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Microplastics and Bisphenol A Coexposure on Human Kidney Proximal Tubular Cells
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Scientists exposed human kidney cells in a lab dish to microplastics and BPA (a chemical found in plastics), both separately and together, to see how they affect kidney health. When combined, these two substances caused more cell damage, stress, and inflammation than either one alone, suggesting that everyday exposure to plastic-related chemicals might team up to harm our kidneys more than we'd expect from studying them individually. While this was a cell study (not in actual humans), it adds to growing evidence that plastic pollution in our bodies could have real consequences for organ health.
Background: Microplastics (MPs) accumulate in human tissues, including kidney. Beyond direct harmful actions, MPs can also adsorb a wide range of toxic substances, such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and so, enhancing their toxicity. MPs have been found in human blood, urine, and several human tissues, including lungs, placenta, blood, heart, and the kidney by Massardo et al. Moreover, it have recently demonstrated that patients with evidence of MPs in carotid artery plaque experience an increased risk of death and cardiovascular event compared with those without MPs . Methods: We exposed a proximal tubular cell line for 5-24 hours to polyethylene (PE)-MPs and BPA alone or combined. MP characterization was performed by by means of Dynamic Light Scattering analyses. We analyzed molecules involved in renal damage through mRNA Analysis, Immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry and Western Blot Analysis Results: Compared with the single exposure, the co-treatment was more powerful, reducing cell viability and boosting the pro-oxidant a pro-inflammatory response. Exposition to co-treatment induced a 3.5 and 2.7 fold increase of CCL-2 and -5 (both p<0.05 vs CTR). In addition, Heat Shock protein (HSP90), a chaperone involved in multiple cellular functions, was reduced, while Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) expression, a transcription factor which binds multiple environmental ligands, was increased. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that all the treatments influenced the cell behavior, but the co-exposure was more incisive. The combination of PE-MPs and BPA can negatively modify the cellular homeostasis, contributing to the induction of kidney damage.
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