Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Exposure of the human placental primary cells to nanoplastics induces cytotoxic effects, an inflammatory response and endocrine disruption

Scientists exposed human placental cells to polystyrene nanoparticles at concentrations found in human blood and observed cell death, inflammation, and disrupted hormone production, with smaller 20-nanometer particles causing more damage than larger ones. This is significant because the placenta is the critical barrier protecting developing babies, and these findings suggest nanoplastics may interfere with pregnancy hormones and placental function at real-world exposure levels.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 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

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

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

Mechanistic toxicity assessment of differently sized and charged polystyrene nanoparticles based on human placental cells

Researchers tested how polystyrene nanoplastics of different sizes and surface charges affect human placental cells, which are critical for fetal development. Smaller nanoplastics and those with positive surface charges caused the most damage, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, and cell death. The findings suggest that nanoplastic exposure could potentially pose risks to placental function, highlighting the need for further research on these particles' effects during pregnancy.

2022 Water Research 118 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

Impact of PE and PP nanoplastic particles on placenta trophoblast differentiation

This study examined the impact of polyethylene and polypropylene nanoplastic particles on placental trophoblast differentiation, a critical process for establishing the maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy. Nanoplastic exposure disrupted trophoblast cell differentiation and function, raising concern about effects on fetal development and placental health.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
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

Placental Exposure to Nanoplastics Threatening the Maternal and Fetal Health

This review examines how nanoplastics reaching the placenta threaten maternal and fetal health, summarizing evidence from animal and in vitro studies showing that placental nanoplastic accumulation disrupts nutrient transport, immune function, and fetal development.

2025 Health Dynamics
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics induce biochemical and metabolism changes in human placental explants

Researchers investigated the effects of polystyrene microplastics on human placental cells, finding that exposure altered biochemical pathways and metabolic activity. The results suggest that microplastics reaching the placenta can disrupt cellular functions important for fetal development.

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

Polystyrene microplastics induce biochemical and metabolism changes in human placental explants

This study examined how polystyrene microplastics affect biochemical pathways and metabolism in human placental cells, with microplastics having been detected in human placental tissue. Polystyrene microplastics induced metabolic and biochemical changes in placental cells, raising concern for placental function and fetal health during pregnancy.

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

Artificial plasticenta: how polystyrene nanoplastics affect in-vitro cultured human trophoblast cells

This lab study exposed placental cells (trophoblasts) to polystyrene nanoplastics and found signs of cell damage, metabolic stress, and structural breakdown under the microscope. The findings suggest that plastic nanoparticles could interfere with placental function during pregnancy, which raises concerns about potential effects on fetal development from everyday environmental plastic exposure.

2025 Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Limited passage and functional effects of polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics in a physiologically-relevant in vitro human placental co-culture model

Researchers developed a placental co-culture model to study how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics cross the placental barrier. The study found that smaller nanoplastics (50 nm) crossed more readily than larger particles, and while most cellular functions remained unaffected, exposure to the smallest nanoplastics caused a 17% decrease in estradiol hormone levels, suggesting potential endocrine effects.

2025 Reproductive Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Nanoplastics at the Placenta–Fetal Interface: Emerging Chemical Toxicology Concerns

Researchers reviewed how nanoplastics interact with trophoblasts at the placenta-fetal interface, identifying plastic additives, surface chemistry, and adsorbed protein coronas as drivers of oxidative stress and disrupted cellular function, and calling for advanced placental models to guide developmental toxicity risk assessment.

2026 Chemical Research in Toxicology
Article Tier 2

Uptake, Transport, and Toxicity of Pristine and Weathered Micro- and Nanoplastics in Human Placenta Cells

Researchers tested how both new and environmentally weathered micro- and nanoplastics are taken up by human placental cells in laboratory experiments. They found that the placental cells internalized and transported plastic particles regardless of whether they were pristine or aged, with some types affecting gene expression. The study suggests that placental cells are vulnerable to microplastic exposure and that weathering in the environment does not eliminate the particles' ability to enter human tissue.

2022 Environmental Health Perspectives 116 citations
Article Tier 2

Subchronic Exposureto Polystyrene Nanoplastics DisruptsPlacental Development and Calcium Homeostasis: Insights from In Vivo and In Vitro Models

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene nanoplastics (50 nm) via drinking water throughout gestation and found increased fetal resorption rates and altered placental structure. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that nanoplastic exposure disrupted calcium homeostasis in placental cells, suggesting a molecular mechanism for the reproductive harm observed.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Experimental human placental models for studying uptake, transport and toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics

This review describes experimental human placental models available for studying how micro- and nanoplastics cross the maternal-fetal barrier, including cell cultures, organ-on-chip devices, and tissue perfusion systems. Researchers note that while microplastics have been detected in human placenta, the potential effects on pregnancy and fetal development remain largely unexplored. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and calls for urgent research into the reproductive health risks of plastic particle exposure.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Placental Micro- and Nanoplastic Contamination: A Systematic Review of Eco-Exposome Pathways to Preterm Birth and Neonatal Outcomes

This systematic review examined evidence that micro- and nanoplastics have been found in human placentas and may be linked to preterm birth. The particles appear to cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of placental function through multiple molecular pathways, raising concerns about the impact of plastic pollution on pregnancy outcomes and newborn health.

2025
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Nanoplastics induced placental toxicology by activating Keap1-mediated ferroptosis via METTL3-dependent m6A methylation

Scientists found that tiny plastic particles called nanoplastics can damage the placenta during pregnancy by triggering a harmful process called ferroptosis, which kills cells through iron buildup. The study used lab cells and pregnant mice to show how these plastic particles disrupt the body's natural protective systems in placental tissue. This research helps explain why microplastics in our environment might pose risks during pregnancy, though more studies are needed to understand the full impact on human health.

2026 Cell Biology and Toxicology
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Transcriptomic Meta-Analysis Unveils Shared Neurodevelopmental Toxicity Pathways and Sex-Specific Transcriptional Signatures of Established Neurotoxicants and Polystyrene Nanoplastics as an Emerging Contaminant

This meta-analysis compared gene expression patterns caused by nanoplastics with those from known brain-toxic chemicals like BPA. It found that polystyrene nanoplastics activate many of the same harmful pathways as established neurotoxicants, with some effects differing between males and females, suggesting plastic particles may pose similar risks to brain development.

2025 Toxics
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

Evaluation of nanoplastics toxicity to the human placenta in systems

Researchers evaluated the toxicity of ten different types of nanoplastics on human placental enzymes using molecular docking and computational analysis. They found that polycarbonate and polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics showed the highest binding affinity to critical placental enzymes responsible for metabolic and detoxification functions. The study suggests that nanoplastic exposure during pregnancy may interfere with placental enzyme activity, raising concerns about potential developmental effects.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 61 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

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