Coexposure to microplastic and Bisphenol A exhacerbates damage to human kidney proximal tubular cells
Daniela Verzola, Noemi Rumeo, Stefano Alberti, Fabrizio Loiacono, Sebastiano La Maestra, Mario Passalacqua, Cristina Artini, Elisa Russo, Enrico Verrina, Andrea Angeletti, Simona Matarese, Nicoletta Mancianti, Paolo Cravedi, Micaela Gentile, Francesca Viazzi, Pasquale Esposito, Edoardo La Porta
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) accumulate in tissues, including kidney tissue, while Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticizer of particular concern. At present, the combined effects of MPs and BPA are unexplored in human renal cells. Therefore, we exposed a proximal tubular cell line (PTECs) to polyethylene (PE)-MPs and BPA, both separately and in combination. When co-exposed, cells showed a significantly reduced cell viability (MTT test) and a pronounced pro-oxidant (MDA levels, NRF2 and NOX4 expression by Western blot) and pro-inflammatory response (IL1β, CCL/CCR2 and CCL/CCR5 mRNAs by RT-PCR), compared to those treated with a single compound. In addition, heat shock protein (HSP90), a chaperone involved in multiple cellular functions, was reduced (by Western Blot and immunocytochemistry), while aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) expression, a transcription factor which binds environmental ligands, was increased (RT-PCR and immunofluorescence). Our research can contribute to the study of the nephrotoxic effects of pollutants and MPs and shed new light on the combined effects of BPA and PE-MPs.