Anionic nanoplastic exposure induces endothelial leakiness

Wei Wei, Yuhuan Li, Myeongsang Lee, Nicholas Andrikopoulos, Sijie Lin, Chunying Chen, David Tai Leong, Feng Ding, Yang Song () and Pu Chun Ke ()
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Wei Wei: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yuhuan Li: Fudan University
Myeongsang Lee: Clemson University
Nicholas Andrikopoulos: Monash University
Sijie Lin: Tongji University
Chunying Chen: National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China
David Tai Leong: National University of Singapore
Feng Ding: Clemson University
Yang Song: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Pu Chun Ke: Monash University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The global-scale production of plastics has been instrumental in advancing modern society, while the rising accumulation of plastics in landfills, oceans, and anything in between has become a major stressor on environmental sustainability, climate, and, potentially, human health. While mechanical and chemical forces of man and nature can eventually break down or recycle plastics, our understanding of the biological fingerprints of plastics, especially of nanoplastics, remains poor. Here we report on a phenomenon associated with the nanoplastic forms of anionic polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate), where their introduction disrupted the vascular endothelial cadherin junctions in a dose-dependent manner, as revealed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, signaling pathways, molecular dynamics simulations, as well as ex vivo and in vivo assays with animal model systems. Collectively, our results implicated nanoplastics-induced vasculature permeability as primarily biophysical-biochemical in nature, uncorrelated with cytotoxic events such as reactive oxygen species production, autophagy, and apoptosis. This uncovered route of paracellular transport has opened up vast avenues for investigating the behaviour and biological effects of nanoplastics, which may offer crucial insights for guiding innovations towards a sustainable plastics industry and environmental remediation.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32532-5

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