For the first time, researchers have shown in a mouse model that a father's exposure to microplastics can induce metabolic disorders in the next generation. The study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, defines microplastics as particles under 5 millimetres that result from the breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. Fathers were exposed to microplastics while on a regular diet; their offspring were placed on a high-fat diet to reveal metabolic effects that might be mild under normal feeding.
Female offspring of exposed fathers developed diabetic phenotypes and had decreased muscle mass. The team found upregulation of pro-inflammatory and pro-diabetic genes in the livers of these females—genes previously linked to diabetes—whereas male offspring did not develop diabetes and instead showed a small but significant decrease in fat mass.
To investigate how traits passed from fathers to offspring, researchers used PANDORA-seq, a sequencing method developed at UCR. PANDORA-seq revealed changes in the small RNA cargo of sperm, including altered tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) and rRNA-derived small RNAs (rsRNAs). The authors describe these small non-coding RNAs as possible "dimmer switches" that regulate how strongly genes are turned on or off during development.
The study's lead author, Changcheng Zhou, said the results suggest plastic pollution could leave a biological imprint that raises the risk of chronic disease in children. The work involved collaborators from other US medical schools and received partial support from National Institutes of Health grants.
Difficult words
- microplastic — tiny plastic particle from breakdown of larger plasticsmicroplastics
- metabolic disorder — disease that affects the body's chemical processesmetabolic disorders
- diabetic phenotype — body traits showing signs of diabetesdiabetic phenotypes
- upregulation — increase in the activity or expression of genes
- pro-inflammatory — causing or increasing inflammation in the body
- sequencing — method for determining the order of genetic material
- imprint — lasting biological mark passed between generationsbiological imprint
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Discussion questions
- What public health concerns arise if fathers' exposure to microplastics can affect their children?
- What measures could individuals or governments take to reduce microplastic exposure and possible health risks?
- How could changes in sperm small RNAs help explain differences in health outcomes between male and female offspring?
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