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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Transgenerational reproductive toxicity induced by carboxyl and amino charged microplastics at environmental concentrations in Caenorhabditis elegans: Involvement of histone methylation
ClearPhotoaged Polystyrene Nanoplastics Result in Transgenerational Reproductive Toxicity Associated with the Methylation of Histone H3K4 and H3K9 in Caenorhabditis elegans
When roundworms were exposed to sun-aged polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant levels, the reproductive damage passed down to unexposed future generations through changes in gene-regulating chemical marks called histone methylation. Sun-aged nanoplastics caused more severe fertility problems than fresh ones, and these effects persisted for two generations after exposure stopped. This study is alarming because it shows nanoplastic exposure could cause hereditary reproductive harm without changing DNA itself.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induced transgenerational reproductive toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans through enhanced DNA damage accompanied by DNA repair inhibition
Researchers exposed roundworms (C. elegans) to polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally relevant concentrations and found that reproductive harm persisted across multiple generations, even after exposure stopped. The nanoplastics caused DNA damage while simultaneously suppressing the organisms' DNA repair mechanisms, creating a compounding effect. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences that are passed down through generations, amplifying harm beyond the originally exposed organisms.
Transgenerational neurotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics induced by oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers exposed the roundworm C. elegans to polystyrene microplastics and tracked the effects across five generations. They found that microplastic exposure caused nerve damage and oxidative stress that persisted in offspring even when those generations were not directly exposed, suggesting microplastics can have lasting effects passed down through generations.
Long-term nanoplastics exposure results in multi and trans-generational reproduction decline associated with germline toxicity and epigenetic regulation in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers discovered that a single exposure to nanoplastics in mother roundworms caused reproductive decline that persisted across four subsequent unexposed generations. The study found that nanoplastics triggered DNA damage and cell death in reproductive cells, with these effects passed down through epigenetic changes rather than direct nanoplastic transfer to offspring. This finding suggests that nanoplastic exposure may have lasting consequences for fertility that extend well beyond the initially exposed generation.
Polylactic acid microplastics cause transgenerational reproductive toxicity associated with activation of insulin and hedgehog ligands in C. elegans
Exposure to polylactic acid microplastics -- a supposedly biodegradable plastic -- caused reproductive damage in tiny roundworms that persisted across multiple generations even after the initial exposure ended. The microplastics triggered a chain of genetic changes involving cell death pathways and epigenetic modifications (changes to how genes are read rather than the DNA itself). This transgenerational effect raises concerns that even "green" plastics could have lasting biological consequences.
Transgenerational Response of Germline Nuclear Hormone Receptor Genes to Nanoplastics at Predicted Environmental Doses in Caenorhabditis elegans
Exposure to very low doses of polystyrene nanoplastics in roundworms caused reproductive and developmental problems that persisted across multiple generations through changes in nuclear hormone receptor genes. These receptors control important signaling pathways, and their disruption altered the expression of insulin and other growth signals in offspring that were never directly exposed to nanoplastics. This demonstrates that nanoplastic effects can be inherited through epigenetic mechanisms even at doses found in the environment.
Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in Daphnia magna exposed to polyethylene microplastic fragments containing benzophenone-3 additive
Researchers exposed Daphnia magna to polyethylene microplastics containing benzophenone-3 for a single generation and then tracked effects through three subsequent unexposed generations. The study found persistent epigenetic changes across all four generations, including six genes that remained altered throughout, affecting pathways related to detoxification, development, and cardiovascular function, challenging current assumptions about how environmental risk from microplastics should be assessed.
Sulfonate-Modified Polystyrene Nanoparticle at Precited Environmental Concentrations Induces Transgenerational Toxicity Associated with Increase in Germline Notch Signal of Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers exposed tiny roundworms to sulfonate-modified nanoplastics at low, environmentally realistic concentrations and observed harmful effects that persisted across multiple generations. The nanoplastics activated the Notch signaling pathway in reproductive cells, leading to reduced movement and shortened lifespan in unexposed offspring. This suggests nanoplastic exposure could cause lasting biological changes passed down through generations.
Photo-aged polylactic acid microplastics causes severe transgenerational decline in reproductive capacity in C. elegans: Insight into activation of DNA damage checkpoints affected by multiple germline histone methyltransferases
Researchers found that even supposedly biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, after being aged by sunlight, caused severe reproductive decline in worms that persisted across multiple generations. This is concerning because PLA is widely marketed as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional plastic, yet these results suggest that sunlight-degraded PLA particles may pose long-lasting biological harm through changes in gene regulation.
Amino-modified nanoplastics at predicted environmental concentrations cause transgenerational toxicity through activating germline EGF signal in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that amino-modified nanoplastics, even at concentrations expected in the real environment, can cause toxic effects that pass from one generation to the next in the roundworm C. elegans. The transgenerational harm was linked to activation of a specific growth factor signal in reproductive cells. The study suggests that surface chemistry on nanoplastics may amplify their biological risks beyond what the base plastic alone would cause.
Effect of Early-Life Exposure of Polystyrene Microplastics on Behavior and DNA Methylation in Later Life Stage of Zebrafish
Researchers exposed zebrafish embryos to polystyrene microplastics during early development and then assessed neurobehavioral effects later in life. The study found that early-life microplastic exposure caused lasting changes in behavior and DNA methylation patterns, suggesting that developmental exposure to microplastics may have long-term epigenetic consequences on neurodevelopment.
Biochemical and physiological effects of multigenerational exposure to spheric polystyrene microplastics in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that multigenerational exposure of C. elegans to polystyrene microplastics at low concentrations triggered oxidative stress, increased detoxification enzyme activity, and caused accumulating physiological effects across five consecutive generations.
Transgenerational response of germline histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases to nanoplastics at predicted environmental doses in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics at environmentally predicted doses suppress germline histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases in C. elegans, and that silencing these chromatin-regulating enzymes worsened toxicity across multiple generations by dysregulating signaling ligands — identifying histone deacetylase inhibition as the molecular initiating event in an epigenetic adverse outcome pathway.
Comparison of transgenerational reproductive toxicity induced by pristine and amino modified nanoplastics in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers compared transgenerational toxicity of pristine and amino-modified polystyrene nanoplastics in C. elegans, finding that the amino-modified (NPS-NH₂) variant caused reproductive toxicity and gonad damage at 10-fold lower concentrations than unmodified NPS and had more severe cross-generational effects.
Beyond genetics: can micro and nanoplastics induce epigenetic and gene-expression modifications?
This review gathers existing research on whether micro and nanoplastics can cause epigenetic changes, which are modifications that alter how genes work without changing the DNA itself. Although studies are still limited, the evidence so far shows that both short-term and long-term plastic particle exposure can trigger these gene-level changes in various organisms. This is concerning because epigenetic changes can potentially be passed to future generations and may contribute to disease.
Multigenerational growth inhibition and oxidative stress of polystyrene micro(nano)plastics on earthworms (Eisenia fetida)
Researchers exposed earthworms to polystyrene nano- and microplastics across two generations, finding both particle types reduced offspring numbers by 23–39%, disrupted reproductive tissue structure, and caused oxidative stress, with nanoplastics producing more severe multigenerational effects.
Microplastic exposure is associated with epigenomic effects in the model organism Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow)
Researchers exposed fathead minnows to microplastics and found changes in DNA methylation -- a chemical modification that controls which genes are turned on or off -- across multiple organs including the brain, liver, and gonads. These epigenetic changes are heritable, meaning microplastic exposure could affect not just the exposed fish but also future generations, raising concerns about long-term ecological and evolutionary impacts.
SKN-1/Nrf2-dependent regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis modulates transgenerational toxicity induced by nanoplastics with different surface charges in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that nanoplastics with different surface charges caused reproductive toxicity that persisted across multiple generations in the roundworm C. elegans. Positively and negatively charged nanoplastics disrupted mitochondrial function through a stress-response pathway called SKN-1/Nrf2, with effects lasting even in unexposed offspring. This suggests that nanoplastic exposure could have lasting biological consequences that extend beyond the directly exposed generation.
Photoaged Nanopolystyrene Affects Neurotransmission to Induce Transgenerational Neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans
When tiny roundworms were exposed to sunlight-aged nanoplastics, their offspring showed movement problems and damaged nerve cells for up to two generations, even without further exposure. The aged nanoplastics were more harmful than fresh ones and worked by disrupting key brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, suggesting that weathered plastic particles in the environment may pose greater risks to nervous system health across generations.
Activation of FGF signal in germline mediates transgenerational toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles at predicted environmental concentrations in Caenorhabditis elegans
Using the roundworm C. elegans as a model, researchers investigated how nanoplastic exposure causes toxic effects that persist across generations. They found that polystyrene nanoparticles activate a specific growth factor signaling pathway in reproductive cells, which then transmits harmful effects to offspring. The study provides molecular evidence for how even low, environmentally relevant concentrations of nanoplastics can cause damage that carries over to future generations.
Polystyrene microplastics cause tissue damages, sex-specific reproductive disruption and transgenerational effects in marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma)
Researchers exposed marine medaka fish to environmentally realistic concentrations of polystyrene microplastics and found tissue damage, oxidative stress, and sex-specific reproductive disruption. The effects carried over to the next generation even without direct microplastic exposure. The study provides evidence that microplastics at levels found in the ocean can cause lasting biological harm across generations in fish.
Epigenetic and Gene Expression Responses of Daphnia magna to Polyethylene and Polystyrene Microplastics
This study exposed water fleas to polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics and found that both types caused changes in gene activity and epigenetic modifications, which are chemical changes that affect how genes work without altering the DNA itself. Polystyrene caused more severe effects, altering genes involved in stress response, immune function, and reproduction. These epigenetic changes are concerning because they can potentially be passed to future generations, suggesting microplastics could have long-lasting biological effects beyond direct exposure.
Synergistic transgenerational reproductive toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and butylparaben at NOAEL levels via SET-2–mediated H3K4me3 modification in Caenorhabditis elegans
Researchers found that co-exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and butylparaben at individually non-toxic doses produced synergistic reproductive toxicity across multiple generations in the model organism C. elegans. The combined exposure caused transgenerational damage through epigenetic modifications involving histone methylation. The study suggests that mixtures of nanoplastics and common consumer product chemicals may pose hidden reproductive risks even when each substance alone appears safe.
Surface-charge-dependent ovarian toxicity of polystyrene microplastics: Insights into accumulation, mitochondrial damage, and macrophage polarization
Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics with different surface charges accumulate in and damage rat ovaries after oral exposure. Positively charged amino-modified microplastics accumulated most in ovarian tissue and caused the most severe effects, including hormonal disruption, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial damage. The study suggests that surface charge is a key factor determining how microplastics affect reproductive organs.