Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are widespread environmental pollutants that pose significant health risks. They originate from industrial processes, consumer products, and environmental degradation, inducing oxidative stress through cellular dysfunctions such as membrane interaction, internalization...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Toxicology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ftox.2025.1567225/full |
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| author | Xian Wu TinChung Leung TinChung Leung Dereje D. Jima Dereje D. Jima Majemite Iyangbe John Bang John Bang |
| author_facet | Xian Wu TinChung Leung TinChung Leung Dereje D. Jima Dereje D. Jima Majemite Iyangbe John Bang John Bang |
| author_sort | Xian Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are widespread environmental pollutants that pose significant health risks. They originate from industrial processes, consumer products, and environmental degradation, inducing oxidative stress through cellular dysfunctions such as membrane interaction, internalization, mitochondrial damage, inflammation, metal ion leaching, and impaired antioxidant defense. Despite increasing evidence of their toxicity—particularly developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) and mitochondrial impairment—our understanding remains limited due to the high costs of animal studies, which reduce the overall size of experimental data. This underscores the urgent need for alternative test methods that are cost-effective, rapid, and translational. This review examines new approach methodologies (NAMs) for DNT assessment, addressing the ethical, financial, and translational limitations of animal models. NAMs integrate three complementary non-animal models that enhance conventional testing. First, zebrafish models provide organismal insights into behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes at minimal cost. Second, neuronal organoids replicate human-specific neurodevelopmental processes in a 3D system, offering mechanistic insights. Lastly, human cell lines enable high-throughput screening, integrating findings from zebrafish and organoid studies. Establishing a new paradigm for DNT testing is crucial for faster and more efficient toxicity and risk assessments, ultimately protecting public health. Standardizing and gaining regulatory acceptance for NAMs will improve predictive accuracy and broaden their application in environmental toxicology. Advancing these methodologies is essential to addressing the risks of MNP exposure while promoting ethical and sustainable research practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fbd136e4feb342e2bdf09d23e04fb57f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-3080 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj-art-fbd136e4feb342e2bdf09d23e04fb57f2025-08-20T02:15:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Toxicology2673-30802025-04-01710.3389/ftox.2025.15672251567225Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplasticsXian Wu0TinChung Leung1TinChung Leung2Dereje D. Jima3Dereje D. Jima4Majemite Iyangbe5John Bang6John Bang7Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United StatesThe Julius L. Chambers Biomedical and Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United StatesDepartment of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, College of Health and Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United StatesCenter for Human Health and Environments, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United StatesBioinformatics Research Center, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United StatesIntergrated Bioscience, Ph.D. Program, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United StatesDepartment of Environmental, Earth, and Geospatial Sciences, College of Health and Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United StatesDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health and Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United StatesMicro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are widespread environmental pollutants that pose significant health risks. They originate from industrial processes, consumer products, and environmental degradation, inducing oxidative stress through cellular dysfunctions such as membrane interaction, internalization, mitochondrial damage, inflammation, metal ion leaching, and impaired antioxidant defense. Despite increasing evidence of their toxicity—particularly developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) and mitochondrial impairment—our understanding remains limited due to the high costs of animal studies, which reduce the overall size of experimental data. This underscores the urgent need for alternative test methods that are cost-effective, rapid, and translational. This review examines new approach methodologies (NAMs) for DNT assessment, addressing the ethical, financial, and translational limitations of animal models. NAMs integrate three complementary non-animal models that enhance conventional testing. First, zebrafish models provide organismal insights into behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes at minimal cost. Second, neuronal organoids replicate human-specific neurodevelopmental processes in a 3D system, offering mechanistic insights. Lastly, human cell lines enable high-throughput screening, integrating findings from zebrafish and organoid studies. Establishing a new paradigm for DNT testing is crucial for faster and more efficient toxicity and risk assessments, ultimately protecting public health. Standardizing and gaining regulatory acceptance for NAMs will improve predictive accuracy and broaden their application in environmental toxicology. Advancing these methodologies is essential to addressing the risks of MNP exposure while promoting ethical and sustainable research practices.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ftox.2025.1567225/fullmicro-and nanoplasticsdevelopmental neurotoxicitymetabolismzebrafishorganoid |
| spellingShingle | Xian Wu TinChung Leung TinChung Leung Dereje D. Jima Dereje D. Jima Majemite Iyangbe John Bang John Bang Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics Frontiers in Toxicology micro-and nanoplastics developmental neurotoxicity metabolism zebrafish organoid |
| title | Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics |
| title_full | Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics |
| title_fullStr | Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics |
| title_short | Developing a feasible fast-track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies: alternative model for risk assessment of micro- and nanoplastics |
| title_sort | developing a feasible fast track testing method for developmental neurotoxicity studies alternative model for risk assessment of micro and nanoplastics |
| topic | micro-and nanoplastics developmental neurotoxicity metabolism zebrafish organoid |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ftox.2025.1567225/full |
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