregnancy, leading to miscarriage in mice. This finding raises concerns that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could harm fetal development by damaging the critical cells that connect mother and baby.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal Exposure to Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics Causes Fetal Growth Restriction in Mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene micro and nanoplastics and found that exposure caused fetal growth restriction and placental abnormalities. The study observed that plastic particles accumulated in placental tissue and disrupted normal placental function. These findings raise concern that maternal exposure to plastic particles during pregnancy may interfere with fetal development.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 93 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics disturb maternal-fetal immune balance and cause reproductive toxicity in pregnant mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles disrupted the delicate immune balance between mother and fetus. Exposure led to increased embryo loss and altered immune cell populations at the maternal-fetal interface. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during early pregnancy may pose reproductive risks by interfering with the immune tolerance mechanisms needed for successful pregnancy.

2021 Reproductive Toxicology 199 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene microplastics alters placental metabolism in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics and examined how placental metabolism was affected. The study found significant changes in placental metabolic pathways that could help explain the fetal growth restriction previously observed in microplastic-exposed pregnancies. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure during pregnancy may interfere with the placenta's ability to support normal fetal development.

2022 Metabolomics 81 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced toxic effects of photoaged microplastics on the trophoblast cells

Researchers investigated how light-aged polystyrene microplastics affect placental function in pregnant mice and found that aged particles caused greater harm than pristine ones. Oral exposure to microplastics starting early in pregnancy impaired fetal growth and damaged the placental tissue layer. The enhanced toxicity of aged microplastics appears to be linked to changes in their physical properties and increased lipid peroxidation in trophoblast cells.

2025 Toxicology Letters 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of PE and PP nanoplastic particles on placenta trophoblast differentiation

Researchers examined the effects of polyethylene and polypropylene nanoplastics on placental trophoblast differentiation, a critical process for fetal development. Both polymer types disrupted trophoblast cell function and differentiation, suggesting nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could impair placental development.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Subchronic Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics Disrupts Placental Development and Calcium Homeostasis: Insights from In Vivo and In Vitro Models

Pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics through drinking water showed abnormal placental development, increased fetal loss, and disrupted calcium balance in placental cells. The nanoplastics triggered a specific molecular pathway that interfered with calcium signaling in the placenta, suggesting that prenatal nanoplastic exposure could harm fetal development through placental dysfunction.

2025 ACS Nano 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Silent Invaders: the emerging impact of micro-, nanoplastics and plasticizers on human placental development and pregnancy outcomes

This review examines growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics, along with their chemical additives like bisphenols and phthalates, can reach and accumulate in placental tissue. Researchers found that these particles and chemicals can induce placental cell death through oxidative stress, disrupt endocrine signaling essential for pregnancy, and impair vascular and metabolic functions. The study suggests that ubiquitous plastic pollution warrants closer investigation as a potential risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics Activate Autophagy and Suppress Trophoblast Cell Migration/Invasion and Migrasome Formation to Induce Miscarriage

In mouse and cell studies, polystyrene nanoplastics at doses near real-world human exposure levels caused miscarriage by blocking the movement of placental cells needed for a healthy pregnancy. The nanoplastics triggered a cellular recycling process called autophagy that broke down key proteins required for placental cell migration and invasion.

2024 ACS Nano 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Nano-scale dangers: Unravelling the impact of nanoplastics on human trophoblast invasion

Researchers exposed human trophoblast cells — which form the placenta — to 40 nm and 200 nm polystyrene nanoparticles and found that the smaller particles reduced expression of invasion-related proteins (integrins, N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-2) and impaired cell migration, suggesting nanoplastics may interfere with early placental development.

2024 Chemico-Biological Interactions 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics disturb maternal glucose homeostasis and induce adverse pregnancy outcomes

Pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics developed abnormal blood sugar levels and experienced poor pregnancy outcomes, including placental damage and restricted fetal growth. The study found that microplastics disrupted glucose metabolism through inflammation and a cellular stress response, suggesting that microplastic exposure during pregnancy could contribute to complications similar to gestational diabetes.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles retarded fetal growth and triggered metabolic disorders of placenta and fetus in mice

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics through drinking water and found that higher concentrations led to significantly reduced fetal weight. The nanoplastics caused abnormal cell structures in the placenta and disrupted metabolic processes in both placental tissue and fetal livers. The study suggests that maternal nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy can cross the placental barrier and interfere with normal fetal growth and metabolism.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 133 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics caused embryonic growth retardation and placental dysfunction in pregnant mice by activating GRP78/IRE1α/JNK axis induced apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress

When pregnant mice were fed polystyrene microplastics, their embryos showed growth delays and their placentas were damaged through a specific stress pathway involving the endoplasmic reticulum, the cell's protein-processing center. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure during pregnancy could interfere with fetal development by triggering cell death in placental tissue.

2024 Particle and Fibre Toxicology 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Adverse effects of a realistic concentration of human exposure to microplastics on markers of placental barrier permeability in pregnant rats

Researchers exposed pregnant rats to polystyrene microplastics at concentrations realistic for human exposure and examined effects on the placenta. They found that the microplastics accumulated in placental tissue, caused oxidative stress, triggered cell death, and reduced the expression of proteins that maintain the placental barrier. The study provides the first evidence that realistic levels of microplastic exposure can compromise the protective barrier between mother and developing offspring.

2025 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Gut microbiota contributes to polystyrene nanoplastics-induced fetal growth restriction by disturbing placental nicotinamide metabolism

Researchers found that pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics experienced placental damage and metabolic disruptions that restricted fetal growth. The nanoplastics altered the mothers' gut bacteria, which in turn disturbed nicotinamide metabolism in the placenta, a key pathway for fetal development. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may harm offspring development through indirect effects on the gut-placenta connection.

2025 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunotoxicological disruption of pregnancy as a new research area in immunotoxicology

This review examines how environmental chemicals, including microplastics, can disrupt the immune system during pregnancy and increase the risk of miscarriage. Studies in mice and humans have shown that microplastic exposure during pregnancy can damage the placenta's immune system, interfere with signaling between mother and fetus, and contribute to pregnancy loss. The findings highlight an emerging concern that microplastic exposure may pose particular risks to reproductive health during pregnancy.

2025 Journal of Immunotoxicology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoparticles induced adverse pregnancy outcomes via the activation of placental ferroptosis and gut microbiota dysfunction

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to 50-nanometer polystyrene nanoparticles and found that the particles caused adverse pregnancy outcomes through two interconnected mechanisms: disruption of gut microbiota and activation of ferroptosis in placental tissue. The nanoparticle exposure altered the composition of beneficial gut bacteria and triggered iron-dependent cell death in the placenta. The study suggests that maternal exposure to nanoplastics during pregnancy may threaten reproductive health through gut-placenta axis disruption.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Gestational exposure to nanoplastics disrupts fetal development by promoting the placental aging via ferroptosis of syncytiotrophoblast

This mouse study found that exposure to nanoplastics during pregnancy caused placental aging and fetal growth restriction through a process called ferroptosis -- a type of iron-dependent cell death -- in the cells that form the barrier between mother and baby. When researchers blocked the ferroptosis process, fetal weight improved, suggesting this pathway could be a target for protecting pregnancies from nanoplastic-related harm.

2025 Environment International 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Gestational exposure to polystyrene microplastics incurred placental damage in mice: Insights into metabolic and gene expression disorders

This mouse study found that when pregnant mice were exposed to tiny polystyrene microplastics (0.1 micrometers), the particles crossed the placenta and reached fetal livers and brains, causing placental damage and impaired fetal development. Larger microplastics (5 micrometers) were less able to cross the placenta, suggesting that the smallest plastic particles pose the greatest risk during pregnancy.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastic (MNPs) exposure at single-cell resolution impaired placental function and cellular dynamics

Researchers performed single-cell transcriptomic analysis of placentas from pregnant women exposed to micro- and nanoplastics, finding that MNP exposure altered trophoblast, macrophage, and fibroblast subpopulations, suggesting impaired placental function through disruption of cell communication and immune regulation.

2025 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics cause placental dysfunction in mice

Pregnant mice exposed to polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in drinking water showed signs of placental dysfunction, with nanoplastics causing more severe effects than microplastics. Both sizes triggered a brain-sparing response in fetuses, where blood flow is redirected to protect the brain from low oxygen, a sign of fetal distress. These findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy could disrupt normal placental function and potentially affect fetal brain development.

2023 Biology of Reproduction 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing microplastics as a novel threat to maternal-fetal health: Placental barrier penetration and fetal developmental consequences

This review addressed how microplastics cross the placental barrier and affect fetal development, covering cellular responses in placental tissue, animal model findings, and limited human study data. The authors concluded that transplacental microplastic transfer is a plausible mechanism for intergenerational health effects.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Micro/Nanoplastic Exposure on Placental Health and Adverse Pregnancy Risks: Novel Assessment System Based upon Targeted Risk Assessment Environmental Chemicals Strategy

Using a new risk assessment framework, researchers evaluated 40 studies on how micro- and nanoplastics affect the placenta during pregnancy. They found a moderate-to-low risk of reproductive harm, with smaller particles posing greater danger by disrupting cell function and triggering cell death in placental tissue. These findings suggest that widespread plastic pollution could have implications for pregnancy health.

2024 Toxics 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Dual impact of microplastic exposure in a mouse model: Impaired uterine receptivity and altered maternal-offspring metabolism

Researchers exposed female mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that the particles impaired uterine receptivity, which is critical for embryo implantation, and altered metabolic profiles in both the mothers and their offspring. The microplastics disrupted gene expression related to uterine function and caused metabolic changes across multiple organs. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure could have reproductive and metabolic consequences that extend to the next generation.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations