Unveiling the systemic impact of airborne microplastics: Integrating breathomics and machine learning with dual-tissue transcriptomics.

Journal: Journal of hazardous materials
PMID: 40022938

Abstract

Airborne microplastics (MPs) pose significant respiratory and systemic health risks upon inhalation; however, current assessment methods remain inadequate. This study integrates breathomics and transcriptomics to establish a non-invasive approach for evaluating MP-induced damage to the lungs and heart. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to polystyrene MPs (0.1 μm, 2 μm, and 10 μm), and their exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed using photoinduced associative ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Machine learning algorithms identified hydrogen sulfide, acetone, acrolein, propionitrile, and butyronitrile as key VOC biomarkers, linking MP exposure to oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed significant gene expression alterations in pulmonary and cardiac tissues, implicating immune dysregulation, metabolic disturbance, and cardiac dysfunction. Pathway enrichment analysis, supported by histological and immunohistochemical validation, confirmed pulmonary inflammation and cardiac injury. By integrating exhaled biomarker profiling with transcriptomic insights, this study advances non-invasive detection strategies for MP-related health effects, offering valuable prospects for public health monitoring and early diagnosis.

Authors

  • Siwei Chen
    School of Pharmacy, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
  • Longfa Fang
    State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems. Engineering Research Center of Grassland Industry, Ministry of Education, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020 China.
  • Teng Yang
    National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Material & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  • Zhen Li
    PepsiCo R&D, Valhalla, NY, United States.
  • Mo Zhang
    Department of TCM, Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, First Hospital of Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
  • Meng Wang
    State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
  • Ting Lan
    College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  • Jiawei Dong
    Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Excited-State Energy Conversion and Energy Storage, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Zhongbing Lu
    College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  • Qirun Li
    National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Material & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
  • Yinwei Luo
    National Engineering Laboratory for VOCs Pollution Control Material & Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Binzhou Institute of Technology, Weiqiao-UCAS Science and Technology Park, Binzhou, Shandong Province 256606, China.
  • Bo Yang
    Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 311121, China.

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