Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Liver Toxicity of Neonates Following Intragastric Administration or Intratracheal Instillation of Polyethylene Microplatics to Pregnant Mice

Researchers found that pregnant mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics via oral ingestion or inhalation passed particles to offspring, causing oxidative stress and inflammation in neonatal livers, with inhalation exposure producing more severe effects than oral exposure.

2022 Korean Journal of Environmental Health Sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal Polystyrene Microplastic Exposure during Gestation and Lactation Altered Metabolic Homeostasis in the Dams and Their F1 and F2 Offspring

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics during pregnancy and nursing and found significant metabolic disruptions in both the mothers and their offspring across two generations. The microplastics altered lipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition, and key metabolic signaling pathways. The study suggests that microplastic exposure during critical developmental windows may have lasting health consequences that pass to future generations.

2019 Environmental Science & Technology 359 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
Article Tier 2

Exposure to polystyrene microplastics during lactational period alters immune status in both male mice and their offspring

This study found that when male mice were exposed to polystyrene microplastics during the nursing period, both the adult mice and their offspring showed changes in immune cell populations in the spleen. The microplastics altered the balance of different types of immune cells, suggesting the immune system was being disrupted. This is especially concerning because it shows that microplastic exposure during early life can affect immune development in the next generation.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 17 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

Repeated-oral dose toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and the possible implications on reproduction and development of the next generation

Researchers administered polyethylene microplastics to mice by oral gavage for 90 days and observed significant effects including reduced body weight gain, increased neutrophil counts, and immune system changes. Microplastic-like material persisted in stomach tissue, and immune markers were altered in treated animals. A follow-up reproductive study found that microplastic exposure affected the number of live births, sex ratio of pups, and offspring immune cell populations, suggesting the need for further reproductive toxicity testing.

2020 Toxicology Letters 280 citations
Article Tier 2

Toxicities Demonstrated in Dams and Neonates following Intragastric Intubation of Polyethylene Microplastics to Pregnant Mice

Researchers found that intragastric administration of polyethylene microplastics to pregnant mice caused oxidative stress, inflammation, and reproductive toxicity in dams, with evidence of transplacental transfer producing developmental abnormalities in neonates.

2021 Korean Journal of Environmental Health Sciences 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Disrupt Vertical Transmission of the Breast Milk Microbiome, Impairing Early‐Life Gut Colonization and Immune Development in Offspring

Researchers exposed pregnant and lactating mice to polystyrene microplastics and found that maternal exposure disrupted the breast milk microbiome, reducing beneficial bacteria like Ligilactobacillus while increasing potentially harmful ones. Offspring from exposed mothers showed altered gut colonization, excessive weight gain, reduced immune markers, and compromised intestinal barrier integrity, suggesting microplastics may affect infant development through changes in breast milk composition.

2026 The FASEB Journal
Article Tier 2

Maternal nanoplastic ingestion induces an increase in offspring body weight through altered lipid species and microbiota

Researchers found that when mother mice ingested nanoplastics derived from polystyrene and polypropylene during pregnancy and nursing, their offspring showed increased body weight gain. The weight changes were associated with alterations in fat metabolism and shifts in gut microbiome composition in the pups. The study suggests that maternal exposure to nanoplastic pollution may act as an environmental factor contributing to weight gain in offspring.

2024 Environment International 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Immunodysregulatory potentials of polyethylene or polytetrafluorethylene microplastics to mice subacutely exposed via intragastric intubation

Researchers found that subacute oral exposure to polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene microplastics caused immune dysregulation in mice, with effects varying by particle size and polymer type, demonstrating that ingested microplastics can disrupt immune function.

2023 Toxicological Research 11 citations
Article Tier 2

MicroRNA and Gut Microbiota Alter Intergenerational Effects of Paternal Exposure to Polyethylene Nanoplastics

In a mouse study, when fathers were exposed to polyethylene nanoplastics, their male offspring suffered reproductive damage including lower sperm counts and testicular injury — even though the offspring were never directly exposed. The effects were passed down through changes in small RNA molecules and gut bacteria, suggesting that nanoplastic exposure could affect fertility across generations.

2024 ACS Nano 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Intergenerational and transgenerational reproductive toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in female mice

Female mice were exposed to polystyrene microplastics during lactation and researchers tracked reproductive outcomes in both exposed mothers and their offspring through multiple generations, finding that even at doses comparable to human infant bottle-feeding exposure, microplastics induced ovarian damage and reduced fertility that persisted across generations.

2025 Global Reproductive Health
Article Tier 2

Transfer toxicity of polystyrene microplastics in vivo: Multi-organ crosstalk

In a mouse study, polystyrene microplastics fed to nursing mothers spread to their gut, liver, and mammary glands, and were passed to offspring through breast milk by breaking down gut and blood-milk barriers. The microplastics disrupted the gut microbiome and liver bile acid metabolism, causing inflammation across multiple organs and demonstrating how microplastic toxicity can transfer between a mother and her young.

2025 Environment International 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Parental polystyrene nanoplastics exposure increases susceptibility to pathogen infection in offspring via H3K36me3-UPRER-collagen pathway

Scientists exposed tiny worms to plastic nanoparticles and found that not only did the exposed worms become more vulnerable to dangerous infections, but their children and grandchildren were also more likely to get sick. The plastic particles weakened the immune system by changing how genes work, and these changes were passed down through generations even though the offspring were never directly exposed to the plastic. This research suggests that today's plastic pollution could be making future generations more susceptible to infections through inherited genetic changes.

2026 Cell Communication and Signaling
Article Tier 2

From insects to mammals! Tissue accumulation and transgenerational transfer of micro/nano-plastics through the food chain

In a novel experiment, researchers fed microplastic-exposed mealworms to mice and tracked the particles as they moved up the food chain. The plastics accumulated in the mice's lungs, liver, brain, kidneys, and even embryos, providing clear evidence that microplastics transfer through the food chain from lower to higher organisms and can cross biological barriers to reach developing offspring.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 36 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to different sizes of polystyrene microplastics during gestation causes metabolic disorders in their offspring

Researchers exposed pregnant mice to polystyrene microplastics of two different sizes during gestation and examined metabolic effects in their offspring. They found that maternal microplastic exposure altered cholesterol, triglyceride levels, and amino acid metabolism in the offspring, with larger 5-micrometer particles causing more pronounced effects. The study suggests that prenatal microplastic exposure may increase the risk of metabolic disorders in the next generation.

2019 Environmental Pollution 303 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal polystyrene nanoplastics exposure during pregnancy induces obesity development in adult offspring through disrupting lipid homeostasis

Researchers found that maternal inhalation exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics during pregnancy induced obesity development in adult offspring of mice, suggesting in utero exposure to airborne nanoplastics programs metabolic dysfunction. The study linked prenatal nanoplastic exposure to increased adiposity and metabolic changes persisting into adulthood.

2024
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microplastics impede the innate immune response by disrupting the extracellular matrix and signaling transduction

Mice exposed to polyethylene microplastics showed a weakened immune response when challenged with bacterial toxins, with lower levels of immune signaling molecules and reduced immune cell activity. The microplastics disrupted proteins in the extracellular matrix, the structural framework around cells in the liver and spleen, which impaired immune signaling. This suggests that microplastic accumulation in organs could make the body less effective at fighting infections.

2023 iScience 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Lactating exposure to microplastics at the dose of infants ingested during artificial feeding induced reproductive toxicity in female mice and their offspring

When nursing mice were exposed to microplastics at levels matching what infants ingest from plastic baby bottles, the mothers developed reproductive problems including delayed puberty, irregular cycles, and reduced fertility. Strikingly, their male offspring also showed decreased sperm count and quality, even though they were only exposed through breast milk. This suggests microplastics can cause reproductive harm that passes from mother to child, with males being especially vulnerable.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes brain abnormalities in progeny

Researchers found that maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics caused brain abnormalities in offspring, demonstrating that nanoplastics can cross maternal barriers and affect neurological development in progeny with implications for developmental toxicology.

2021 Research Square (Research Square) 6 citations