Environment and Health: Influence of Microplastic and Nanoplastics on Lung Cells

大规模的塑料垃圾污染地球现在是一个众所周知的问题，引发了旨在限制塑料袋和瓶子的生产和使用，并增加回收的政策。然而，规模小得多的塑料，即微塑料(颗粒5毫米)和纳米塑料(颗粒1微米)可能会产生潜伏的影响，这引起了越来越多的认识和关注。这些微粒的来源多种多样，例如将较大的塑料碎片分解成较小的碎片、合成衣物纤维、轮胎产生的粉尘，甚至是口香糖和牙膏。MNPLs普遍存在于海洋环境中，目前存在于生物体内，可通过毒物的物理破坏和化学转移对海洋生态系统和人类产生不同的影响。人类不可避免地广泛接触到环境中的MNPLs，主要是通过吸入和摄取。1-3MNPLs现在在我们的日常生活中随处可见；例如，最近对世界各地自来水样本的分析发现，很高比例(80%)的饮用水受到MNPLs的污染。MNPLs可引起氧化应激、炎性损伤、组织内化或移位增加。一旦内化，MNPL可以释放在制造过程中添加的有毒化合物，以提高聚合物的性能。此外，MNPLs还可以以特洛伊木马的方式吸收和促进其他环境污染物和病原体进入生物体的运输。最近在人类肺部、痰和血流中发现了微塑料；研究表明，暴露于MNPLs会导致某些工人的呼吸问题。4-6啮齿动物实验支持MNPLs对肺部健康的有害作用，例如，通过改变呼吸道上皮细胞，增加炎症和呼吸道组织增厚(称为“纤维化”)。7、8本项目将研究MNPLs对呼吸道平滑肌(ASM)和以纤维/束形式包围呼吸道的上皮细胞的影响，这一点很重要，因为它们有助于保持健康的呼吸道口径，并在导致呼吸困难的呼吸系统疾病中变得功能失调。肺部微生物群落在呼吸道健康和疾病中也发挥着重要作用，这将受到MNPLs的影响，并将得到探索。

Macroscale plastic waste polluting the earth is now a well-known issue, triggering policies that aim to limit the production and use of plastic bags and bottles, and increase of recycling. However, plastics at much smaller scale, namely, microplastics (particles < 5 mm) and nanoplastics (particles < 1 um), can have insidious effects, which raise growing awareness and concern. These particles are produced from a variety of sources, such as breakdown of larger plastic debris into smaller pieces, synthetic clothing fibres, dust from tyres, and even from chewing gums and toothpastes. MNPLs are ubiquitous in the marine environment, which are now found inside living organisms, and can have diverse impact on marine ecosystems and humans through physical damage and chemical transfer of toxicants. Humans are extensively and inevitably exposed to environmental MNPLs, mainly through inhalation and ingestion.1-3 MNPLs are now ubiquitous in our daily life; for example, a recent analysis of tap water samples from around the world found that a high proportion (>80%) of drinking water is contaminated with MNPLs. MNPLs can cause oxidative stress, inflammatory lesions, increased internalization or translocation through tissues. Once internalized, MNPLs can release toxic compounds added during manufacture to enhance the polymers' performance. Additionally, MNPLs can adsorb and facilitate the transport of other environmental contaminants and pathogens into living organisms, in the way of a Trojan horse. Microplastics have recently been detected in human lungs, phlegm and bloodstream; and studies suggest that exposure to MNPLs contributes to respiratory problems in certain groups of workers.4-6 Experiments in rodents support a detrimental role of MNPLs in lung health, e.g., via changes in the epithelial cells that line the airways, increased inflammation, and airway tissue thickening (termed "fibrosis").7,8 This project will study the effects of MNPLs on airway smooth muscle (ASM) and epithelial cells that surround the airways in fibres/bundles, which are important as they help maintain the airway calibre in health and can become dysfunctional in respiratory disease that contributes to breathing difficulties. The lung microbial community also plays a major role in respiratory health and disease, which will be influenced by MNPLs and will be explored.