2. Academic Validation
  3. Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes defective retinal development and function in progeny mice by disturbing metabolic profiles

Maternal exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics causes defective retinal development and function in progeny mice by disturbing metabolic profiles

  • Chemosphere. 2024 Mar:352:141513. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141513.
Shiyi Xiong 1,  Jincan He 2,  Hao Qiu 3,  Cornelis A M van Gestel 4,  ErKai He 5,  Zhengdong Qiao 6,  Liang Cao 7,  Jing Li 8,  Guangquan Chen 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201204, China.
  • 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
  • 3 School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
  • 4 Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
  • 5 School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
  • 6 Center for Medical Research and Innovation, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
  • 7 Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai International Medical Center, Shanghai, China.
  • 8 Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: lijing@xinhuamed.com.cn.
  • 9 Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 201204, China. Electronic address: chenguangquan@tongji.edu.cn.
PMID: 38387657 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141513
Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are widely spreading in our living environment, accumulating in the human body and potentially threating human health. The retina, which is a terminally differentiated extension of the central nervous system, is essential for the visual system. However, the effects and molecular mechanisms of MPs/NPs on retina development and function are still unclear. Here, we investigated the effects and modes of action of polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) on the retina using mice as a mammalian model species. Maternal PS-NP exposure (100 nm) at an environmentally realistic concentration of 10 mg L-1 (or 2.07 *1010 particles mL-1) via drinking water from the first day of pregnancy till the end of lactation (21 days after birth) caused defective neural retinal development in the neonatal mice, by depositing in the retinal tissue and reducing the number of retinal ganglion cells and bipolar cells. Exposure to PS-NPs retarded retinal vascular development, while abnormal electroretinogram (ERG) responses and an increased level of oxidative stress were also observed in the retina of the progeny mice after maternal PS-NP exposure. Metabolomics showed significant dysregulation of Amino acids that are pivotal to neuron retinal function, such as glutamate, aspartate, alanine, glycine, serine, threonine, taurine, and serotonin. Transcriptomics identified significantly dysregulated genes, which were enriched in processes of angiogenesis, visual system development and lens development. Regulatory analysis showed that Fos gene mediated pathways could be a potential key target for PS-NP exposure in retinal development and function. Our study revealed that maternal exposure to PS-NPs generated detrimental effects on retinal development and function in progeny mice, offering new insights into the visual toxicity of PS-NPs.

Keywords

Fos; Polystyrene nanoplastics; Retinal development; Retinal function; Toxicogenomics; Visual toxicity.

Figures
Products