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Chronic exposure to polystyrene microplastics increased the chemosensitivity of normal human liver cells via ABC

Zihan Chen1, Yue Li1, Honghuan Xia1

  • 1Key Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health Effects, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

The Science of the Total Environment
|December 8, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Chronic exposure to microplastics (MPs) alters human liver cell metabolism, particularly with nanosized MPs. This can inhibit key transporters, increasing susceptibility to toxins and highlighting long-term liver health risks.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Microplastics (MPs) are widespread environmental contaminants.
  • The liver is a known target organ for MP accumulation in mammals.
  • Human liver hepatotoxicity from MPs remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the acute and chronic toxicity of polystyrene (PS) MPs in normal human liver cells (THLE-2).
  • To assess the impact of PS MPs on cellular metabolism and specific cellular pathways.
  • To evaluate the effect of chronic MP exposure on ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter function and chemosensitivity.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of THLE-2 cells to 0.1 μm and 1 μm PS MPs.
  • Acute cytotoxicity assays after 48h exposure.
  • Metabolomic analysis and KEGG pathway analysis after 90 days of exposure.
  • Cellular functional tests assessing ABC efflux transporter activity and arsenic cytotoxicity.

Main Results:

  • PS MPs entered THLE-2 cells with no acute cytotoxicity at <20 μg/mL.
  • Chronic exposure (90 days) to environmentally relevant doses (0.2 μg/mL) significantly altered metabolic profiles, especially with nanosized MPs.
  • The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter pathway was the most affected.
  • Chronic PS MP exposure inhibited ABC efflux transporter activity, increasing arsenic cytotoxicity (chemosensitizing effect).

Conclusions:

  • Nanosized microplastics pose a chronic risk to human liver cells.
  • Long-term MP exposure can disrupt liver cell metabolism and impair detoxification pathways.
  • Microplastic exposure may increase human liver susceptibility to other toxic substances.
Keywords:
ABC transporterChemosensitivityChronic toxicityLiver cellsPolystyrene microplastics

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