Microplastics induce senescence in human brain organoids

In human cortical brain organoids, exposure to environmentally relevant micro- and nanoplastics triggers cellular senescence and neuroinflammation, according to a preprint on bioRxiv. Researchers exposed region-specific organoids to synthetic plastics—polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, and low- and high-density polyethylene—as well as ocean-derived particles collected near Hawaii. Transcriptomic analyses revealed activation of innate immune transcriptional programs alongside senescence-associated secretory phenotype pathways. Plastic exposure also disrupted developmental trajectories, skewing lineage commitment toward mesoderm-like states, enriching choroid plexus-like cells, and upsetting the balance between neuronal and glial differentiation. High-density multielectrode array recordings further revealed altered electrophysiological activity and disrupted neuronal network dynamics.