Papers

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Article Tier 2

Nanoplastic PS and cadmium co-exposure accelerates ferroptosis mediated by HIF-1α-related signaling in spermatogonium

Researchers exposed mouse sperm precursor cells to nanoplastics combined with cadmium and found that co-exposure caused significantly more cell damage than either contaminant alone. The combined treatment triggered a form of cell death called ferroptosis through a specific signaling pathway involving the gene HIF-1a. The study suggests that nanoplastics may worsen the reproductive toxicity of heavy metals commonly found alongside plastic pollution in the environment.

2025 Free Radical Biology and Medicine 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic effect of PS-MPs and Cd on male reproductive toxicity: Ferroptosis via Keap1-Nrf2 pathway

A mouse study found that microplastics and the heavy metal cadmium work together to cause more severe damage to male reproductive organs than either pollutant alone. The combination triggered a form of cell death called ferroptosis by disrupting a key protective pathway in the body. This is the first study to show this synergistic reproductive harm, suggesting that microplastics can make other environmental toxins more dangerous.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Implication of ferroptosis in hepatic toxicity upon single or combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium

This study found that polystyrene microplastics combined with cadmium caused more severe liver damage in mice than either pollutant alone. The microplastics absorbed cadmium on their surface, increasing the amount of the toxic metal delivered to liver cells, and triggered a type of cell death called ferroptosis. This is concerning because microplastics in the environment commonly carry heavy metals, meaning the combined exposure people face may be more harmful than we thought.

2023 Environmental Pollution 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined exposure of PS-MPs with NaF induces Sertoli cell death and dysfunction via ferroptosis and apoptosis

This study found that polystyrene microplastics combined with sodium fluoride caused far worse damage to testicular cells in mice than either substance alone. The combination triggered both ferroptosis (iron-dependent cell death) and apoptosis (programmed cell death) in Sertoli cells, which are essential for sperm production. Since both fluoride and microplastics are common environmental contaminants, their combined effect on male reproductive health is a growing concern.

2024 Toxicology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

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

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.

2025 Journal of Nanobiotechnology 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Combined effect of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on rat blood-testis barrier integrity and sperm quality

Researchers exposed male rats to polystyrene microplastics and cadmium, both separately and together, and found that both substances damaged testicular tissue, disrupted the blood-testis barrier, and reduced sperm quality. Notably, the combined exposure was less severe than cadmium alone, likely because microplastics absorbed some cadmium in the gut and reduced its bioavailability. The study also found for the first time that microplastics trigger autophagy in reproductive cells as a protective response.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Synergistic effects of PS-NPs and Cd on ovarian toxicity in adolescent rats: Ferroptosis by induction of mitochondrial redox imbalance via the SIRT3-SOD2/Gpx4 pathway

Researchers studied the combined effects of polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium on the ovaries of adolescent rats over 28 days. They found that co-exposure was significantly more harmful than either pollutant alone, causing damage to ovarian structure and hormone disruption through a process called ferroptosis triggered by mitochondrial oxidative stress. The study suggests that nanoplastics may act as a carrier that amplifies heavy metal toxicity to the reproductive system during critical developmental periods.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel insights into male reproductive toxicity: autophagy-dependent ferroptosis triggered by polylactic acid nanoplastics and copper sulfate

Researchers exposed mice to polylactic acid nanoplastics combined with copper sulfate and found that the combination caused significant testicular damage through a process linking autophagy to ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent cell death. The combined exposure was more damaging than either substance alone, disrupting sperm production and testicular tissue structure. The study suggests that nanoplastics from biodegradable plastics may amplify the reproductive toxicity of environmental heavy metals.

2025 Chemico-Biological Interactions 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis of spermatogenic cells involved in male reproductive toxicity induced by polystyrene nanoplastics in mice

When polystyrene nanoplastics were injected into the bloodstream of mice, they accumulated in the testes and caused significant damage to sperm-producing cells through a process called ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent cell death. The nanoplastics disrupted a key protective pathway (Nrf2) that normally prevents this type of cell death. These findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could harm male fertility by directly damaging the cells responsible for producing sperm.

2024 Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure of polystyrene microplastics and iron aggravates cognitive decline in aging mice via ferroptosis induction

Researchers studied the combined effects of microplastic and iron exposure on cognitive function in aging mice. They found that polystyrene microplastics accumulated in the brain's cortex and hippocampus, and when combined with iron, significantly worsened cognitive decline through a cell death process called ferroptosis. The study suggests that co-exposure to microplastics and metals may pose heightened risks to brain health in aging populations.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 84 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt iron homeostasis by promoting FPN1 ubiquitination in GC-2spd(ts) cells

Researchers showed that polystyrene nanoplastics induce ferroptosis — an iron-dependent form of cell death — in mouse sperm precursor cells by promoting the ubiquitin-tagged degradation of the iron-export protein ferroportin1, causing iron to accumulate inside cells, driving lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial damage.

2026 Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of cadmium and polystyrene nanoplastics induced oxidative stress, ferroptosis and excessive mitophagy in mice kidney

A mouse study found that combined exposure to cadmium (a toxic metal) and polystyrene nanoplastics caused more kidney damage than either pollutant alone. The combination triggered a harmful chain reaction involving oxidative stress, iron buildup, and excessive breakdown of cellular energy factories called mitochondria. This is significant because people are often exposed to both nanoplastics and heavy metals simultaneously, and their combined effects may be worse than expected.

2023 Environmental Pollution 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce male reproductive toxicity in mice by activating spermatogonium mitochondrial oxidative stress and apoptosis

A mouse study found that polystyrene microplastics significantly reduced sperm count and motility while increasing sperm deformities. The damage was caused by oxidative stress in the energy-producing mitochondria of sperm-forming cells, which triggered cell death -- raising concerns about microplastics' potential impact on male fertility.

2024 Chemico-Biological Interactions 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-exposure of cadmium and polystyrene nanoplastics: Induction pyroptosis and autophagy in mice testis

Researchers investigated the combined effects of cadmium and polystyrene nanoplastics on mouse testicular tissue. The study found that co-exposure produced more severe testicular damage than either substance alone, driven by the interplay between pyroptosis (inflammatory cell death) and autophagy. Inhibiting one of these cellular processes affected the other, suggesting they are closely interconnected in the toxicity response to nanoplastic and heavy metal co-exposure.

2026 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Article Tier 2

Maternal Exposureto Combined Cadmium and PolystyreneNanoplastics Induces Offspring Testicular Dysplasia via MitochondrialReactive Oxygen Species Overactivating the Peroxisome Proliferator-ActivatedReceptor α‑Mediated Autophagy Signaling Pathway

Maternal exposure to combined polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium during pregnancy caused testicular dysplasia in offspring via mitochondrial reactive oxygen species overactivating the PPARα-mediated autophagy pathway, with combined exposure more harmful than either alone.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Liver Injury Induced by Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics Alone or in Combination with Cadmium in Mice Is Mediated by Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis

Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics alone and combined with cadmium over eight weeks to study liver damage. Both exposures caused liver injury through oxidative stress and programmed cell death, but the combination of microplastics and cadmium produced more severe effects. The study suggests that microplastics may worsen the toxic impact of heavy metals on the liver when both are present together.

2023 Biological Trace Element Research 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Low-dose polystyrene microplastics exposure impairs fertility in male mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity by affecting prostate function

Male mice exposed to low doses of microplastics had lower sperm quality and fewer offspring, and these effects were significantly worse when combined with a high-fat diet. The combination triggered inflammation and cell death in the prostate gland, reducing key nutrients in seminal fluid needed for sperm health. This suggests that microplastic exposure may be an overlooked factor in declining male fertility, especially for those with metabolic conditions like obesity.

2024 Environmental Pollution 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal Exposure to Combined Cadmium and Polystyrene Nanoplastics Induces Offspring Testicular Dysplasia via Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Overactivating the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α-Mediated Autophagy Signaling Pathway

Researchers investigated the combined effects of maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics and cadmium on offspring in a mouse model. The study found that co-exposure caused testicular developmental abnormalities in offspring through mitochondrial oxidative stress and disrupted autophagy signaling, suggesting that nanoplastics may amplify the reproductive toxicity of co-occurring environmental contaminants.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics cause reproductive toxicity in male mice

Male mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics for six weeks showed significant reproductive damage, including reduced sperm count and motility, lower testosterone levels, and visible tissue damage in the testes. The microplastics caused oxidative stress and triggered cell death pathways in the reproductive tissue. These findings add to growing evidence that microplastic exposure could contribute to declining male fertility.

2024 Food and Chemical Toxicology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics cause reproductive toxicity in male mice through inducing apoptosis of spermatogenic cells via p53 signaling

In a mouse study, polystyrene micro and nanoplastics taken orally for 60 days caused damage to sperm-producing cells in the testes by triggering a cell-death pathway called p53. Both larger microplastics and smaller nanoplastics led to tissue damage and increased cell death in reproductive organs. This research suggests that microplastic exposure could be a meaningful risk factor for male reproductive health.

2023 Food and Chemical Toxicology 45 citations
Article Tier 2

Reproductive Toxicity of Chronic Exposure To Polystyrene Microplastics And The Molecular Mechanism of Decrease In Testosterone Levels In Male Mice

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.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity in mice

Researchers exposed male mice to polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and found that the particles accumulated in testicular tissue and entered reproductive cells. After 28 days of exposure, sperm quality and testosterone levels declined, and tissue examination revealed disorganized sperm-producing cells and inflammation. The study suggests that microplastic exposure may pose risks to male reproductive health in mammals.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 607 citations
Article Tier 2

Interplay of Ferroptosis, Cuproptosis, Autophagy and Pyroptosis in Male Infertility: Molecular Crossroads and Therapeutic Opportunities

This review examines how different types of cell death, including ferroptosis, cuproptosis, pyroptosis, and autophagy, contribute to male infertility by damaging sperm-producing cells. Environmental toxins, including microplastics, can trigger these destructive pathways through oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. Understanding these mechanisms is important because it helps explain how environmental pollutant exposure could be contributing to declining male fertility worldwide.

2025 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Ferroptosis involved in inhaled polystyrene microplastics leaded myocardial fibrosis through HIF-ROS-SLC7A11/GPX4 Pathway

Researchers found that inhaling polystyrene microplastics caused heart muscle scarring (fibrosis) in mice through a process called ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent cell death. The microplastics triggered a chain reaction involving low oxygen signals and oxidative stress that depleted the heart cells' protective antioxidant systems. This study reveals a specific mechanism by which breathing in airborne microplastics could lead to lasting heart damage.

2025 Journal of Environmental Sciences 6 citations