Jute Nanocrystalline Cellulose Relieves Polystyrene Nanoplastic-Induced Acute Injuries by Modulating Gut Microbiota Gilliamella apicola

Abstract

Natural plant nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), a nanoscale biomaterial with exceptional physicochemical properties, has been extensively utilized in drug delivery systems. Nevertheless, its potential in mitigating nanoplastic toxicity remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that jute-derived NCC (JNCC) effectively alleviated polystyrene nanoplastic (nano-PS)-induced toxicity in honey bees by modulating gut microbiota. Comprehensive analyses, including survival assays, histopathological examination, transmission electron microscopy observation, and apoptosis detection, revealed that nano-PS exposure induced size-dependent cytotoxicity and severe autophagy-apoptosis activation in honey bees. Interestingly, JNCC treatment specifically enriched the core gut microbiota Gilliamella apicola and restored lipid metabolism pathways to attenuate these acute injuries in both the gut and trachea of nano-PS-treated honey bees. Metabolomic analysis further confirmed JNCC-mediated upregulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism, with a marked increase in associated metabolites, including hexadecanamide and glycerophospho-N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (GP-NPEA), which is a regulator of the apoptosis pathway. Colonization with G. apicola significantly inhibited cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by PS nanoplastic treatment in JNCC-treated honey bees, but this obviously restored lipid metabolism to relieve PS nanoplastic-induced acute injuries in the gut. Our findings highlighted the ability of JNCC to mitigate nanoplastic toxicity by regulating microbiota–metabolite networks, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option for environmental pollutant exposure in animals.