2023 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Assessment of the effects of single and combined exposure to microplastics and environmental pollutants on the nervous system and neurobehavior
| Project/Area Number |
22K12408
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| Research Institution | National Institute for Environmental Studies |
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Principal Investigator |
Tin・Tin Win・Shwe 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 環境リスク・健康領域, シニア研究員 (00391128)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2022-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | microplastics / nanoplastics / combined exposure / carbon nanoparticles / neurotoxicity / rats |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The rats were divided into four groups: 1) control group, 2) polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNP) group (50 mg/Kg, 3 days/week, 4 weeks, oral), 3) carbon nanoparticles (CN) group (20 μg/m3 5 h/day, 5 days/week, 4 weeks, inhalation), and 4) PSNP + CN group. PSNP, CN or PSNP+CN-groups showed a significant reduction in the number of center entries and duration of stay. PSNP alone-exposed rats showed poor discrimination ability. Increased glutamate levels, and decreased NMDA subunits (NR1, NR2B), and CREB1, CAMKIV mRNA were observed in the hippocampus of CN alone or PSNP + CN groups. SOD and CAT were significantly lower, while IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and Iba1 mRNAs were remarkably higher in CN alone or PSNP+CG groups. Thus, combined exposure to PSNP and CN had synergistic toxic effects.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
As a research plan, the experiments were performed, and the results were presented in domestic (Japan society of Hygiene) and international (European Society of Toxicology) conferences.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Pregnant rats (n = 24) will be allocated to four groups as 1) the control group, 2) PSNP oral exposure group (50 mg/Kg, 3 days/week, 4 weeks), 3) carbon nanoparticles (CN, 20 μg/m3 5 h/day, 5 days/week, 4 weeks) inhalation exposure group and 4) PSNP + CN exposure group. PSNP group will be administered PSNP dissolved in sterile water from gestational (GD) 14 to postnatal day (PND) 21 in the clean air and CN chamber. At the age of 9-week-old, male and female offspring (n = 8) will be subjected to cognitive and anxiety behaviors. Then, neurological, and immunological biomarkers in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of male and female rats will be examined using real time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses.
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