Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
08:11
Ecotoxicological Effects of Microplastics on Bird Embryo Development by Hatching without Eggshell
Published on: August 14, 2021
Maternal Polystyrene Nanoplastic Exposure Impairs Cardiac Development in Mouse Offspring and Identifies Lactation as
Xiaorui Zhang1, Yingguang Li1, Xiaotao Zhang1
1Fujian Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
Biology
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Maternal exposure to nanoplastics harms offspring heart development, with nursing periods being more critical. This study reveals nanoplastic toxicity impacts cardiac function and gut health in developing mice.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Toxicology
- Developmental Biology
- Cardiovascular Science
Background:
- Maternal nanoplastic exposure is a growing concern.
- Its impact on offspring cardiac development and critical exposure windows (prenatal vs. lactational) are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of maternal polystyrene nanoplastic exposure on offspring cardiac development.
- To determine the relative importance of prenatal versus lactational exposure periods.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics (50 nm) via oral administration at varying doses.
- A cross-fostering approach was employed to differentiate between gestational and lactational exposure effects.
- Offspring cardiac function, injury markers, histology, gut microbiota, and cardiac gene expression were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Maternal nanoplastic exposure induced dose-dependent cardiac dysfunction, including reduced ejection fraction, myocardial injury, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and fibrosis.
- Lactational exposure resulted in more severe cardiac abnormalities compared to gestational exposure alone.
- Male offspring showed gut microbiota dysbiosis and cardiac transcriptomic alterations, including downregulation of AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.
Conclusions:
- Maternal nanoplastic exposure causes significant cardiac developmental toxicity in offspring, with lactation representing a more vulnerable window.
- The study suggests that gut microbial dysbiosis and cardiac molecular remodeling are involved in nanoplastic-induced cardiotoxicity.
- These findings highlight the potential risks of nanoplastics to cardiovascular development during critical early life stages.
