Synergistic endocrine disruption and cellular toxicity of polyethylene microplastics and bisphenol A in MLTC-1 cells and zebrafish

作者：Ting Ye, R.S.H. Yang, Sarles He, Jiahui Li, Yi Liu, Can Li, Heng Luo · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-025-94902-5 · 被引用次数：25 · 研究领域：Microplastics and Plastic Pollution、Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals、Recycling and Waste Management Techniques

The study investigates the synergistic endocrine disruption and cellular toxicity resulting from co-exposure to polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) in zebrafish and MLTC-1 cells. Previous research has extensively examined the individual effects of PE-MPs and BPA on endocrine systems and cellular health. However, the specific interactions and combined toxicological impacts of these two common environmental pollutants remain underexplored, particularly in terms of their synergistic effects on endocrine pathways and cellular viability. To fill this knowledge gap, we characterized PE-MPs using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectrometry and exposed MLTC-1 cells to PE-MPs, BPA, or combinations of both. The results showed that co-exposure to 100 µg/mL PE-MPs and 100-150 µmol/L BPA for 48 h significantly decreased cell viability, increased apoptosis rates, induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, and altered the transcriptional expression of genes related to steroidogenesis. Specifically, co-exposure upregulated the Ar while downregulating Lhr and 3β-Hsd, with these effects being more pronounced than those observed with single exposures. In a complementary in vivo study, adult zebrafish were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of PE-MPs (1 mg/L) and BPA (1.5 µg/L) for 28 days. This co-exposure resulted in significant increases in the GSI and alterations in the gene expression associated with the HPG axis. ...