| Project/Area Number |
20K11551
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Review Section |
Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
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| Research Institution | International Christian University (2022-2024)
Ochanomizu University (2020-2021) |
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Principal Investigator |
Gouraud Sabine 国際基督教大学, 教養学部, 准教授 (30453179)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
宮本 泰則 お茶の水女子大学, ヒューマンライフイノベーション研究所, 教授 (50272737)
和気 秀文 順天堂大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 教授 (50274957)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2024)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
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| Keywords | Nanoplastics / cardiovascular centers / heart rate / microglia / blood-brain-barrier / Nanoplastic / Neuroinflammation / Area postrema / Oral exposure / Gene expression / NTS / hear rate / osmoregulation / Heart rate / Urine osmolality / Microglia reactivity / nanoplastics / oral exposure / urine osmolality / area postrema / microglia morphology / nanoplastics exposure / blood pressure / autonomic functions / circumventricular organs / inflammatory response |
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| Outline of Research at the Start |
This research plan aims at investigating whether a chronic oral exposure to plastic nanoparticles affects central nervous system in rats. The study will focus on molecular and functional characteristics of brains areas involved in the regulation of autonomic functions.
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
This study investigated the effects of chronic oral exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) on rat cardiovascular function and on the reactivity of microglia (MG) - the neurons' protectors - in the area postrema (AP), a cardiovascular center lacking a blood-brain barrier (BBB). Wistar rats received daily doses of 50nm diameter PSNPs or control solutions for eight weeks. PSNP exposure lowered heart rate and increased urine osmolality. In control rats, MG activation was greater in the AP than in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), a cardiovascular center protected by the BBB. However, PSNPs significantly altered MG reactivity in both regions, indicating that areas shielded by the BBB are as susceptible as unprotected ones. These results suggest that circulating PSNPs disrupt cardiovascular homeostasis, likely via MG activation in autonomic brain regions, highlighting the urgent need for further research into nanoplastic-induced neuroinflammation and systemic effects.
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
ヒトは日常的に、摂取、吸入、皮膚接触を通じてナノプラスチックに曝露されています。これらの粒子は人体組織から検出されているものの、健康影響はほとんど解明されていません。本研究では、ポリスチレンナノプラスチック（PSNP）をラットに慢性的に経口投与し、心血管機能およびその中枢神経による調節への影響を調査しました。その結果、PSNPは心拍数の調節を撹乱し、心血管制御に関与する脳領域でニューロンを保護する免疫細胞であるミクログリアを活性化させました。これらの知見の意味するところについては今後の研究が必要ですが、本研究はNP曝露による健康リスクの可能性を示し、さらなる研究と規制の重要性を強調しています。
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