Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse
Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants, resulting in unavoidable human exposure. This study identified MPs in follicular fluid and investigated the specific MPs and mechanisms that adversely affect oocytes. MPs in the follicular fluid of 44 infertile women undergoing assisted r...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Environment International |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024008237 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832589973483683840 |
|---|---|
| author | Qiaoling Wang Fengli Chi Yingdong Liu Qiurong Chang Siyu Chen Pengcheng Kong Wanli Yang Wenqiang Liu Xiaoming Teng Yan Zhao Yi Guo |
| author_facet | Qiaoling Wang Fengli Chi Yingdong Liu Qiurong Chang Siyu Chen Pengcheng Kong Wanli Yang Wenqiang Liu Xiaoming Teng Yan Zhao Yi Guo |
| author_sort | Qiaoling Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants, resulting in unavoidable human exposure. This study identified MPs in follicular fluid and investigated the specific MPs and mechanisms that adversely affect oocytes. MPs in the follicular fluid of 44 infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology were measured using Raman microspectroscopy. Differential metabolites in follicular fluid were analyzed via untargeted metabolomics. Female mice were exposed to polyethylene (PE) to validate human findings. MPs, particularly PE, exhibited the highest detection rate (86.4 %) in human follicular fluid and showed a negative correlation with fertilization rates (r = -0.407, P = 0.007). Elevated PE levels altered metabolites primarily involved in metabolic pathways, ferroptosis, and ovarian steroidogenesis. In mice, PE exposure significantly reduced the number of retrieved oocytes (31.5 vs. 36.3, P < 0.05) and fertilization rate (70.8 % vs. 85.2 %, P < 0.001), while increasing the proportion of poor-quality oocytes (28.2 % vs. 16.5 %, P < 0.001) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to controls. RNA sequencing indicated significant upregulation of inflammation-related genes (Il10ra, Il1a, Il33, Tnfaip8l2, and Tnfrsf1b) in the PE-exposed group. In conclusion, PE exposure impairs oocyte quality possibly by disrupting follicular fluid metabolism, elevating inflammation-related gene expression, and increasing ROS production in oocytes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-465ce057e1314d698155bbec68b36057 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0160-4120 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environment International |
| spelling | doaj-art-465ce057e1314d698155bbec68b360572025-01-24T04:44:10ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202025-01-01195109236Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouseQiaoling Wang0Fengli Chi1Yingdong Liu2Qiurong Chang3Siyu Chen4Pengcheng Kong5Wanli Yang6Wenqiang Liu7Xiaoming Teng8Yan Zhao9Yi Guo10Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, Frontier Science Center for Stem Cell Research, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, ChinaCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding authors at: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 2699 West Gao Ke Road, Shanghai 201204, China (Yi Guo).Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding authors at: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 2699 West Gao Ke Road, Shanghai 201204, China (Yi Guo).Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding authors at: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 2699 West Gao Ke Road, Shanghai 201204, China (Yi Guo).Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants, resulting in unavoidable human exposure. This study identified MPs in follicular fluid and investigated the specific MPs and mechanisms that adversely affect oocytes. MPs in the follicular fluid of 44 infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology were measured using Raman microspectroscopy. Differential metabolites in follicular fluid were analyzed via untargeted metabolomics. Female mice were exposed to polyethylene (PE) to validate human findings. MPs, particularly PE, exhibited the highest detection rate (86.4 %) in human follicular fluid and showed a negative correlation with fertilization rates (r = -0.407, P = 0.007). Elevated PE levels altered metabolites primarily involved in metabolic pathways, ferroptosis, and ovarian steroidogenesis. In mice, PE exposure significantly reduced the number of retrieved oocytes (31.5 vs. 36.3, P < 0.05) and fertilization rate (70.8 % vs. 85.2 %, P < 0.001), while increasing the proportion of poor-quality oocytes (28.2 % vs. 16.5 %, P < 0.001) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared to controls. RNA sequencing indicated significant upregulation of inflammation-related genes (Il10ra, Il1a, Il33, Tnfaip8l2, and Tnfrsf1b) in the PE-exposed group. In conclusion, PE exposure impairs oocyte quality possibly by disrupting follicular fluid metabolism, elevating inflammation-related gene expression, and increasing ROS production in oocytes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024008237MicroplasticsPolyethyleneOocytesFollicular fluid |
| spellingShingle | Qiaoling Wang Fengli Chi Yingdong Liu Qiurong Chang Siyu Chen Pengcheng Kong Wanli Yang Wenqiang Liu Xiaoming Teng Yan Zhao Yi Guo Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse Environment International Microplastics Polyethylene Oocytes Follicular fluid |
| title | Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| title_full | Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| title_fullStr | Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| title_short | Polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| title_sort | polyethylene microplastic exposure adversely affects oocyte quality in human and mouse |
| topic | Microplastics Polyethylene Oocytes Follicular fluid |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024008237 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT qiaolingwang polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT fenglichi polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT yingdongliu polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT qiurongchang polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT siyuchen polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT pengchengkong polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT wanliyang polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT wenqiangliu polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT xiaomingteng polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT yanzhao polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse AT yiguo polyethylenemicroplasticexposureadverselyaffectsoocytequalityinhumanandmouse |