🧬 Microplastics in sperm, and that's not good at all

A father's environment, including his exposure to pollutants like microplastics, could impact his children's health long before their conception. This perspective changes our understanding of biological inheritance.

Scientists from the University of California, Riverside conducted an experiment on mice. They focused on microplastics, these tiny particles resulting from the fragmentation of plastics in our surroundings. These often invisible fragments contaminate all environments, including human reproductive tissues.


This study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, involved exposing male mice to microplastics while providing them with a standard diet. Their offspring were then given a high-fat diet, a protocol designed to simulate metabolically stressful conditions, similar to certain human diets. This methodology helps reveal potentially subtle effects.

The obtained data indicate that female offspring from exposed males show more metabolic disorders, such as signs suggesting diabetes. Their livers show increased activation of genes associated with inflammation and diabetes. In contrast, male offspring do not demonstrate these changes, but display a slight reduction in fat mass. The origin of this sex-linked divergence remains to be clarified.

To understand the mechanisms of this transmission, the team used advanced sequencing. They found that exposure to microplastics alters the small RNAs contained in sperm, molecules that orchestrate gene expression. Unlike DNA, these RNAs do not alter the genetic code but regulate its usage during development.

These observations suggest that microplastic pollution could imprint a biological footprint on future generations, without their direct exposure. The environment of both parents therefore deserves to be considered in the assessment of health risks for the child. The scientists hope that this work will motivate further research on intergenerational impacts.