Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Reproductive Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2024 Sep 15;283:116818. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116818. Epub 2024 Jul 30.
Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in various human tissues. However, whether MPs can accumulate within tumors and how they affect the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and therapeutic responses remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the presence of MPs in tumors and their potential effects on the TIME. Sixty-one tumor samples were collected for analysis. The presence of MPs in tumors was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. MPs were detected in 26 of the samples examined. Three types of MPs were identified: polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene. In lung, gastric, colorectal, and cervical tumors, the MP detection rates were 80 %, 40 %, 50 %, and 17 % (7.1-545.9 ng/g), respectively. MPs were detected in 70 % of pancreatic tumors (18.4-427.1 ng/g) but not detected in esophageal tumors. In pancreatic cancer, the MP-infiltrated TIME exhibited a reduction in CD8 T, natural killer, and dendritic cell counts, accompanied by substantial neutrophil infiltration. This study illustrates the potential presence of MPs in diverse tumors; varying adhesive affinities were observed among different tumor types. MPs may lead to a more adverse TIME in pancreatic tumors. Further investigations are warranted to assess whether MPs promote tumor progression and affect the efficacy of immunotherapy.
微塑料（MPs）已在各种人体组织中被检测到。然而，MPs 是否能在肿瘤内积累以及它们如何影响肿瘤免疫微环境（TIME）和治疗反应尚不清楚。本研究旨在确定 MPs 是否存在于肿瘤中，以及它们对 TIME 的潜在影响。
收集了 61 个肿瘤样本进行分析。使用热裂解气相色谱-质谱法定性和定量评估肿瘤中 MPs 的存在。在检查的 26 个样本中检测到 MPs。鉴定出三种类型的 MPs：聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯和聚乙烯。在肺、胃、结直肠和宫颈肿瘤中，MP 的检出率分别为 80%、40%、50%和 17%（7.1-545.9ng/g）。70%的胰腺癌（18.4-427.1ng/g）中检测到 MPs，但食管癌中未检测到。在胰腺癌中，MP 浸润的 TIME 表现为 CD8 T、自然杀伤和树突状细胞计数减少，同时大量中性粒细胞浸润。
本研究说明了 MPs 可能存在于多种肿瘤中；不同肿瘤类型之间观察到不同的粘附亲和力。MPs 可能导致胰腺肿瘤中更不利的 TIME。需要进一步研究来评估 MPs 是否促进肿瘤进展并影响免疫治疗的疗效。
