Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis
This study aimed to detect and characterize microplastics in intervertebral disc and investigate their effects and molecular mechanism on intervertebral disc degeneration. We collected intervertebral disc tissues from cervical, lumbar, and thoracolumbar segments and used Raman spectroscopy to identi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325002866 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850035228041543680 |
|---|---|
| author | Weilin Zhang Zhencong Li Zhongwei Wang Kuize Liu Shengbang Huang Jinguo Liang Zhiwen Dai Weixiong Guo Chao Mao Siyuan Chen Jinsong Wei |
| author_facet | Weilin Zhang Zhencong Li Zhongwei Wang Kuize Liu Shengbang Huang Jinguo Liang Zhiwen Dai Weixiong Guo Chao Mao Siyuan Chen Jinsong Wei |
| author_sort | Weilin Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to detect and characterize microplastics in intervertebral disc and investigate their effects and molecular mechanism on intervertebral disc degeneration. We collected intervertebral disc tissues from cervical, lumbar, and thoracolumbar segments and used Raman spectroscopy to identify and characterize microplastics. Among 80 samples, 47 contained microplastics, with polyethylene being the most prevalent type. To explore the effects of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs), we established a mouse model and a nucleus pulposus cell model. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed via immunofluorescence staining, cell viability was measured using the CCK-8 assay, and protein expression related to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) axis, oxidative stress, and nucleus pulposus degeneration were evaluated through western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results showed that PE-MPs exposure led to intervertebral disc degeneration by inducing oxidative stress and activating the TLR4 / NOX2 axis, which increased the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells. These effects were mitigated by TLR4 and NOX2 inhibitors. This research highlights the existence of microplastics in human intervertebral disc tissue and unveils a novel mechanism of nucleus pulposus cell senescence induced by PE-MPs, offering new avenues for clinical treatment of microplastic-related disc degeneration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-709558631c0c4f7296c23fae4e9ba439 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-709558631c0c4f7296c23fae4e9ba4392025-08-20T02:57:33ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-03-0129211795010.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.117950Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axisWeilin Zhang0Zhencong Li1Zhongwei Wang2Kuize Liu3Shengbang Huang4Jinguo Liang5Zhiwen Dai6Weixiong Guo7Chao Mao8Siyuan Chen9Jinsong Wei10Department of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaCorrespondence to: Department of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, 57 South Renmin Avenue, Xiashan District, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524001, China.; Department of Spinal Degeneration and Deformity Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524001, ChinaThis study aimed to detect and characterize microplastics in intervertebral disc and investigate their effects and molecular mechanism on intervertebral disc degeneration. We collected intervertebral disc tissues from cervical, lumbar, and thoracolumbar segments and used Raman spectroscopy to identify and characterize microplastics. Among 80 samples, 47 contained microplastics, with polyethylene being the most prevalent type. To explore the effects of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs), we established a mouse model and a nucleus pulposus cell model. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed via immunofluorescence staining, cell viability was measured using the CCK-8 assay, and protein expression related to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) axis, oxidative stress, and nucleus pulposus degeneration were evaluated through western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results showed that PE-MPs exposure led to intervertebral disc degeneration by inducing oxidative stress and activating the TLR4 / NOX2 axis, which increased the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells. These effects were mitigated by TLR4 and NOX2 inhibitors. This research highlights the existence of microplastics in human intervertebral disc tissue and unveils a novel mechanism of nucleus pulposus cell senescence induced by PE-MPs, offering new avenues for clinical treatment of microplastic-related disc degeneration.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325002866Intervertebral disc degenerationMicroplasticsReactive oxygen speciesToll-like receptor 4NADPH oxidase 2 |
| spellingShingle | Weilin Zhang Zhencong Li Zhongwei Wang Kuize Liu Shengbang Huang Jinguo Liang Zhiwen Dai Weixiong Guo Chao Mao Siyuan Chen Jinsong Wei Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Intervertebral disc degeneration Microplastics Reactive oxygen species Toll-like receptor 4 NADPH oxidase 2 |
| title | Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis |
| title_full | Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis |
| title_fullStr | Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis |
| title_short | Polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via TLR4/NOX2 axis |
| title_sort | polyethylene microplastics promote nucleus pulposus cell senescence by inducing oxidative stress via tlr4 nox2 axis |
| topic | Intervertebral disc degeneration Microplastics Reactive oxygen species Toll-like receptor 4 NADPH oxidase 2 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325002866 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT weilinzhang polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT zhencongli polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT zhongweiwang polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT kuizeliu polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT shengbanghuang polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT jinguoliang polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT zhiwendai polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT weixiongguo polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT chaomao polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT siyuanchen polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis AT jinsongwei polyethylenemicroplasticspromotenucleuspulposuscellsenescencebyinducingoxidativestressviatlr4nox2axis |