Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats
Background: Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging global pollutant. Previous studies have revealed that chronic exposure to MPs can affect animal and human reproductive health, particularly by impairing the reproductive system’s normal functions, which may increase the risk of infertility in both male...
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| Format: | Article |
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Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
2023
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| _version_ | 1825939734613983232 |
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| author | Amran, Nur Hanisah Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah Goh, Yong Meng Salleh, Annas Mokhtar, Mohd Helmy |
| author_facet | Amran, Nur Hanisah Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah Goh, Yong Meng Salleh, Annas Mokhtar, Mohd Helmy |
| author_sort | Amran, Nur Hanisah |
| collection | UPM |
| description | Background: Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging global pollutant. Previous studies have revealed that chronic exposure to MPs can affect animal and human reproductive health, particularly by impairing the reproductive system’s normal functions, which may increase the risk of infertility in both males and females. Kelulut honey (KH), an excellent source of antioxidants, has been used to counteract the disruptive effects of Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in the rat uterus. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Kelulut honey against PS-MPs-induced uterine toxicity in pubertal rats. Methods: Prepubertal female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (i) normal control group (NC: treated with deionized water), MPs-exposed group (M: exposed to PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), (iii) Kelulut honey group (DM: pretreated with 1200 mg/kg of KH 30 minutes before they were administered with PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), and (iv) Kelulut honey control group (DC: only treated with KH at 2.5 mg/kg). The rats were treated orally once daily for six consecutive weeks. Results: Uterine abnormalities in PS-MPs-exposed rats were significantly improved after concurrent treatment with Kelulut honey. Morphology improvement was observed and luminal epithelial cells seemed thicker with more goblet cells, glandular cells had a more regular and circular shape, stromal cell increased in size, interstitial gaps between stromal cells expanded, and the myometrium layer was thicker. Kelulut honey treatment also effectively normalized the suppressive effect of PS-MPs on the expression and distribution of sex steroid receptors (ERα and ERβ), as well as the level of serum gonadotropin (LH and FSH) and sex steroid (estradiol and progesterone) hormones. Conclusion: Kelulut honey can protect the female reproductive system against the disruptive effects of PS-MPs. The phytochemical properties of Kelulut honey might be responsible for these beneficial benefits. However, future studies are warranted to identify the mechanisms involved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-25T03:41:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm.eprints-109233 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-25T03:41:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | upm.eprints-1092332024-08-19T06:47:40Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/109233/ Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats Amran, Nur Hanisah Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah Goh, Yong Meng Salleh, Annas Mokhtar, Mohd Helmy Background: Microplastics (MPs) are an emerging global pollutant. Previous studies have revealed that chronic exposure to MPs can affect animal and human reproductive health, particularly by impairing the reproductive system’s normal functions, which may increase the risk of infertility in both males and females. Kelulut honey (KH), an excellent source of antioxidants, has been used to counteract the disruptive effects of Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) in the rat uterus. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Kelulut honey against PS-MPs-induced uterine toxicity in pubertal rats. Methods: Prepubertal female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): (i) normal control group (NC: treated with deionized water), MPs-exposed group (M: exposed to PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), (iii) Kelulut honey group (DM: pretreated with 1200 mg/kg of KH 30 minutes before they were administered with PS-MPs at 2.5 mg/kg), and (iv) Kelulut honey control group (DC: only treated with KH at 2.5 mg/kg). The rats were treated orally once daily for six consecutive weeks. Results: Uterine abnormalities in PS-MPs-exposed rats were significantly improved after concurrent treatment with Kelulut honey. Morphology improvement was observed and luminal epithelial cells seemed thicker with more goblet cells, glandular cells had a more regular and circular shape, stromal cell increased in size, interstitial gaps between stromal cells expanded, and the myometrium layer was thicker. Kelulut honey treatment also effectively normalized the suppressive effect of PS-MPs on the expression and distribution of sex steroid receptors (ERα and ERβ), as well as the level of serum gonadotropin (LH and FSH) and sex steroid (estradiol and progesterone) hormones. Conclusion: Kelulut honey can protect the female reproductive system against the disruptive effects of PS-MPs. The phytochemical properties of Kelulut honey might be responsible for these beneficial benefits. However, future studies are warranted to identify the mechanisms involved. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023-03-29 Article PeerReviewed Amran, Nur Hanisah and Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah and Goh, Yong Meng and Salleh, Annas and Mokhtar, Mohd Helmy (2023) Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats. Toxics, 11 (4). art. no. 324. pp. 1-17. ISSN 2305-6304 https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/11/4/324 10.3390/toxics11040324 |
| spellingShingle | Amran, Nur Hanisah Mohamad Zaid, Siti Sarah Goh, Yong Meng Salleh, Annas Mokhtar, Mohd Helmy Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title | Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title_full | Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title_fullStr | Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title_short | Protective role of Kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology, hormones, and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
| title_sort | protective role of kelulut honey against toxicity effects of polystyrene microplastics on morphology hormones and sex steroid receptor expresion in the uterus of rats |
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