Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction
Microplastics have gained significant social attention, as they can enter our bodies through food and drinking water. The adrenal gland is essential for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and stress responses. Nevertheless, the effects of microplastics on the steroid synthesis in the adrenal c...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132401604X |
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| author | Ying Xiong Zhe Chen Hanmin Xiang Yi Liu Yanlin Wang |
| author_facet | Ying Xiong Zhe Chen Hanmin Xiang Yi Liu Yanlin Wang |
| author_sort | Ying Xiong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microplastics have gained significant social attention, as they can enter our bodies through food and drinking water. The adrenal gland is essential for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and stress responses. Nevertheless, the effects of microplastics on the steroid synthesis in the adrenal cortex was still unclear. In this study, through both in vivo and in vitro models, we found that polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) impaired adrenal steroid synthesis, leading to a reduction in corticosterone levels. In vivo, we further observed that chronic exposure to PS-MPs (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/d for 4 weeks) could induce abnormal mitochondrial morphology and functional disruptions of adrenal glands in male mice, along with an imbalance in cellular oxidative stress, manifested as increased level of reactive oxygen species, diminished antioxidant activity (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). In vitro, these occurrences coincided with an elevated rate of cell apoptosis observed in adrenocortical cells following exposure to PS-MPs. We proposed that mitochondrial dysfunction not only directly influenced the biosynthetic processes of steroid hormones but also induced cell apoptosis through the initiation of cellular oxidative stress. The latter may represent a common mechanism underlying the multi-organ toxicity induced by PS-MPs in the body. Our findings would provide new insights for the development of more effective environmental protection measures and the reduction of plastic pollution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8ed5651706994dd4a16d6efec28bb38a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-8ed5651706994dd4a16d6efec28bb38a2025-02-12T05:29:31ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01290117528Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunctionYing Xiong0Zhe Chen1Hanmin Xiang2Yi Liu3Yanlin Wang4Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, ChinaDepartment of Orthopedics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, ChinaDepartment of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, ChinaReproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medicine College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Correspondence to: Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430071, China.Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Correspondence to: Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.Microplastics have gained significant social attention, as they can enter our bodies through food and drinking water. The adrenal gland is essential for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and stress responses. Nevertheless, the effects of microplastics on the steroid synthesis in the adrenal cortex was still unclear. In this study, through both in vivo and in vitro models, we found that polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) impaired adrenal steroid synthesis, leading to a reduction in corticosterone levels. In vivo, we further observed that chronic exposure to PS-MPs (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/d for 4 weeks) could induce abnormal mitochondrial morphology and functional disruptions of adrenal glands in male mice, along with an imbalance in cellular oxidative stress, manifested as increased level of reactive oxygen species, diminished antioxidant activity (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). In vitro, these occurrences coincided with an elevated rate of cell apoptosis observed in adrenocortical cells following exposure to PS-MPs. We proposed that mitochondrial dysfunction not only directly influenced the biosynthetic processes of steroid hormones but also induced cell apoptosis through the initiation of cellular oxidative stress. The latter may represent a common mechanism underlying the multi-organ toxicity induced by PS-MPs in the body. Our findings would provide new insights for the development of more effective environmental protection measures and the reduction of plastic pollution.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132401604XMicroplasticsOxidative stressApoptosisAdrenal steroid synthesisMitochondrial |
| spellingShingle | Ying Xiong Zhe Chen Hanmin Xiang Yi Liu Yanlin Wang Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Microplastics Oxidative stress Apoptosis Adrenal steroid synthesis Mitochondrial |
| title | Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| title_full | Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| title_fullStr | Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| title_short | Polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| title_sort | polystyrene microplastics disrupt adrenal steroid synthesis in male mice via mitochondrial dysfunction |
| topic | Microplastics Oxidative stress Apoptosis Adrenal steroid synthesis Mitochondrial |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132401604X |
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