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Airborne Nanoplastics Perturb Mitochondrial Complex I via the ND6 Axis: Polymer-Specific Mitoepigenetic Remodeling Integrating Experimental, In Silico, and Machine Learning Analyses
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Researchers exposed human lymphocytes to three types of airborne nanoplastics—polystyrene, polypropylene, and PVC—and characterized their effects on mitochondrial Complex I function, epigenetic marks, and inflammatory signaling. All three polymer types disrupted mitochondrial function through the ND6 axis, but with polymer-specific epigenetic signatures, identifying a new mitoepigenetic mechanism by which airborne nanoplastics may harm human immune cells.
Abstract Airborne nanoplastics constitute an emerging class of environmental contaminants, but their mitoepigenetic effects on human immune cells have not been systematically investigated. Ex vivo human lymphocytes were used to investigate integrated mitochondrial, epigenetic, and inflammatory responses induced by polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nanoplastics. Fluorescence microscopy at multiple exposure time points and flow cytometry confirmed efficient cellular internalization and progressive intracellular accumulation of nanoplastics. Exposure elicited coordinated transcriptional remodeling of genes regulating mitochondrial dynamics (DRP1, MFN1), mitochondrial DNA encoded oxidative phosphorylation components (MT-ATP6, MT-COX1, MT-ND6), DNA repair (OGG1, APE1), DNA methylation machinery (DNMT1, DNMT3a, DNMT3b), and mitochondrial-associated miRNAs (miR-21, miR-34a, miR-155). Functional analyses revealed polymer and time-dependent disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and respiratory chain activities, with Complex I identified as the primary site of vulnerability. Correlation analysis showed strong positive associations among DRP1, OMA1, DELE1, and ND6 (r > 0.9, R² > 0.8, p < 0.001), reflecting coordinated mitochondrial stress and epigenetic signaling, while negative correlations between DRP1 and MFN1 (r = -0.54, R² = 0.29, p < 0.01) and between APE and ND6 (r ≈ -0.42, R² ≈ 0.18, p < 0.05) highlight antagonistic regulation and impaired mitochondrial network stability linked to Complex I dysfunction. In silico docking of oxidized nanoplastic oligomers identified high-affinity interactions at the Complex I Fe-S cluster and cofactor-binding sites, suggesting direct interference with electron transfer. A random forest-based model accurately predicted MT-ND6 expression from Complex I activity (R² > 0.85), establishing a data-driven Complex I-ND6 axis. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that airborne nanoplastics induce integrated mitoepigenetic and immunometabolic dysregulation, underpinned by coordinated and antagonistic regulatory interactions in lymphocytes.
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