Verzola Daniela, Rumeo Noemi, Alberti Stefano, Loiacono Fabrizio, La Maestra Sebastiano, Passalacqua Mario, Artini Cristina, Russo Elisa, Verrina Enrico, Angeletti Andrea, Matarese Simona, Mancianti Nicoletta, Cravedi Paolo, Gentile Micaela, Viazzi Francesca, Esposito Pasquale, La Porta Edoardo
Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DIMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Laboratory of Molecular Nephrology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.
Heliyon. 2024 Oct 15;10(20):e39426. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39426. eCollection 2024 Oct 30.
Microplastics (MPs) accumulate in tissues, including kidney tissue, while Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticizer of particular concern. At present, the combined effects of MPs and BPA are unexplored in human renal cells. Therefore, we exposed a proximal tubular cell line (PTECs) to polyethylene (PE)-MPs and BPA, both separately and in combination. When co-exposed, cells showed a significantly reduced cell viability (MTT test) and a pronounced pro-oxidant (MDA levels, NRF2 and NOX4 expression by Western blot) and pro-inflammatory response (IL1β, CCL/CCR2 and CCL/CCR5 mRNAs by RT-PCR), compared to those treated with a single compound. In addition, heat shock protein (HSP90), a chaperone involved in multiple cellular functions, was reduced (by Western Blot and immunocytochemistry), while aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) expression, a transcription factor which binds environmental ligands, was increased (RT-PCR and immunofluorescence). Our research can contribute to the study of the nephrotoxic effects of pollutants and MPs and shed new light on the combined effects of BPA and PE-MPs.
微塑料（MPs）会在包括肾组织在内的组织中蓄积，而双酚A（BPA）是一种备受关注的增塑剂。目前，MPs和BPA对人肾细胞的联合作用尚不清楚。因此，我们将一种近端肾小管细胞系（PTECs）分别单独及联合暴露于聚乙烯（PE）-MPs和BPA中。与用单一化合物处理的细胞相比，共同暴露时细胞显示出显著降低的细胞活力（MTT试验）以及明显的促氧化反应（丙二醛水平、通过蛋白质免疫印迹法检测的NRF2和NOX4表达）和促炎反应（通过逆转录聚合酶链反应检测的IL1β、CCL/CCR2和CCL/CCR5 mRNA）。此外，参与多种细胞功能的分子伴侣热休克蛋白（HSP90）减少（通过蛋白质免疫印迹法和免疫细胞化学法检测），而与环境配体结合的转录因子芳烃受体（AHR）表达增加（通过逆转录聚合酶链反应和免疫荧光法检测）。我们的研究有助于污染物和MPs肾毒性作用的研究，并为BPA和PE-MPs的联合作用提供新的见解。
