Long-term Low-dose Nanoplastic Exposure Induces Neurotoxicity with Oxidative Brain Damage-Transcriptomics Data

This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of chronic exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) on systemic molecular networks, with a particular focus on neurodegenerative. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant upregulation of pathways associated with Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, even cardiovascular disease pathways like diabetic cardiomyopathy which is quite surprising, indicating systemic molecular network reorganization driven by prolonged PS-NPs exposure.

Sample Information:
Animal model: 5-week-old male C57BL/6J mice
Experimental duration: 17 months
Group design:
Control group (n=3): standard sterile drinking water
PS-NPs group (n=3): drinking water supplemented with polystyrene nanoplastics
Exposure route: continuous oral administration via drinking water; water bottles replaced weekly
Tissue collected: brain tissue
Endpoint: upon the first natural death among all mice, the remaining animals were euthanized