Polystyrene Microplastics Induce Testicular Injury in Mice by Remodeling Gut Microbiota and Upregulating Claudin 1 Protein Expression
Epidemiological studies have shown that environmentally related reproductive health problems are be-coming increasingly serious.Polystyrene microplastics(PS-MPs)are the predominant type of microplastics found in the testes,and their potential role in testicular damage through modulation of intestinal flora and tight junction pro-tein expression(Claudin 1,Occludin,and ZO 1)remains unclear.A total of 30 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group or the PS-MPs group,with the latter receiving a gavage concentration of 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 for a duration of 42 days.The levels of serum free testosterone(T)and luteinizing hormone(LH)were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Histopathological changes in the testes were observed using Prussian blue and Masson staining,while DNA damage in testicular tissues was detected by the y-H2AX immunofluorescence method.The impact of PS-MPs on the intestinal microbiota of mice was assessed using the 16S rRNA sequencing technique,and the influence of PS-MPs on the expression of tight junction proteins(Claudin 1,Occludin,and ZO 1)was analyzed via immunohistochemistry.These methods were employed to investigate the detrimental effects of PS-MPs on the testes of male mice and the potential underlying mechanisms.The results indicated that exposure to 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 of PS-MPs for a duration of 42 days led to a reduction in serum T levels,alterations in testicular histopathology,heightened oxidative stress(elevated levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde(MDA),and 8-hydroxy deoxy guanosine(8-OHdG)),and DNA damage(increased fluorescence intensity of y-H2AX proteins),as well as a significant upregulation in the expression of testicular tight junction proteins(Claudin 1,Occludin,and ZO 1).This observed increase may be linked to a decline in the abundance of Lactobacillus genera within the Firmicutes phylum of the intestinal microbiota.In summary,the present study suggests that PS-MPs have the potential to cause testicular injury in mice through the modulation of gut microbiota and the up-regulation of Claudin 1 protein expression.These findings offer valuable insights for the development of clinical strategies aimed at preventing and treating testicular diseases associated with PS-MPs exposure.
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