Kim Eun-Hye, Baek Seung Mi, Park Han Jin, Bian Yiying, Chung Han Young, Bae Ok-Nam
College of Pharmacy Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea.
School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2025 Jan 1;289:117471. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117471. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
There is increasing concern regarding the risks posed by plastics to human health. Nano-sized plastics enter the body through various exposure routes. Although nano-sized particles circulate through the bloodstream and access the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the harmful impacts of nano-sized plastics on BBB function including endothelial cells are not well known. In this study, polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NP) resulted in hyperpermeability and damaged tight junction proteins in brain endothelial cells. We identified that PS-NP increased intracellular iron levels by inhibiting the autophagy pathway in brain endothelial cells. Our study showed that dysregulated autophagy pathways led to increased BBB permeability induced by PS-NP treatment. In addition, PS-NP caused excessive erythrophagocytosis in brain endothelial cells via damaged red blood cells. PS-NP-treated RBCs (NP-RBC) induced the BBB dysfunction and increased intracellular iron levels and ferroptosis in brain endothelial cells. We provide novel insights into the potential risks of nano-sized plastics in BBB function by interaction between cells as well as direct exposure. Our study will help to understand the cardiovascular toxicity of nano-sized plastics.
人们越来越关注塑料对人类健康构成的风险。纳米级塑料通过各种暴露途径进入人体。尽管纳米级颗粒在血液中循环并进入血脑屏障（BBB），但纳米级塑料对包括内皮细胞在内的血脑屏障功能的有害影响尚不清楚。在本研究中，聚苯乙烯纳米塑料（PS-NP）导致脑内皮细胞的高通透性和紧密连接蛋白受损。我们发现PS-NP通过抑制脑内皮细胞中的自噬途径增加细胞内铁水平。我们的研究表明，自噬途径失调导致PS-NP处理诱导的血脑屏障通透性增加。此外，PS-NP通过损伤红细胞导致脑内皮细胞中过度的红细胞吞噬作用。PS-NP处理的红细胞（NP-RBC）诱导血脑屏障功能障碍，并增加脑内皮细胞中的细胞内铁水平和铁死亡。我们通过细胞间相互作用以及直接暴露，对纳米级塑料在血脑屏障功能中的潜在风险提供了新的见解。我们的研究将有助于了解纳米级塑料的心血管毒性。
