Chen Liqun, Han Bin, Yang Shushuai, Guo Liqiong, Zhao Lei, Liu Ping, Hong Xiaoming, Zhao Yan, Peng Yahang, Qi Shiyong, Hu Lidan, Chen Yue
Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Institute of Urology, Tianjin, China; Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Medical College, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.
J Hazard Mater. 2025 May 5;488:137393. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.137393. Epub 2025 Jan 30.
Micro-nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitously present in various natural habitats, and the kidney plays a critical role in eliminating metabolic waste from the body. Therefore, nephrotoxicity studies of MNPs are necessary. Consequently, we conducted a study utilizing a mouse model that underwent autonomous inhalation of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) to investigate the impact of airborne nanoplastics (NPs) on kidney. The results demonstrated that airborne NPs could accumulate within the kidney subsequent to pulmonary entry. Transcriptome analysis showed that exposure to airborne NPs persistently interfered with important signaling pathways including oxidative stress, inflammation, and coagulation, which activated the NR4A1/CASP3 and TF/F12 signaling pathways. In vitro studies have shown that NPs were internalized by human kidney proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells, leading to a range of pathological responses, and ultimately affecting cell fate. Furthermore, we pioneered the exposure of NPs to human kidney organoids. Our findings revealed a heightened sensitivity in kidney organoids towards NPs as compared to immortalized cell lines. This suggested that exposure to NPs could potentially inflict a more substantial toxic effect on the development of embryonic kidneys. In conclusion, this study has revealed the deleterious effects of exposure to airborne NPs on the mouse kidney.
微纳米塑料（MNPs）广泛存在于各种自然栖息地中，而肾脏在清除体内代谢废物方面起着关键作用。因此，对MNPs进行肾毒性研究很有必要。为此，我们利用自主吸入聚苯乙烯纳米塑料（PS-NPs）的小鼠模型进行了一项研究，以探究空气中纳米塑料（NPs）对肾脏的影响。结果表明，空气中的NPs进入肺部后可在肾脏中蓄积。转录组分析显示，暴露于空气中的NPs持续干扰包括氧化应激、炎症和凝血在内的重要信号通路，激活了NR4A1/CASP3和TF/F12信号通路。体外研究表明，NPs被人肾近端小管上皮（HK-2）细胞内化，导致一系列病理反应，并最终影响细胞命运。此外，我们率先将NPs暴露于人肾类器官。我们的研究结果显示，与永生化细胞系相比，肾类器官对NPs更为敏感。这表明，暴露于NPs可能会对胚胎肾脏的发育造成更严重的毒性作用。总之，本研究揭示了暴露于空气中的NPs对小鼠肾脏的有害影响。
