Papers

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Article Tier 2

The ovarian-related effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human ovarian granulosa cells and female mice

This study tested the effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on both human ovarian cells in the lab and on female mice. The nanoplastics accumulated in ovarian tissue, caused cell death, disrupted hormone levels, and reduced egg quality and fertility in mice. These findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could threaten female reproductive health by damaging the ovaries.

2023 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles for mouse ovary and cultured human granulosa cells

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene nanoparticles on female reproductive health using both mouse ovaries and human granulosa cell cultures. They found that nanoparticle exposure damaged ovarian tissue, reduced egg quality, and triggered cell death through oxidative stress and inflammation pathways. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may pose risks to female fertility, though more research is needed to confirm effects at real-world exposure levels.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 82 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics impair in vitro swine granulosa cell functions

Polystyrene nanoplastics at the highest tested concentration (75 µg/mL) stimulated cell proliferation and steroid hormone secretion in swine granulosa cells while also increasing oxidative stress, suggesting potential endocrine disruption in female reproductive cells.

2021 Domestic Animal Endocrinology 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce apoptosis, autophagy, and steroidogenesis disruption in granulosa cells to reduce oocyte quality and fertility by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway in female mice

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics (tiny plastic particles under 1 micrometer) impair egg cell quality in female mice by damaging the ovarian support cells that help eggs mature, triggering cell death and disrupting hormone production. These findings raise important questions about the potential reproductive risks of nanoplastic exposure in women.

2024 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces lysosomal enlargement and lipid droplet accumulation in KGN human ovarian granulosa cells

Researchers exposed human ovarian cells to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that the particles entered the cells and caused abnormal enlargement of lysosomes (cellular recycling structures) and accumulation of fat droplets. These changes occurred even at concentrations that did not kill the cells outright, suggesting subtle but potentially significant damage. The findings point to a possible mechanism by which nanoplastics could impair female reproductive health.

2025 Archives of Toxicology 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics cause granulosa cells apoptosis and fibrosis in ovary through oxidative stress in rats

Researchers exposed female rats to polystyrene microplastics at different concentrations for 90 days and examined the effects on their ovaries. The study found that microplastic exposure caused cell death and tissue scarring in the ovaries through oxidative stress, suggesting that microplastics may have implications for female reproductive health.

2020 Toxicology 415 citations
Article Tier 2

The potential toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics to human trophoblasts in vitro

Researchers used human trophoblast cells to evaluate the potential toxicity of 100-nanometer polystyrene nanoplastics on placental function. The study found that nanoplastic exposure affected trophoblast cell viability and function at certain concentrations, suggesting potential implications for understanding nanoplastic effects during pregnancy.

2022 Environmental Pollution 70 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on the female reproductive system in mice: Implications for ovarian function and follicular development

Researchers exposed female mice to polystyrene nanoplastics orally for 29 days and examined the effects on their reproductive systems. They found that nanoplastic exposure disrupted estrous cycles, impaired follicle development, and altered hormone levels in a dose-dependent manner. The study suggests that nanoplastics, due to their extremely small size, may cross biological barriers and accumulate in reproductive tissues, raising concerns about potential effects on fertility.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt ovarian development via cytoskeletal remodeling and epigenetic reprogramming particularly in granulosa cells

Researchers used single-cell RNA sequencing to map polystyrene nanoplastic toxicity in mouse ovaries, identifying granulosa cells as the primary target and showing that 100 nm particles trigger F-actin cytoskeletal remodeling, STAT1-driven epigenetic reprogramming, and necroptosis, disrupting follicle development and hormone production.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Investigation of potential toxic effects of nano- and microplastics on human endometrial stromal cells

Researchers exposed human endometrial cells (uterine lining cells) to polystyrene nano- and microplastics and found that smaller particles (100 nanometers) were taken up most readily, accumulating in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. At higher concentrations, the nanoplastics reduced cell growth and triggered cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastics could pose a risk to uterine health and potentially affect fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and HFF-2 normal fibroblast cells: viability, cell death, cell cycle and antioxidant enzyme activity

Researchers exposed human breast cancer cells and normal skin cells to polystyrene nanoplastics and found that smaller particles at higher concentrations caused significant cell death through apoptosis (programmed cell death) and reduced the cells' ability to defend against oxidative damage. The dose- and size-dependent toxicity suggests that nanoplastics small enough to enter cells are more biologically harmful than larger particles.

2025 Environmental Sciences Europe 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of polystyrene nanoplastics on in vitro maturation of pig cumulus-encosed oocytes

Researchers exposed pig egg cells to polystyrene nanoplastics during laboratory maturation and found that while the eggs still completed their basic development stages, the nanoplastics significantly increased harmful reactive oxygen species levels. This oxidative stress reduced the quality of resulting embryos, as indicated by fewer cells per embryo, suggesting nanoplastic exposure could be a concern for reproductive health.

2025 Research in Veterinary Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Cytotoxic effect of polystyrene nanoplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal rat kidney cells (NRK52E)

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics affect human blood vessel cells and rat kidney cells in the lab. They found that nanoplastic exposure caused oxidative stress and reduced cell survival in both cell types, with effects increasing at higher concentrations. The study adds to growing evidence that nanoplastics can damage mammalian cells, though the implications for whole-body health require further investigation.

2024 Journal of King Saud University - Science 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of reproductive toxicity of polystyrene‐nanoplastics and polystyrene‐microplastics in rat Sertoli cells

This comparative study found that polystyrene nanoplastics cause greater toxicity to Sertoli cells than microplastics due to cellular internalization, disrupting blood-testis barrier integrity via oxidative stress and apoptosis, while microplastics primarily triggered extracellular inflammation.

2025 Andrology
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics lead to pyroptosis and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells via NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway in rats

In a 90-day study, female rats exposed to polystyrene microplastics had fewer healthy ovarian follicles, increased oxidative damage, and elevated inflammation in their ovaries. The microplastics triggered a type of inflammatory cell death called pyroptosis in the cells surrounding eggs, along with increased programmed cell death. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure could harm female fertility by damaging the ovaries and the cells needed for healthy egg development.

2021 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 339 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics induce ovarian granulosa cell senescence via autophagy suppression

Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics induce premature cellular aging (senescence) in human ovarian granulosa cells by suppressing autophagy, triggering inflammatory signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction, and that restoring autophagy with rapamycin reversed these effects — pointing to a potential mechanism linking nanoplastic exposure to accelerated ovarian aging.

2025 NanoImpact
Article Tier 2

Molecular effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on human neural stem cells

Researchers exposed human brain stem cells to tiny polystyrene nanoplastics and found they caused oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammation, and cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastics could potentially harm brain development if they reach neural tissue, though more research is needed to understand real-world exposure levels.

2024 PLoS ONE 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoparticles induce DNA damage and apoptosis in HeLa cells

Researchers exposed human HeLa cells to polystyrene nanoplastics — particles smaller than 100 nm — and found that even short exposures at low concentrations caused DNA damage, abnormal cell division, and signs of cell death including apoptosis and necrosis. The results suggest nanoplastics can directly damage human cell DNA, raising concerns about the health implications of everyday nanoplastic exposure.

2024 Heliyon 9 citations
Article Tier 2

P-156 cellular uptake of polystyrene nanoplastics by oocytes and their impact on subsequent embryo development: a preliminary insight using a bovine in vitro model

Researchers investigated whether polystyrene nanoplastics could penetrate cumulus-enclosed oocytes and alter embryo development using a bovine in vitro model, finding after 24-hour exposure that nanoplastics entered the extracellular matrix and cytoplasm of peripheral cumulus cells but did not penetrate oocytes or alter preimplantation embryo development.

2022 Human Reproduction
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of In Vitro Genotoxicity of Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Researchers evaluated the genotoxic potential of polystyrene nanoparticles in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, finding evidence of DNA damage that raises concerns about the health effects of nanoplastic exposure in humans.

2023 Toxics 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics differentially impact mouse ovarian follicle function

Researchers exposed mouse ovarian follicles to polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found both impaired follicle development and hormone production, with PET causing more severe effects — raising concerns given its widespread use in food packaging.

2025
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics differentially impact mouse ovarian follicle function

Researchers tested how polystyrene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanoplastics affect mouse ovarian follicles at environmentally relevant doses. They found that both types inhibited follicle growth and altered gene expression related to hormone production and oxidative stress, with PET nanoplastics specifically disrupting steroid hormone pathways. The study suggests that different plastic types may affect female reproductive health through distinct mechanisms.

2025 Environmental Pollution 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics leads to ovotoxicity in female mouse offspring

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics throughout mating, pregnancy, and nursing, then examined the ovaries of their female offspring. They found that maternal nanoplastic exposure significantly reduced ovarian weight and follicle numbers in the offspring and lowered the expression of key antioxidant genes. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may pose risks to the reproductive development of female offspring.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Exposure to low-dose polystyrene nanoplastics impairs the estrous cycle by decreasing ovarian levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and serum progesterone levels in rats

Female rats exposed daily to 0.015 mg of 500 nm polystyrene nanoplastics showed disrupted estrous cycles and decreased ovarian levels of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) along with reduced serum progesterone. The results suggest that even low-dose nanoplastic exposure can impair female reproductive hormone regulation.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology