Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Oxidative Stress in Mouse Hepatocytes in Relation to Their Size

Abstract

Microplastics have become a new type of environmental pollutant that can accumulate in various tissues and organs of the body and cause chronic damage. In this study, two different size polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs, 5 μm and 0.5 μm) exposure models were established in mice to investigate the effects of PS-MPs with different particle sizes on oxidative stress in the liver. The results showed that PS-MPs exposure caused a decrease in body weight and liver-to-body weight. The hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy results showed that exposure to PS-MPs led to the disorganized cellular structure of liver tissue, nuclear crinkling, and mitochondrial vacuolation. The extent of damage in the 5 μm PS-MP exposure group was more extensive when compared with the other group. The evaluation of oxidative-stress-related indicators showed that PS-MPs exposure exacerbated oxidative stress in hepatocytes, especially in the 5 μm PS-MPs group. The expression of oxidative-stress-related proteins sirtuin 3(SIRT3) and superoxide dismutase (SOD2) was significantly reduced, and the reduction was more pronounced in the 5 μm PS-MPs group. In conclusion, PS-MPs exposure led to oxidative stress in mouse hepatocytes and caused more severe damage in the 5 μm PS-MPs group when compared with the 0.5 μm PS-MPs group.

Influence of Microplastics on Morphological Manifestations of Experimental Acute Colitis

“…The drinking water of the animals in groups P and PD was substituted for 6 weeks with a suspension of polystyrene (PS) microparticles of 5 μm in diameter in distilled water at a concentration of 10 mg/L (79633, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA). The plastic type, particle size, and slurry concentration were consistent with previous studies [ 6 , 18 ]. Glass drinking vessels were used to avoid foreign plastic particles entering the water.…”

Microplastics and Oxidative Stress—Current Problems and Prospects

“…In addition, exposure to MPs (PE, 180-212 µm, spheres, 50-70 mg/L) increased LPO in the coral Coelogorgia palmosa, indicating oxidative damage [57]. This effect was also observed when mice were treated with PS (0.5 and 5 µm, spheres, 10 mg/L) [37]. In these studies, all particles were spherical in shape.…”

“…According to research findings to date, MPs have direct toxic effects at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, individual, and population levels [17]. The toxicity of MPs is size-dependent [37], and the potential for ROS generation increases with plastic particle size [18,38]. Additionally, the generation of ROS rises when there are more MPs present.…”

“…Major cellular molecules like deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and lipids may malfunction or change in structure as a result of this. Increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), oxidized biomolecule formation, DNA mutations, and excess ROS all contribute to cell apoptosis [37]. Numerous diseases may result from these modifications.…”

“…It was found that plastic particles affected LPO in the fish Dicentrarchus labrax, the coral Coelogorgia palmosa, and C57BL/6J mice [37,56,57]. In the case of the fish Dicentrarchus labrax, polymer microspheres (thermoset amino formaldehyde polymer, 1-5 µm at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.69 mg/L) were used, and increased LPO in the brain and muscles was observed [56].…”