The possible impacts of nano and microplastics on human health: lessons from experimental models across multiple organs.

The widespread production and use of plastics have resulted in accumulation of plastic debris in the environment, gradually breaking down into smaller particles over time. Nano-plastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs), defined as particles smaller than 100 nanometers and 5 millimeters, respectively, raise concerns due to their ability to enter the human body through various pathways including ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Various investigators demonstrated that these particles may produce physical and chemical damage to human cells, tissues, and organs, disrupting cellular processes, triggering inflammation and oxidative stress, and impacting hormone and neurotransmitter balance. In addition, micro- and nano-plastics (MNPLs) may carry toxic chemicals and pathogens, exacerbating adverse effects on human health. The magnitude and nature of these effects are not yet fully understood, requiring further research for a comprehensive risk assessment. Nevertheless, evidence available suggests that accumulation of these particles in the environment and potential human uptake are causes for concern. Urgent measures to reduce plastic pollution and limit human exposure to MNPLs are necessary to safeguard human health and the environment. In this review, current knowledge regarding the influence of MNPLs on human health is summarized, including toxicity mechanisms, exposure pathways, and health outcomes across multiple organs. The critical need for additional research is also emphasized to comprehensively assess potential risks posed by degradation of MNPLs on human health and inform strategies for addressing this emerging environmental health challenge. Finally, new research directions are proposed including evaluation of gene regulation associated with MNPLs exposure.

Efeitos da exposição à nicotina e à fumaça de cigarro durante a lactação sobre o sistema de recompensa cerebral em ratos / Effects of exposure to nicotine and cigarette smoke during lactation on the brain reward system in rats

Crianças de mães fumantes são mais suscetíveis a se tornarem adultos obesos e se viciarem em drogas ou alimentos palatáveis. Drogas e alimentos ativam a via mesolímbica de recompensa, causando sensação de prazer que induz ainda mais o consumo. Assim, avaliamos a relação entre a exposição apenas à nicotina ou à fumaça do cigarro durante a lactação com a preferência alimentar e sistema dopaminérgico de recompensa cerebral das proles, em dois modelos de programação: Modelo I: no 2o dia pós-natal (PN), lactantes receberam implante de minibombas osmóticas que liberam nicotina (NIC) ou salina (C), durante 14 dias. Em PN150 e novamente em PN160, as proles foram divididas em 4 grupos para um desafio alimentar: N-SC e C-SC que receberam ração padrão; N-SSD e C-SSD que podiam escolher livremente entre as dietas hiperlipídica e hiperglicídica. A ingestão alimentar foi avaliada após 12 h. As mães foram sacrificadas apenas na 21ª da lactação (desmame) e as proles em PN15 (com nicotina), PN21 e PN170 (ausência da NIC). Ao desmame, as ratas lactantes NIC apresentaram menor conteúdo de tirosina hidroxilase (TH), maior OBRb e SOCS3 na area tegmentar ventral (VTA); menor TH, maior receptor de dopamina 1 (D1R), receptor de dopamina 2 (D2R) e transportador de dopamina (DAT) no núcleo accumbens (NAc); maior conteúdo de TH no estriado dorsal (DS); e maior D2R e SOCS3 no núcleo arqueado (ARC). Em PN15, os filhotes NIC apresentaram maior conteúdo de D1R, D2R e menor DAT no NAc, enquanto em PN21, apresentaram apenas menor DAT no DS, e menor conteúdo de pSTAT3 em ARC. Aos 170 dias, as proles SSD demonstraram maior preferência para a ração hiperlipídica. No entanto, os animais N-SSD consumiram mais ração hiperglicidica do que as proles C-SSD...

Children from smoking mothers are more susceptible to become obese adults and to become drug or food addicts. Drugs and food activate the mesolimbic reward pathway, causing a sense of pleasure that induces further consumption.Thus, we studied the relationship between only nicotine or tobacco smoke exposure during lactation with feeding behavior and brain dopaminergic reward system at adulthood, in two programming models: Model I, on the postnatal day (PN) 2, lactating rats were implanted with minipumps releasing nicotine (NIC) or saline (C) for 14 days. On PN150 and again on PN160, offspring were divided into 4 groups for a food challenge: N-SC and C-SC received standard chow; N-SSD and C-SSD could freely select between hyperlipidic and hyperglicidic diets. Mothers were euthanized only in 21ª of lactation and offspring were euthanized in PN15 (with nicotine), PN21 and PN170 (withdraw). At weaning (PN21), NIC dams had: lower tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), higher OBRb and SOCS3 contents in ventral tegmental area (VTA); lower TH, higher dopamine receptor 1 (D1R), dopamine receptor 2 (D2R) and dopamine transporter (DAT) contents in nucleus accumbens (NAc); higher TH content in dorsal striatum (DS); and higher D2R and SOCS3 contents in arcuate nucleus (ARC). On PN15, NIC pups had higher D1R, D2R and lower DAT contents in NAc, while on PN21 they had lower DAT in DS, and lower pSTAT3 content in ARC. On PN170, SSD animals showed an increased food intake compared with SC ones and a preference for the hyperlipidic chow. However, N-SSD animals consumed relatively more hyperglicidic chow than C-SSD ones. N offspring presented lower D2R and DAT contents in the NAc, and lower D2R in the ARC. Model II, nursing rats and their pups were divided into: tobacco smoke-exposed (S group: 4 times/day, from the 3rd to the 21th day of lactation), and ambient air-exposed (C group)...

Neonatal hypothyroidism caused by maternal nicotine exposure is reversed by higher T3 transfer by milk after nicotine withdraw.

Maternal nicotine exposure leads to neonatal hypothyroidism that can be returned to euthyroidism after nicotine withdrawal. Here, we examined the transfer of iodine through milk, deiodinase activities (D1 and D2), and serum T3, T4 and TSH in rat offspring after maternal exposure to nicotine. One day after birth, a minipump was implanted to dams releasing nicotine (NIC), 6 mg/kg/day for 13 days or vehicle saline. Animals were killed at the day 15 and 21 of lactation. At day 15, NIC-treated dams showed decreased T4 and mammary 2h-radioiodine uptake (RAIU) and increase of TSH, thyroid 2h-RAIU, liver D1 and mammary D2. At the cessation of NIC-exposure, pups displayed decreased T3, T4 and thyroid 2h-RAIU and increased TSH. At weaning (21-postnatal day), NIC-treated dams recovered their T4 and TSH, but increased deiodinase level in the liver and mammary gland. Milk T3 content in NIC-treated dams was higher at both day 15 and 21, and thyroid function was recovered at the day 21. Thus, thyroid function was affected by nicotine in both mothers and pups, suggesting a primary hypothyroidism. After nicotine withdrawal, pups recovered thyroid function probably due to the increased lactational transfer of T3 in relation with increased mammary gland deiodinase activities.