Due to the massive production and use of plastic, the chronic and evolving exposure to microplastics in our daily lives is omnipresent. Nonylphenol (NP), a persistent organic pollutant, may change toxicity when it co-exists with microplastics. In this study, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs), either alone or with pre-absorbed NP, generated oxidative stress and inflammatory lesions to Caco-2 cells, as well as affecting proliferation via the MAPK signaling pathway and causing apoptosis. Damage to cell membrane integrity and intestinal barrier (marked by lower transepithelial electric resistance, greater bypass transport, and tight junction structural changes) leads to enhanced internalization risk of PS-MPs. Some important intestinal functions including nutrient absorption and xenobiotic protection were also harmed. It is worth noting that the exposure of PS-MPs with a diameter of 0.1 μm improved intestinal functions quickly but acted as a chemosensitizer for a long time, inhibiting cell perception of other toxic substances and making the cells more vulnerable.

中文翻译：

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吸收壬基酚的聚苯乙烯微塑料可诱导人 Caco-2 细胞肠道功能障碍

由于塑料的大量生产和使用，我们日常生活中长期且不断变化地接触微塑料是无处不在的。壬基酚 (NP) 是一种持久性有机污染物，与微塑料共存时可能会改变毒性。在这项研究中，聚苯乙烯微塑料 (PS-MP)，无论是单独使用还是与预吸收的 NP 一起使用，都会对 Caco-2 细胞产生氧化应激和炎症损伤，并通过 MAPK 信号通路影响增殖并导致细胞凋亡。细胞膜完整性和肠道屏障的损伤（以较低的跨上皮电阻、更大的旁路运输和紧密连接结构变化为标志）导致 PS-MP 内化风险增加。一些重要的肠道功能，包括营养吸收和外源物质保护也受到损害。值得注意的是，暴露直径为0.1μm的PS-MPs可以快速改善肠道功能，但会长期充当化学增敏剂，抑制细胞对其他有毒物质的感知，使细胞更加脆弱。