Toxicological Research

Korean Society of Toxicology & Korea Environmental Mutagen Society (한국독성학회)
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Characterisation of changes in global genes expression in the lung of ICR mice in response to the inflammation and fibrosis induced by polystyrene nanoplastics inhalation

  • You Jeong Jin (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Ji Eun Kim (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Yu Jeong Roh (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Hee Jin Song (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Ayun Seol (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Jumin Park (Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Human Ecology, Pusan National University) ;
  • Yong Lim (Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Nursing and Healthcare Science, Dong-Eui University) ;
  • Sungbaek Seo (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University) ;
  • Dae Youn Hwang (Department of Biomaterials Science (BK21 FOUR Program)/Life and Industry Convergence Research Institute/Laboratory Animals Resources Center, College of Natural Resources and Life Science, Pusan National University)
  • Received : 2022.12.22
  • Accepted : 2023.04.26
  • Published : 2023.10.15
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Abstract

This study characterised the changes in global gene expression in the lung of ICR mice in response to the inflammation and fibrosis induced by the inhalation of 0.5 ㎛ polystyrene (PS)-nanoplastics (NPs) at various concentrations (4, 8, and 16 ㎍/mL) for 2 weeks. The total RNA extracted from the lung tissue of NPs-inhaled mice was hybridised into oligonucleotide microarrays. Significant upregulation was detected in several inflammatory responses, including the number of immune cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the expression level of inflammatory cytokines, mucin secretion, and histopathological changes, while they accumulated average of 13.38±1.0 ㎍/g in the lungs of the inhaled ICR mice. Similar responses were observed regarding the levels of fibrosis-related factors in the NPs-inhaled lung of ICR mice, such as pulmonary parenchymal area, expression of pro-fibrotic marker genes, and TGF-β1 downstream signalling without any significant hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. In microarray analyses, 60 genes were upregulated, and 55 genes were downregulated in the lung of ICR mice during inflammation and fibrosis induced by NPs inhalation compared to the Vehicle-inhaled mice. Among these genes, many were categorised into several ontology categories, including the anatomical structure, binding, membrane, and metabolic process. Furthermore, the major genes in the upregulated categories included Igkv14-126000, Egr1, Scel, Lamb3, and Upk3b. In contrast, the major genes in the down-regulated categories were Olfr417, Olfr519, Rps16, Rap2b, and Vmn1r193. These results suggest several gene functional groups and individual genes as specific biomarkers respond to inflammation and fibrosis induced by PS-NPs inhalation in ICR mice.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Miss Jin Hyang Hwang, the animal technician, for directing animal care and use at the Laboratory Animal Resources Center at Pusan National University.

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