Dietary exposure to polystyrene microplastics exacerbates liver damage in fulminant hepatic failure via ROS production and neutrophil extracellular trap formation

Benchmark Dose Estimation from Transcriptomics Data for Methylimidazolium Ionic Liquid Hepatotoxicity: Implications for Health Risk Assessment of Green Solvents

Ionic liquids (ILs), traditionally considered environmentally benign solvents, have shown potential toxicity to organisms, raising concerns about their safety. Among them, 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium (M8OI) has been detected at high concentrations in soils and exhibits hepatotoxic properties. To uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying this toxicity, whole-transcriptome sequencing was performed, coupled with benchmark dose (BMD) modeling, to derive transcriptomic points-of-departure (tPOD) through dose-response analysis. The transcriptomic analysis identified 425, 667, and 567 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following low (10 μmol/L), medium (50 μmol/L), and high (200 μmol/L) doses of M8OI exposure, respectively. Enrichment analysis revealed significant perturbations in pathways related to cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and IL-17 signaling. BMD modeling yielded tPOD values of 1.51 μmol/L (median of the 20 most sensitive genes, omicBMD20), 2.98 μmol/L (tenth percentile of all genes, omicBMD10th), 6.83 μmol/L (mode of the first peak of all gene BMDs, omicBMDmode), and 5.9 μmol/L for pathway-level analysis. These transcriptomics-derived tPODs were at least 105-fold lower than M8OI's hepatotoxic concentration, as indicated by its EC50 of 723.6 μmol/L in HepG2 cells. Functional analysis of the transcriptomic data identified legionellosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and transcriptional misregulation in cancer as the most sensitive pathways affected by M8OI. These findings highlight the molecular mechanisms driving M8OI-induced hepatotoxicity and underscore the utility of transcriptomics in deriving sensitive and quantitative toxicity thresholds. The results provide critical insights for guideline-driven toxicological evaluations and regulatory decision-making, supporting a more comprehensive assessment of IL safety.

Co-Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics and Bisphenol A Contributes to the Formation of Liver Fibrosis in Mice through Inhibition of the BMAL1/E-Cad Signaling Pathway

The food safety risks posed by exposure to polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and bisphenol A (BPA) have become an issue worldwide. However, the toxic effects of PS-MPs and BPA coexposure on the mammalian liver remain elusive. In this study, we found that PS-MPs and BPA coexposure have synergistic toxic effects on AML12 cells and the mouse liver. Histopathological staining revealed excessive accumulation of the extracellular matrix in the coexposure liver. Co-exposure to PS-MPs and BPA downregulated Bmal1 and E-cad both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, Bmal1-/- AML12 cells and liver-specific Bmal1-/- mice exhibited significantly reduced E-cad levels, with no significant reduction under PS-MPs and BPA coexposure. Notably, overexpression of BMAL1 and CLOCK significantly enhanced luciferase activity driven by the E-cad gene intron region (containing an E-box cis-element). These results demonstrated that coexposure to PS-MPs and BPA contributed to the development of liver fibrosis by inhibiting the BMAL1/E-cad signaling pathway.

Microplastics induce human kidney development retardation through ATP-mediated glucose metabolism rewiring

Recent research has revealed an accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in the environment and human tissues, giving rise to concerns about their potential toxicity. The kidney is a vital organ responsible for various physiological functions. Early kidney development is crucial for ensuring proper structure and function. Nevertheless, the impact of MPs on renal development is unclear. In the current study, we examined the effect of MPs on nephrogenesis using human kidney organoids. The environmentally relevant concentrations of MPs were applied. Following MP exposure, the kidney organoids exhibited reduced size and abnormal tubular structures. MPs caused an increased level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and DNA damage. Transcriptomic and central carbon metabolism analysis data revealed significant alterations in metabolic pathways after MP exposure, with a decrease in glycolysis and an increase in tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. Moreover, glycolysis inhibition was identified as a contributing factor to the reduced size and abnormal tubular structure of the kidney organoids. These results emphasize the negative effects of MPs on renal development through metabolic reprogramming. Our study provides a novel perspective of MP-induced nephron toxicity mechanisms. The affected pathways and metabolites identified here may act as early biomarkers and therapeutic targets for PS-MP-induced renal toxicity.

Microplastics can alter structural configurations of human non-canonical G-quadruplex DNA

Microplastics (MP) with a diameter of less than 150 μm can enter the lymph and bloodstream systems, induce cellular toxicity and damage DNA. G-quadruplexes (GQs) are tetraplex DNA secondary structures found in the human genomes that play important roles in replication, transcription and genomic integrity. Comprehending the biological and molecular processes underlying the activities of MPs could aid in estimating potential hazards to humans. In this investigation, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) have been selected because these two MPs are environmentally most prevalent and they are of different sizes. Several biophysical strategies were employed to identify that PS-MPs are the most potent MPs that bind to CMYC GQ DNA (present in the promoter of CMYC gene, important for cellular growth and proliferation) and may alter their structure. This study helps to understand the potential threat MPs possesses by interacting with key DNA structures.

Dietary Natural Melanin Nanozymes Delay Aging and Ameliorate Neurodegeneration via Improving Gut Microbiota and Redox Homeostasis

Aging is an inevitable multifactor process that causes a decline in organ function and increases the risk of age-related diseases and death. Thus, the development of highly effective and safe therapeutic strategies to delay aging and age-related diseases is urgently required. In this study, we isolated natural melanin nanozymes (NMNs) from the ink sacs of live octopuses. The NMNs exhibited excellent superoxide-dismutase-mimicking and radical scavenging activities. In SAMP8 mice, treatment with NMNs improved their cognition and memory functions while restoring their aging-impaired liver function and lipid metabolism, thereby prolonging their lifespan. Moreover, the NMNs reversed metabolic changes in their aged brains and reconstructed their gut microbiota composition by enhancing microbial community diversity. Our findings indicate that NMNs treatment could be a promising approach for delaying aging and preventing age-associated physiological decline in humans.

Impact of microplastics exposure on liver health: A comprehensive meta-analysis

Microplastics (MPs) are significant concerns affecting liver health. This is the first comprehensive meta-analysis, evaluating the impact of MPs on liver functions across various animal models, including mice, fish, crabs, and shrimp. Five databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science, were used to select eligible studies. In all, 70 studies out of 1872 publications were included in the analysis, the impact of MPs on liver enzymes, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated. Our results revealed significant increases in liver enzymes ALT and AST, oxidative stress markers MDA, and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, along with a notable reduction in antioxidative enzymes like SOD, CAT, GSH, and GPx. These findings suggest that MPs exposure significantly disrupts liver function by inducing oxidative stress and inflammation. The results underscore the urgent need for targeted environmental policies and further research.

Nano-sized polystyrene plastics toxicity: Necroptosis pathway caused by autophagy blockade and lysosomal dysfunction

The persistent detection of nano-sized plastic particles in humans, animals, and animal-derived products underscores the potential impact of these particles on living organisms. Consequently, the toxicology of such particles has emerged as a pivotal research interests in recent years. In this study, NP was synthesized successfully with an average particle size of 100 nm using a emulsion polymerization method as model particles. Following co-incubation of IEC-6 cells with NP for 24-168 h, a notable inhibition of cell viability and proliferation was observed. The significant activation of autophagy and a concomitant blockage of autophagic flux in IEC-6 cells after 24-72 h of co-incubation with NP were unveiled by transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and double-fluorescent autophagy analysis. A significant increase in the number of lysosomes and an increase in the expression of hydrolase CTSB were detected, indicating dysregulation of lysosomal function. The subsequent transcriptomic and metabolomics analyses, coupled with the observation of activated lysosomes and the RIPK1-RIPK3-MLKL/PYGL pathway, led us to posit that the blockade of autophagy and lysosomal dysfunction, culminating in lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) induced necroptosis, constitutes one of the mechanisms contributing to the cytotoxicity of NP. SYNOPSIS: The cytotoxicity and its related mechanisms of nano-plastic is still unclear. This study found that nano-plastics may induce necroptosis in cells, and autophagy blockade and lysosomal dysfunction are prodromal manifestations.

Microplastics in the human body: A comprehensive review of exposure, distribution, migration mechanisms, and toxicity

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive across ecosystems, presenting substantial risks to human health. Developing a comprehensive review of MPs is crucial due to the growing evidence of their widespread presence and potential harmful effects. Despite the growth in research, considerable uncertainties persist regarding their transport dynamics, prevalence, toxicological impacts, and the potential long-term health effects they may cause. This review thoroughly evaluates recent advancements in research on MPs and their implications for human health, including estimations of human exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. It also quantifies the distribution and accumulation of MPs in various organs and tissues. The review discusses the mechanisms enabling MPs to cross biological barriers and the role of particle size in their translocation. To ensure methodological rigor, this review adheres to the PRISMA guidelines, explicitly detailing the literature search strategy, inclusion criteria, and the quality assessment of selected studies. The review concludes that MPs pose significant toxicological risks, identifies critical gaps in current knowledge, and recommends future research directions to elucidate the prolonged effects of MPs on human health. This work aims to offer a scientific framework for mitigating MP-related hazards and establishes a foundation for ongoing investigation.

Developing fibrin-based biomaterials/scaffolds in tissue engineering

Tissue engineering technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, offering opportunities to construct biologically active tissues or organ substitutes to repair or even enhance the functions of diseased tissues and organs. Tissue-engineered scaffolds rebuild the extracellular microenvironment by mimicking the extracellular matrix. Fibrin-based scaffolds possess numerous advantages, including hemostasis, high biocompatibility, and good degradability. Fibrin scaffolds provide an initial matrix that facilitates cell migration, differentiation, proliferation, and adhesion, and also play a critical role in cell-matrix interactions. Fibrin scaffolds are now widely recognized as a key component in tissue engineering, where they can facilitate tissue and organ defect repair. This review introduces the properties of fibrin, including its composition, structure, and biology. In addition, the modification and cross-linking modes of fibrin are discussed, along with various forms commonly used in tissue engineering. We also describe the biofunctionalization of fibrin. This review provides a detailed overview of the use and applications of fibrin in skin, bone, and nervous tissues, and provides novel insights into future research directions for clinical treatment.

Potential mechanisms of aortic medial degeneration promoted by co-exposure to microplastics and lead

Microplastics (MPs) have attracted widespread attention because they can lead to combined toxicity by adsorbing heavy metals from the environment. Exposure to lead (Pb), a frequently adsorbed heavy metal by MPs, is common. In the current study, the coexistence of MPs and Pb was assessed in human samples. Then, mice were used as models to examine how co-exposure to MPs and Pb promotes aortic medial degeneration. The results showed that MPs and Pb co-exposure were detected in patients with aortic disease. In mice, MPs and Pb co-exposure promoted the damage of elastic fibers, loss of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and release of inflammatory factors. In vitro cell models revealed that co-exposure to MPs and Pb induced excessive reactive oxygen species generation, impaired mitochondrial function, and triggered PANoptosome assembly in VSMCs. These events led to PANoptosis and inflammation through the cAMP/PKA-ROS signaling pathway. However, the use of the PKA activator 8-Br-cAMP or mitochondrial ROS scavenger Mito-TEMPO improved, mitochondrial function in VSMCs, reduced cell death, and inhibited inflammatory factor release. Taken together, the present study provided novel insights into the combined toxicity of MPs and Pb co-exposure on the aorta.

Long-term polystyrene nanoparticles exposure reduces electroretinal responses and exacerbates retinal degeneration induced by light exposure

The impact of plastic pollution on living organisms have gained significant research attention. However, the effects of nanoplastics (NPs) on retina remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of long-term polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) exposure on mouse retina. Eight weeks old C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to PS-NPs at the diameter of 100 nm and concentration of 10 mg/L in drinking water for 3 months. PS-NPs were able to penetrate the blood-retina barrier, accumulated at retinal tissue, caused increased oxidative stress level and reduced scotopic electroretinal responses without remarkable structural damage. PS-NPs exposure caused cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species accumulation in cultured photoreceptor cell. PS-NPs exposure increased oxidative stress level in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, leading to changes of gene and protein expression indicative of compromised phagocytic activity and cell junction formation. Long-term PS-NPs exposure also aggravated light-induced photoreceptor cell degeneration and retinal inflammation. The transcriptomic profile of PS-NPs-exposed, light-challenged retinal tissue shared similar features with those of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients in the activation of complement-mediated phagocytic and proinflammatory responses. Collectively, these findings demonstrated the oxidative stress- and inflammation-mediated detrimental effect of PS-NPs on retinal function, suggested that long-term PS-NPs exposure could be an environmental risk factor contributing to retinal degeneration.

Research Progress on Micro(nano)plastic-Induced Programmed Cell Death Associated with Disease Risks

Due to their robust migration capabilities, slow degradation, and propensity for adsorbing environmental pollutants, micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are pervasive across diverse ecosystems. They infiltrate various organisms within different food chains through multiple pathways including inhalation and dermal contact, and pose a significant environmental challenge in the 21st century. Research indicates that MNPs pose health threats to a broad range of organisms, including humans. Currently, extensive detection data and studies using experimental animals and in vitro cell culture indicate that MNPs can trigger various forms of programmed cell death (PCD) and can induce various diseases. This review provides a comprehensive and systematic analysis of different MNP-induced PCD processes, including pyroptosis, ferroptosis, autophagy, necroptosis, and apoptosis, based on recent research findings and focuses on elucidating the links between PCD and diseases. Additionally, targeted therapeutic interventions for these diseases are described. This review provides original insights into the opportunities and challenges posed by current research findings. This review evaluates ways to mitigate various diseases resulting from cell death patterns. Moreover, this paper enhances the understanding of the biohazards associated with MNPs by providing a systematic reference for subsequent toxicological research and health risk mitigation efforts.

Nanoplastic toxicity induces metabolic shifts in Populus × euramericana cv. '74/76' revealed by multi-omics analysis

There is increasing global concern regarding the pervasive issue of plastic pollution. We investigated the response of Populus × euramericana cv. '74/76' to nanoplastic toxicity via phenotypic, microanatomical, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic approaches. Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) were distributed throughout the test plants after the application of PS-NPs. Nanoplastics principally accumulated in the roots; minimal fractions were translocated to the leaves. In leaves, however, PS-NPs easily penetrated membranes and became concentrated in chloroplasts, causing thylakoid disintegration and chlorophyll degradation. Finally, oxidant damage from the influx of PS-NPs led to diminished photosynthesis, stunted growth, and etiolation and/or wilting. By integrating dual-omics data, we found that plants could counteract mild PS-NP-induced oxidative stress through the antioxidant enzyme system without initiating secondary metabolic defense mechanisms. In contrast, severe PS-NP treatments promoted a shift in metabolic pattern from primary metabolism to secondary metabolic defense mechanisms, an effect that was particularly pronounced during the upregulation of flavonoid biosynthesis. Our findings provide a useful framework from which to further clarify the roles of key biochemical pathways in plant responses to nanoplastic toxicity. Our work also supports the development of effective strategies to mitigate the environmental risks of nanoplastics by biologically immobilizing them in contaminated lands.

Mind over Microplastics: Exploring Microplastic-Induced Gut Disruption and Gut-Brain-Axis Consequences

As environmental plastic waste degrades, it creates an abundance of diverse microplastic particles. Consequently, microplastics contaminate drinking water and many staple food products, meaning the oral ingestion of microplastics is an important exposure route for the human population. Microplastics have long been considered inert, however their ability to promote microbial dysbiosis as well as gut inflammation and dysfunction suggests they are more noxious than first thought. More alarmingly, there is evidence for microplastics permeating from the gut throughout the body, with adverse effects on the immune and nervous systems. Coupled with the now-accepted role of the gut-brain axis in neurodegeneration, these findings support the hypothesis that this ubiquitous environmental pollutant is contributing to the rising incidence of neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. This comprehensive narrative review explores the consequences of oral microplastic exposure on the gut-brain-axis by considering current evidence for gastrointestinal uptake and disruption, immune activation, translocation throughout the body, and neurological effects. As microplastics are now a permanent feature of the global environment, understanding their effects on the gut, brain, and whole body will facilitate critical further research and inform policy changes aimed at reducing any adverse consequences.

Impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on liver health: Current understanding and future research directions

With continuous population and economic growth in the 21st century, plastic pollution is a major global issue. However, the health concern of microplastics/ nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) decomposed from plastic wastes has drawn public attention only in the recent decade. This article summarizes recent works dedicated to understanding the impact of MPs/NPs on the liver-the largest digestive organ, which is one of the primary routes that MPs/NPs enter human bodies. The interrelated mechanisms including oxidative stress, hepatocyte energy re-distribution, cell death and autophagy, as well as immune responses and inflammation, were also featured. In addition, the disturbance of microbiome and gut-liver axis, and the association with clinical diseases such as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis were briefly discussed. Finally, we discussed potential directions in regard to this trending topic, highlighted current challenges in research, and proposed possible solutions.

Airborne Nanoplastics Exposure Inducing Irreversible Glucose Increase and Complete Hepatic Insulin Resistance

As an emerging type of pollutant, microplastics have become a global environmental problem. Approximately, a fifth of the global burden of type 2 diabetes can be attributed to air particulate pollution. However, scientific knowledge remains limited about the effects of airborne nanoplastics (NPs) exposure on metabolic diseases. In this experiment, a whole-body exposure system was used to simulate the real atmospheric environment, and three exposure concentrations combined with the actual environmental concentration were selected to explore the effects of airborne NPs on metabolic diseases. Based on histological analyses, metabolic studies, gene expression, metabolites, and molecular signaling analyses, mice exposed to airborne NPs were observed to show a phenotype of systemic inflammation and complete insulin resistance featuring excessive drinking and eating, weight loss, elevated blood glucose, and decreased triglyceride levels. After airborne NPs exposure, mice were intolerant to glucose and tolerant to insulin. In addition, airborne NPs exposure could result in long-term irreversible hyperglycemia. Together, the research findings provide a strong basis for understanding the hazards of airborne nanopollution on metabolic disorders.