Polystyrene microplastic-induced extracellular vesicles cause kidney-related effects in the crosstalk between tubular cells and fibroblasts

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 273; p. 116098
• Main Authors: Wang, Yung-Li, Huang, Cathy Chia-Yu, Zheng, Cai-Mei, Liu, Wen-Chih, Lee, Yu-Hsuan, Chiu, Hui-Wen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15.03.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Culture Media, Conditioned; Endoplasmic reticulum stress; Extracellular Vesicles; Fibroblasts; Fibrosis; Humans; Kidney; Microplastics - toxicity; Plastics; Polystyrene microplastics; Polystyrenes - toxicity; Reactive Oxygen Species; Extracellular vesicles; Reactive oxygen species; Polystyrene microplastics; Fibrosis; Endoplasmic reticulum stress
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116098

Plastic waste accumulation and its degradation into microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) pose environmental concerns. Previous studies have indicated that polystyrene (PS)-MPs harm living animals. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are associated with metabolic reprogramming and mitochondrial dysfunction in various kidney diseases. In this article, we evaluated how PS-MPs affected tubular cells and fibroblasts. The results demonstrated that PS-MPs increased EV production in human tubular cells and caused endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related proteins without inducing inflammation-related proteins in human tubular cells. The uptake of PS-MPs and incubation with the conditioned medium of PS-MPs induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ER stress-related proteins in fibroblast cells. The fibroblast cells treated with the conditioned medium of PS-MPs also increased the expression of fibrosis-related proteins. Our findings suggested that the expression of EV-related markers increased in tubular cells via Beclin 1 after PS-MP treatment. In addition, PS-MPs induced ROS production in vitro and in vivo. We found that PS-MPs also altered the expression of EV markers in urine, and CD63 expression was also increased in vitro and in vivo after PS-MP treatment. In conclusion, PS-MP-induced EVs lead to ER stress-related proteins, ROS production and fibrosis-related proteins in tubular cells and fibroblasts. [Display omitted] •PS-MPs induced EVs in tubular cells.•PS-MPs induced ROS production and ER stress in fibroblasts.•PS-MP-induced EVs affected ER stress in tubular cells and increased fibrosis-related proteins.•PS-MP-induced EVs were regulated by the activation of autophagy in tubular cells.•PS-MPs increased the expression of EV markers in urine and kidneys in a mouse model.