Co-exposure of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper induces development toxicity and intestinal mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro

Jinyu Rong; Chenwei Yuan; Xiang Yin; Xiaohan Wu; Fei He; Yixin Wang; Kelvin Sze-Yin Leung; Sijie Lin

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172681

Co-exposure of polystyrene nanoplastics and copper induces development toxicity and intestinal mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro

Sci Total Environ. 2024 Apr 24:930:172681. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172681. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jinyu Rong¹, Chenwei Yuan², Xiang Yin¹, Xiaohan Wu¹, Fei He¹, Yixin Wang¹, Kelvin Sze-Yin Leung³, Sijie Lin⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Biomedical Multidisciplinary Innovation Research Institute, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
² Department of Breast Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
³ Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen Virtual University Park, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address: s9362284@hkbu.edu.hk.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Biomedical Multidisciplinary Innovation Research Institute, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: lin.sijie@tongji.edu.cn.

PMID: 38663618
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172681

Abstract

Nanoplastics (NPs) have raised concerns about the combined toxicity to living organisms due to their ability to adsorb heavy metals. There is still uncertainty, however, whether NPs combined with heavy metals exert adverse effects on intestinal microenvironment, especially the intestinal cells and microbiota. Herein, the combined effects of 500 nm spherical-shaped polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) and copper ions (Cu²⁺) on intestinal cells and gut microbiota were assessed using HCT-116 cells and zebrafish models. The combined exposure of PSNPs (10 mg/L) and Cu²⁺ (0.5 mg/L) induced more severer hatching interference of zebrafish embryos, deformation, and mortality. In larval stage, PSNPs (10 mg/L) accumulated and carried more Cu²⁺ in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of zebrafish after co-exposure for 5 days. Excessive neutrophil recruitment and oxidative stress in GIT of zebrafish larvae were observed. The mechanism of the combined toxicity was revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showing the injuries of GIT, transcriptome and 16S rDNA gene sequencing showing the toxicity pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation and respiratory electron transport chain, as well as microbial community analysis showing the induced microbiota dysbiosis. In vitro tests using HCT-116 cells showed that PSNPs (10 mg/L) and Cu²⁺ (0.5 mg/L) increased cell death while decreasing ATP concentration and mitochondrial membrane potential after 48 h exposure. These findings may provide new insights into the combined toxicity of nanoplastics and heavy metals in the intestinal microenvironment.

Keywords: Copper; Mitochondria; Nanoplastics; Toxicity; Zebrafish.