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Lactate exacerbates lung damage induced by nanomicroplastic through the gut microbiota–HIF1a/PTBP1 pathway
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Researchers found that nanoplastic exposure (particles 50–100 nm) disrupts gut bacteria in mice, causing lactate to build up in the lungs and triggering a cellular pathway that worsens lung damage through a process called epithelial-mesenchymal transition, where lung tissue changes in ways linked to scarring. The findings identify lactate and the gut-lung axis as key targets for preventing nanoplastic-induced lung injury.
Exposure to nanomicroplastics (nano-MPs) can induce lung damage. The gut microbiota is a critical modulator of the gut-lung axis. However, the mechanisms underlying these interactions have not been elucidated. This study explored the role of lactate, a key metabolite of the microbiota, in the development of lung damage induced by nano-MPs (LDMP). After 28 days of exposure to nano-MPs (50-100 nm), mice mainly exhibited damage to the lungs and intestinal mucosa and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Lactate accumulation was observed in the lungs, intestines and serum and was strongly associated with the imbalance in lactic acid bacteria in the gut. Furthermore, no lactate accumulation was observed in germ-free mice, while the depletion of the gut microbiota using a cocktail of antibiotics produced similar results, suggesting that lactate accumulation in the lungs may have been due to changes in the gut microbiota components. Mechanistically, elevated lactate triggers activation of the HIF1a/PTBP1 pathway, exacerbating nano-MP-induced lung damage through modulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Conversely, mice with conditional knockout of Ptbp1 in the lungs (Ptbp1flfl) and PTBP1-knockout (PTBP1-KO) human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells showed reversal of the effects of lactate through modulation of the HIF1a/PTBP1 signaling pathway. These findings indicate that lactate is a potential target for preventing and treating LDMP.
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Lactate exacerbates lung damage induced by nano-microplastics through the gut microbiota–HIF1a/PTBP1 pathway
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A new study found that tiny plastic particles (nano-microplastics) can disrupt the gut bacteria in mice, causing a buildup of lactate (a natural body chemical) that then travels through a specific biological pathway to worsen lung damage. This suggests that swallowing microplastics, now common in food, water, and even the air we breathe, might harm your lungs indirectly by first messing with your gut health, highlighting yet another reason to be concerned about everyday plastic exposure.
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