Scholarlink

<p>With the extensive use of plastics and brominated flame retardants, polystyrene microplastics (Ps-MPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) frequently co-occur in the environment, raising growing concerns about their combined reproductive hazards. However, the synergistic toxicity of Ps-MPs and PBDEs on female fertility and oocyte quality remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, we established a 28-day oral exposure model in female ICR mice to evaluate the effects of Ps-MPs, PBDE-47, and their co-exposure on ovarian function, oocyte meiotic competence, and reproductive outcomes. Both Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 alone reduced ovarian weight, decreased antral follicles, increased follicular atresia, and markedly lowered ovulation and litter size, whereas co-exposure produced the most severe impairments. At the oocyte level, exposure significantly reduced germinal vesicle breakdown and first polar body extrusion, increased abnormal spindle formation and erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments, and suppressed TPX2 expression and α-tubulin acetylation. Cortical F-actin polarization, spindle migration, and membrane localization of JUNO and ovastacin were also disrupted, indicating widespread defects in meiotic and membrane maturation. Mechanistically, Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 induced a decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, aberrant mitochondrial distribution, excessive lipid accumulation, and Ca²⁺ imbalance, accompanied by autophagosome accumulation, lysosomal dysfunction, elevated ROS, increased γ-H2AX signals, and enhanced Annexin V labeling, ultimately triggering DNA damage and apoptosis. All alterations were most pronounced under co-exposure. Collectively, Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 synergistically impair female fertility by converging on mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy-lysosome imbalance, and oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage, leading to substantial reductions in oocyte quality. These findings provide key mechanistic evidence for evaluating reproductive risks associated with real-world mixtures of microplastics and persistent organic pollutants.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Assessment of female fertility and oocyte quality in mice after exposure to polystyrene microplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, alone and in combination

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月29日

查看全文
  • Wenwen Hou,
  • Zaishan Yang,
  • Xiaoyan Zhou,
  • Heng Tang,
  • Yongteng Zhang,
  • Mengchan Li,
  • Sien Yao,
  • Changyin Zhou,
  • Yunhai Zhang,
  • Zubing Cao,
  • Yinghui Ling,
  • Yang Gao,
  • Yanfeng Xue,
  • Mianqun Zhang

摘要

With the extensive use of plastics and brominated flame retardants, polystyrene microplastics (Ps-MPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) frequently co-occur in the environment, raising growing concerns about their combined reproductive hazards. However, the synergistic toxicity of Ps-MPs and PBDEs on female fertility and oocyte quality remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, we established a 28-day oral exposure model in female ICR mice to evaluate the effects of Ps-MPs, PBDE-47, and their co-exposure on ovarian function, oocyte meiotic competence, and reproductive outcomes. Both Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 alone reduced ovarian weight, decreased antral follicles, increased follicular atresia, and markedly lowered ovulation and litter size, whereas co-exposure produced the most severe impairments. At the oocyte level, exposure significantly reduced germinal vesicle breakdown and first polar body extrusion, increased abnormal spindle formation and erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments, and suppressed TPX2 expression and α-tubulin acetylation. Cortical F-actin polarization, spindle migration, and membrane localization of JUNO and ovastacin were also disrupted, indicating widespread defects in meiotic and membrane maturation. Mechanistically, Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 induced a decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, aberrant mitochondrial distribution, excessive lipid accumulation, and Ca²⁺ imbalance, accompanied by autophagosome accumulation, lysosomal dysfunction, elevated ROS, increased γ-H2AX signals, and enhanced Annexin V labeling, ultimately triggering DNA damage and apoptosis. All alterations were most pronounced under co-exposure. Collectively, Ps-MPs and PBDE-47 synergistically impair female fertility by converging on mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy-lysosome imbalance, and oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage, leading to substantial reductions in oocyte quality. These findings provide key mechanistic evidence for evaluating reproductive risks associated with real-world mixtures of microplastics and persistent organic pollutants.

Graphical abstract