Abstract

Engineered Brain Organoids on a 3D Scaffold Unveil Synaptic Toxicity of Benzophenone-3 Mediated by Wnt/βcatenin Dysregulation

Author(s): Wen Peng*

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3), a common Ultraviolet (UV) filter used in sunscreens, has poorly understood neurotoxic effects, and early  life exposure may disrupt normal neurodevelopment. In this study, we fabricated a 3D inverse opal scaffold using Polyethylene   Glycol Diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel. The scaffold structure was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and its   biocompatibility was validated. The organoids were exposed to BP-3 and the results demonstrate that BP-3 induces concentration-   and time-dependent toxicity, disrupts neural activity, promotes oxidative stress, and compromises cell membrane integrity. Prenatal   BP-3 exposure may impair early brain development via dysregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and synaptic integrity is   proposed as a potential early biomarker for BP-3-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity. This study successfully established a uniform   and biocompatible 3D scaffold supporting brain organoid formation, providing a robust platform for assessing BP-3-mediated   neurotoxicity. These findings enhance the understanding of BP-3’s neurotoxic mechanisms and contribute to the development of   preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Received Date: 2025-09-20 | Published Date: 2025-10-21