Propylparaben Induces Reproductive Toxicity in Human Extravillous Trophoblast Cells via Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Pathways

Parabens(PBs),especially propylparaben,commonly used in consumer products,pose environmental and health concerns.This study explored propylparaben’s cytotoxicity on HTR-8/SVneo human trophoblast cells,revealing significant dosedependent cytotoxic effects,particularly post 48-h exposure.Elevated propylparaben levels triggered apoptosis,evidenced by increased Bax and activated Caspase-3,and induced the G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.Concurrently,an increase in reactive oxygen species and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential indicated oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction.Although Nacetylcysteine(NAC)treatment reduced oxidative stress,cell invasiveness persisted,suggesting propylparaben might affect cell migration through nonoxidative mechanisms.Integrated transcriptome analysis through RNA sequencing revealed 3488 differentially expressed genes affected by propylparaben,highlighting changes in pathways like apoptosis and cell cycle regulation and identifying seven hub genes as potential biomarkers for pregnancy-related complications.This study comprehensively demonstrates the cytotoxic effects of propylparaben on human trophoblast cells,notably through apoptosis induction and cell cycle disruption,thereby providing crucial insights into its potential risks for reproductive health.

Compact, submilliwatt, 2 × 2 silicon thermo-optic switch based on photonic crystal nanobeam cavities

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a 2×2 thermo-optic(TO) crossbar switch implemented by dual photonic crystal nanobeam(PCN)cavities within a silicon-on-insulator(SOI)platform.By thermally tuning the refractive index of silicon,the resonance wavelength of the PCN cavities can be red-shifted.With the help of the ultrasmall mode volumes of the PCN cavities,only～0.16 mW power is needed to change the switching state.With a spectral passband of 0.09 nm at the 1583.75 nm operation wavelength,the insertion loss(IL)and crosstalk(CT)performances were measured as IL(bar)=-0.2 dB,CT(bar)=-15 dB,IL(cross)=-1.5 dB,and CT(cross)=-15 dB.Furthermore,the thermal tuning efficiency of the fabricated device is as high as1.23 nm/mW.