폴리에틸렌 미세플라스틱과 납의 복합노출에 따른 실험동물의 세포면역기능 조절 장애 평가

• 영문명: Dysregulation of Cellular Immune Functions on Gastric Administration to Mixtures of Polyethlene Microplastics and Metallic Lead in Mice
• 발행기관: 한국환경보건학회
• 저자명: 이경우(Gyoungwoo Lee) 김창열(Changyul Kim)
• 간행물 정보: 『1. 한국환경보건학회지』제49권 제1호, 22~29쪽, 전체 8쪽
• 주제분류: 공학 > 환경공학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2023.02.28

영문 초록

Background: The existing research results on the combined toxicity of these pollutants using mammals, such as rodents, are insufficient, especially in relation to changes in the immune system. Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the cellular immune response to PE-MPs solely or when combined with Pb, which possess excellent adsorption capacity with PE-MPs and is commonly co-exposed in our daily lives. Methods: The study investigated the cellular immune function of 9-week ICR mice with 28 days exposure to PE-MPs (2 mg/mouse/day) and Pb (0.1 mM in distilled water) individually and in combination. PE-MPs were administered via gastric intubation while the lead intake was conducted via the oral drinking water route. Cellular immunity was evaluated by analyzing the production for TH1 cytokines namely, TNF-α and IFN-γ and TH2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-6 in culture supernatants from polyclonally activated splenic mononuclear cells ex vivo. Results: Both the PE-MPs only and the PE-MPs+Pb exposure group revealed an increased TH1 response with elevated TNF-α and IFN-γ levels and downregulated TH2 response with low IL-4, and IL-6 production levels compared to the control group. Furthermore, an increased IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was found in the PE-MPs only and PE-MPs+Pb exposure groups, which indicated the skewedness to TH1 response. Meanwhile, reduced blood hemoglobin levels and increased levels of IL-4, the dominant TH2 cytokine in the Pb-only exposure group, were observed. Conclusions: Our current findings on the predominance of TH1 immune response in the PE-MPs and PE-MPs+Pb groups suggest that PE-MPs could be responsible for the predominant induction of the cellular immune changes. This finding could be used as an important landmark in research related to TH1 predominance, such as autoimmune diseases. It suggests that additional research on immune modulation using longer exposure durations or the same exposure route is required to elucidate stronger findings.

키워드

Cytokine helper T cell type I and type II inflammation polyethylene microplastics and lead combine exposure