China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2024, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (11): 4678-4689.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2024.11.003

• Physiological and Biochemical • Previous Articles    

PS-MPs and DEHP Combined Induce Autophagy in Mouse Colonic Epithelial Cells via NO/iNOS/NF-κB Pathway

AI Jingzhu, XU Shiwen   

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150000, China
  • Received:2024-02-20 Published:2024-10-31

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study was aimed to investigate the mechanism of combined exposure of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in inducing autophagy in mouse colonic epithelial cells (MCEC) via NO/iNOS/NF-κB pathway. 【Method】 According to the half inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of PS-MPs and DEHP on MCEC measured by CCK-8 method,MCEC were divided into control,PS-MPs,DEHP,combination,and inhibition groups.They were treated with culture medium containing 200 μg/L PS-MPs,100 μmol/L DEHP,200 μg/L PS-MPs+100 μmol/L DEHP,and 200 μg/L PS-MPs+100 μmol/L DEHP+5 nmol/L bortezomib (PS-341) for 24 h,respectively.Then,the NO content and iNOS activity were detected by biochemical kit,autophagosomes were detected by MDC method,and the expression of mRNA and protein of autophagy and NO/iNOS/NF-κB pathway-related genes were detected by immunofluorescence staining,Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting,respectively. 【Result】 Both PS-MPs and DEHP could inhibite the viability of MCEC with IC50 of 2 315 μg/L and 1 477 μmol/L,respectively.Compared with control group,the NO content,iNOS activity and the expression of mRNA and protein of genes related to NO/iNOS/NF-κB pathway in PS-MPs,DEHP and combination groups were significantly increased (P<0.05),the fluorescence intensity of MDC method and immunofluorescence staining were significantly enhanced (P<0.05),and the expression of mRNA and protein of the autophagy-related genes (Beclin1,ATG5 and LC3-B) were significantly upregulated (P<0.05),PS-341 could significantly alleviate the changes of the above detection indexes caused by PS-MPs and DEHP. 【Conclusion】 The combined exposure to PS-MPs and DEHP could activate iNOS,lead to a sharp increase in NO content,and upregulate of NO/iNOS/NF-κB pathway,which induced autophagy in MCEC.

Key words: polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs); di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); NO/iNOS/NF-κB pathway; mouse colonic epithelial cells (MCEC); autophagy

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