Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 12, 2025
A Reproducible Cartilage Impact Model to Generate Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in the Rabbit
Published on: November 21, 2023
Unveiling the pathogenic mechanisms of polyethylene terephthalate-microplastic-driven osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
Jingkai Di1, Shuang Wang2, Lujia Liu3
1Department of Orthopedics, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China; Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Bone and Soft Tissue Injury Repair, Taiyuan, China.
Abstract:
In recent years, health problems caused by microplastics (MPs) have attracted much attention. The pathogenic mechanisms of them in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are still unclear and urgently need in-depth exploration. The targets related to OA and RA of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) were extracted from databases such as PubChem. Additionally, investigations into potential mechanisms were carried out through the utilization of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Furthermore, six algorithms such as Closeness and the ROC curve were used to further screen the target proteins with high correlation. The stability of the interaction between the target protein and PET-MPs was verified by leveraging molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Western blot (WB) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments were conducted to verify the predicted results. The study identified 59 potential PET targets related to OA and 53 targets related to RA. Among them, biological processes such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and neural membrane potential regulation, as well as C-type lectin receptors and the neural active ligand-receptor interaction pathway were enriched significantly. In addition, different biological processes and signaling pathways specifically affect the processes of OA and RA. After further screening, two proteins such as AKT1 and four proteins such as NR3C1 have relatively high predictive values in OA and RA respectively. Among them, PTGS2 and PET-MPs are strongly correlated targets causing injuries in OA and RA. The in vitro experiments further confirmed that PET-MPs significantly increased the expression of PTGS2 during the progression of OA and RA. This study clarified for the first time the specific mechanisms and targets of PET-MPs in inducing OA and RA, providing a theoretical basis and technical reference for PET-MPs-related diseases.
Insights
Microplastics (MPs) from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) are linked to osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study identified PTGS2 as a key target, confirming PET-MPs
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Microplastics (MPs) pose emerging health risks, with their specific roles in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis remaining largely unknown.
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a common plastic, and understanding its impact on arthritic conditions is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms and identify key molecular targets of PET-derived MPs in OA and RA.
- To provide a theoretical and technical foundation for addressing PET-MP-related joint diseases.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis of PET targets using PubChem, Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG).
- Protein-protein interaction network analysis and screening using algorithms like Closeness and ROC curves.
- Molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, Western blot (WB), and qRT-PCR for experimental validation.
Main Results:
- Identified 59 potential PET targets for OA and 53 for RA, with significant enrichment in pathways like GABA regulation and C-type lectin receptors.
- Discovered distinct biological processes and signaling pathways influencing OA and RA progression.
- Confirmed PTGS2 as a strongly correlated target, with PET-MPs significantly upregulating its expression in OA and RA progression.
Conclusions:
- This study reveals specific mechanisms and molecular targets by which PET-MPs induce OA and RA.
- PTGS2 is identified as a critical mediator in PET-MP-induced joint damage.
- Findings offer valuable insights for understanding and managing microplastic-associated rheumatic diseases.
