Differently surface-labeled polystyrene nanoplastics at an environmentally relevant concentration induced Crohn’s ileitis-like features via triggering intestinal epithelial cell necroptosis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107968
• Publication Date: 2023-05-12T06:09:17Z
• Authors: Dihui Xu; Yuhan Ma; Chunyan Peng; Yibin Gan; Yuheng Wang; Zining Chen; Xiaodong Han; Yabing Chen
• Keywords: Ileitis; Proinflammatory cytokine

Nanoplastics (NPs), regarded as the emerging contaminants, can enter and be mostly accumulated in digest tract, which pose potential threat to intestinal health. In this study, mice were orally exposed polystyrene (PS), PS-COOH PS-NH2 NPs with size of ∼100 nm at a human equivalent dose for 28 consecutive days. All three kinds PS-NPs triggered Crohn's ileitis-like features, such ileum structure impairment, increased proinflammatory cytokines epithelial cell (IEC) necroptosis, PS-COOH/PS-NH2 exhibited higher adverse effects on tissues. Furthermore, we found induced necroptosis rather than apoptosis via activating RIPK3/MLKL pathway IECs. Mechanistically, that mitochondria subsequently caused mitochondrial stress, initiated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. However, mitophagic flux was blocked due lysosomal deacidification by PS-NPs, thus led IEC necroptosis. We further recovery rapamycin alleviate NP-induced Our findings revealed underlying mechanisms concerning NP-triggered features might provide new insights safety assessment NPs.