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Co-exposure to cadmium and microplastics promotes liver fibrosis through the hemichannels -ATP-P2X7 pathway

Chemosphere 2023 35 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Hui Zou Hui Zou Jian Sun, Jian Sun, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Jian Sun, Hui Zou Yan Chen, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Huayi Qu, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Huayi Qu, Waseem Ali, Waseem Ali, Huayi Qu, Yan Chen, Jian Sun, Jian Sun, Huayi Qu, Jian Sun, Waseem Ali, Hui Zou Waseem Ali, Huayi Qu, Yan Chen, Waseem Ali, Yan Chen, Waseem Ali, Hui Zou Hui Zou Jianhong Gu, Tao Wang, Tao Wang, Waseem Ali, Jianhong Gu, Yan Yuan, Yonggang Ma, Waseem Ali, Jian Sun, Yonggang Ma, Hui Zou Jianhong Gu, Hui Zou Yan Yuan, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Zongping Liu, Zongping Liu, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Jianhong Gu, Jianhong Gu, Yan Yuan, Zongping Liu, Yan Yuan, Yonggang Ma, Yan Yuan, Yan Yuan, Yan Yuan, Yan Yuan, Hui Zou Yan Yuan, Yonggang Ma, Yan Chen, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Yan Yuan, Yonggang Ma, Jianchun Bian, Zongping Liu, Yan Yuan, Jianhong Gu, Jianhong Gu, Yonggang Ma, Yonggang Ma, Jianhong Gu, Yonggang Ma, Zongping Liu, Zongping Liu, Yan Yuan, Jianchun Bian, Jianchun Bian, Jianchun Bian, Jianchun Bian, Jianchun Bian, Jianchun Bian, Hui Zou Jianchun Bian, Yonggang Ma, Zongping Liu, Jianhong Gu, Jianhong Gu, Jianchun Bian, Hui Zou Hui Zou Zongping Liu, Zongping Liu, Zongping Liu, Hui Zou Zongping Liu, Jianchun Bian, Hui Zou Zongping Liu, Jianchun Bian, Hui Zou Hui Zou

Summary

Researchers found that combined exposure to cadmium and microplastics caused worse liver scarring (fibrosis) in mice than either pollutant alone. The combination triggered a specific inflammatory pathway involving ATP signaling that activated the cells responsible for liver scarring. This is concerning because people are often exposed to both microplastics and heavy metals like cadmium simultaneously through food and water, and the combined effect may be more damaging to the liver than expected.

Body Systems

Hepatic Immune

Study Type In vitro

Microplastics (MPs) and cadmium (Cd) are important environmental pollutants, that damage the liver. However, the effect and mechanism of combined Cd and MPs exposure on liver fibrosis are still largely unknown. In this study investigated, Cd + MPs exposure increased superoxide anion production and promoted extracellular ATP release compared with exposure to Cd or MPs individually. Cd + MPs increased inflammatory cell infiltration, activated the P2X7-NLRP3 signaling pathway, and promoted inflammatory factor release. Cd + MPs aggravated Cd- or MPs-induced liver fibrosis and induced liver inflammation. In AML12/HSC-T6 cell in vitro poisoning model, exposure of AML12 cells to Cd + MPs increased the opening of connexin hemichannels and promoted extracellular ATP release. Treatment of HSC-T6 cells with the supernatant of AML12 cells exposed to Cd + MPs significantly promoted HSC-T6 cell activation. Treatment of HSC-T6 cells with different concentrations of ATP produced similar results. TAT-Gap19TFA, an inhibitor of connexin hemichannels, significantly inhibited the ATP release and activation of Cd + MPs-treated HSC-T6 cells. Finally, the expression of the ATP receptor P2X7 was silenced in HSC-T6 cells, which significantly inhibited their activation. In conclusion, exposure to Cd + MPs promoted liver fibrosis through the ATP-P2X7 pathway and synergistically affected liver inflammation and fibrosis.

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