Environment International最新文献

{"title":"Co-exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles and cypermethrin regulates ferroptosis-mediated hepatic steatosis via the GPX4/SREBP1/SCD1 molecular axis","authors":"Fan Yu ,&nbsp;Shihao Luo ,&nbsp;Zhengrong Zhou ,&nbsp;Feixia Chen ,&nbsp;Jiawei Ying ,&nbsp;Qiufang Wu ,&nbsp;Yize Wu ,&nbsp;Shihua Chen ,&nbsp;Xinxin Yao ,&nbsp;Feiqin Xie ,&nbsp;Wenhui Xu ,&nbsp;Ke Xu ,&nbsp;Renyi Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110223","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110223","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cypermethrin (CY), a pyrethroid insecticide, accumulated in aquatic environments and exertd toxic effects on aquatic organisms, impairing their development, nervous system, and immune function. Polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) readily adsorbed organic contaminants like CY, forming complex pollution systems that resulted in synergistic toxicities. However, the mechanisms behind their hepatotoxicity remained unclear. In this study, both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that co-exposure to PS-NPs and CY significantly induced liver injury and steatosis in zebrafish larvae, while activating the key lipid synthesis regulator sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) in Hep G2 cells. This process displayed typical features of ferroptosis, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, iron dysregulation, and suppression of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Correlation analysis showed a close association between ferroptosis and steatosis. Physiological and genetic verification revealed that Erastin aggravated lipid accumulation by inhibiting GPX4 expression, activating the SREBP1/SCD1 lipid synthesis pathway. Conversely, Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), a ferroptosis inhibitor, alleviated oxidative stress, iron overload, and lipid accumulation, while GPX4 overexpression reversed SREBP1/SCD1 activation and improved lipid accumulation, peroxidation, and ferroptosis. This study revealed a novel mechanism by which PS-NPs and CY co-exposure induced ferroptosis-mediated hepatic steatosis through GPX4. These findings provided new insights into the hepatometabolic toxicity of complex pollutants and identified potential targets for preventing related liver diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110223"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147589092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sensitive windows of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and children’s intelligence quotient","authors":"Yanan Xing ,&nbsp;Hong Gan ,&nbsp;Dihui Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Wu ,&nbsp;Juan Tong ,&nbsp;Shuangqin Yan ,&nbsp;Hui Cao ,&nbsp;Shuman Tao ,&nbsp;Kun Huang ,&nbsp;Nan Sheng ,&nbsp;Jiayin Dai ,&nbsp;Fangbiao Tao ,&nbsp;Yitao Pan","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110218","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110218","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate identification of critical windows of neurodevelopmental susceptibility to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure across the prenatal-to-childhood continuum carries significant public health implications. Although PFAS have been linked to neurodevelopmental impairments, the precise temporal windows of greatest susceptibility remain poorly defined. This longitudinal study followed 572 mother–child pairs and assessed PFAS exposure across five critical developmental periods, including maternal serum during early, mid, and late pregnancy; cord serum at birth; and child serum at 4–6 years of age. At the same follow-up visit, children’s intelligence quotient (IQ) was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV, CN). The associations between multiple PFAS exposures and IQ scores were then evaluated. Results indicate sex-specific neurocognitive effects. In boys, childhood exposure to specific PFAS correlated with reduced visuospatial reasoning and processing speed, identifying this period as a potential window of heightened sensitivity. In girls, higher maternal levels of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) during mid-to-late pregnancy were associated with enhanced verbal comprehension. These findings indicate that the associations between PFAS exposure and cognitive functions differ by sex and by the timing of exposure, suggesting a greater sensitivity to childhood exposure in boys and to prenatal exposures in girls. Further research is imperative to elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110218"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147589060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Building transparency, credibility and trust in evidence synthesis practice: why editorial standards and policies matter","authors":"Nicolas Roth ,&nbsp;Yefeng Yang ,&nbsp;Frederic Coulon ,&nbsp;Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen ,&nbsp;Adrian Covaci","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Editorial standards are not administrative formalities; they function as scientific quality control mechanisms that directly shape the validity, credibility, integrity, and utility of published research. Since 2016, <em>Environment International</em> has been the first environmental health journal to implement specialist editorial policies for handling systematic review submissions. Over the past decade, <em>Environment International</em> has been committed to the continuous advancement and rigorous editorial standards to ensure publication of trustworthy, high-impact evidence-based research. Central to this effort is the CREST_Triage tool (<span><span><u>https://osf.io/bv4en</u></span><svg><path></path></svg></span>), which enables transparent and rigorous editorial assessment of methodological quality, reporting completeness and reproducibility. In this editorial, we describe the recent developments in our editorial policies and efforts undertaken to further develop and strengthen our standards for evidence syntheses and narrative reviews. A major component of this work has been the expansion of our editorial policies to scoping reviews, review of reviews, their respective protocols, and narrative reviews, which is reflected by the development of new triage instruments, guidance, and workflows, which we have implemented in April 2025. <em>Environment International</em> remains one of the very few journals that actively implement effective quality control measures and enforcement of editorial standards for the evidence syntheses it publishes. We believe that transparent and consistent editorial triage criteria and decisions are beneficial to our authors, peer-reviewers, and the field at large. Amidst the reproducibility crisis in science and increasing concern over the validity of evidence syntheses in environmental health, including those introduced by generative artificial intelligence, we call for stronger editorial stewardship and wider adoption of specialist editorial policies by other journals to increase the quality, transparency and reproducibility of evidence syntheses, leading to more comparable manuscript evaluations across journals. As the evidence synthesis toolkit and practice continues to evolve, our editorial policies and standards will adapt accordingly, ensuring that <em>Environment International</em> remains at the forefront, while upholding the philosophy and principles that have guided us from the beginning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110216"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147519034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel framework for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dose–effect assessment: A case study of benzo[a]pyrene","authors":"Jiawen Zhang,&nbsp;Yuxi Wu,&nbsp;Weici Quan,&nbsp;Kaiming Yang,&nbsp;Yiwei Gong,&nbsp;Jin Gao,&nbsp;Lu Li,&nbsp;Kai Yang,&nbsp;Hongguang Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Benzo[<em>a</em>]pyrene (BaP), a representative polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is a priority environmental pollutant with well-documented carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects. Despite extensive research, inconsistencies in exposure metrics, effect indicators, and data heterogeneity have hindered the establishment of standardized reference values for reliable health risk assessment. In this study, we developed a systematic framework integrating effect size standardization, effect classification, and benchmark dose (BMD) modeling to characterize the dose–effect relationship of BaP. By converting multi-source toxicological data to standardized effect sizes, generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to explore nonlinear dose–effect relationship. The results revealed tissue-specific sensitivities, with digestive and metabolic organs exhibiting higher carcinogenic risk, while neurological and metabolic endpoints demonstrated particular vulnerability to non-carcinogenic effects. The mean female oral carcinogenic slope factor (CSF_o) was 2.61 times higher than the mean male CSF_o (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), indicating greater susceptibility of females to BaP via oral exposure. The derived chronic reference dose (CRfD) value (6.89 × 10^-⁴ mg/kg·day) and CSF values (oral intake: 0.252–0.290, inhalation: 1.208, and dermal contact: 0.252–0.290 (mg/kg·day)^-¹) represent refined reference values applicable to human health risk assessment. Furthermore, when validated against 13 occupational epidemiological endpoints, our predictions demonstrated an overall predictive accuracy of 92.31% and a sensitivity of 100% in identifying true human health hazards. This study provides a reproducible and transferable framework for pollutant toxicity assessment and underscores the need for standardized, sex-specific approaches to ensure scientific validity in environmental health risk evaluation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110245"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147630193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bisphenols, nonylphenols, and nonylphenol metabolites in paired dust and urine across China: insights into systemic oxidative stress","authors":"Zhaopeng Li ,&nbsp;Lu Li ,&nbsp;Leicheng Zhao ,&nbsp;Yajie Du ,&nbsp;Zhexi Wang ,&nbsp;Yuhao Cao ,&nbsp;Fang Du ,&nbsp;Saihui Mi ,&nbsp;Haoran Pei ,&nbsp;Yanze Jia ,&nbsp;Xinyan Lv ,&nbsp;Youhua Zhao ,&nbsp;Qiaoying Chen ,&nbsp;Weidong Wu ,&nbsp;Zhiguo Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phenolic compounds have garnered increasing attention owing to their widespread applications and potential risks to human health. However, the contribution of external exposure of phenolic compounds to their total exposure and the association of these compounds with oxidative stress remain insufficiently understood. In this study, 18 bisphenols (BPs), 2 nonylphenols (NPs), and 2 NP metabolites (mNPs) were quantified in paired indoor dust and urine samples (n = 334), along with 7 urinary oxidative stress biomarkers (OSBs), collected across 31 provinces in China. The median concentrations of ∑₁₈BPs, ∑₂NPs, and ∑₂mNPs in dust were 1070, 41.9, and 20.6 ng/g, respectively. In urine, the specific gravity–adjusted median concentrations of ∑₉BPs, 4-nonylphenol, and ∑₂mNPs were 6.4, 1.2, and 0.9 ng/mL, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that exposures to both BP and NP were significantly and positively correlated with OSBs. Multivariate linear regression further demonstrated that the combined effects of BPs and hydroxy-NP (OH-NP) were positively associated with DNA and RNA oxidative damage after excluding the effects of gender, age, and smoking status. Notably, bisphenol S and OH-NP were the primary contributors for assessing overall oxidative damage induced by BP and NP exposure, respectively. Indoor dust can only indicate NP exposure but was not the primary exposure route for either BPs or NPs. This study offers valuable insights into the exposure patterns of BPs and NPs in the Chinese population and elucidates their potential to induce oxidative stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110242"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147620092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between serum organophosphorus pesticides and the risk of incident chronic kidney disease: findings from Dongfeng-Tongji cohort","authors":"Wenyao Liu ,&nbsp;Yu Yin ,&nbsp;Yutong You,&nbsp;Yi Guo,&nbsp;Sijie Chai,&nbsp;Wenhui Wang,&nbsp;Xin Guan,&nbsp;Guorong Zhong,&nbsp;Zhen Yin,&nbsp;Yuying Wen,&nbsp;Wenhui Li,&nbsp;Hui Zhao,&nbsp;Shengli Chen,&nbsp;Pinpin Long,&nbsp;Xiaomin Zhang,&nbsp;Meian He,&nbsp;Huan Guo,&nbsp;Tangchun Wu,&nbsp;Yu Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a significant worldwide public health concern, evidence linking organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) to incident CKD remains scarce. This study, conducted within the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort, included 1,902 participants free of CKD at baseline, with a mean age of 64.13 years. Serum concentrations of OPPs were measured. Incident CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) &lt; 60 mL/min/1.73 m² or positive urine protein. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). During a median follow-up of 5.16 years, 287 incident CKD cases were identified. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that higher serum levels of methidathion (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.11–2.33) and ethion (Q4 vs. Q1: OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.09–2.30) were significantly associated with higher risk of CKD. Phorate and diazinon, analyzed as binary variables due to low detection rates (&lt;50%), were also positively associated with CKD risk (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.09–1.83; and OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.02–1.84, respectively). Moreover, significant multiplicative and additive interactions were observed between diazinon and fish/seafood consumption (≥5 times/week), with an attributable proportion due to interaction of 0.59 (95% CI: 0.25–0.94). These findings demonstrate that OPPs are significantly associated with incident CKD risk and identify a novel interaction between diazinon and dietary factors. This study supports the inclusion of serum OPPs compounds in the early biological monitoring system for CKD-susceptible populations and underscores the importance of environmental monitoring in disease prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110239"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147620116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of quorum sensing-related mRNA in tap effluent as a biomarker for biofilm dispersal in drinking water distribution systems","authors":"Van-Khuong Trinh ,&nbsp;Shota Konno ,&nbsp;Matthew Hong ,&nbsp;Sangdo Yook ,&nbsp;Hyun-Suk Oh ,&nbsp;Chamteut Oh","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110224","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110224","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biofilm growth and dispersion in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) pose significant risks to water quality and public health. Although monitoring biofilm dispersion in DWDS is essential for mitigating the risk of waterborne diseases, current approaches that analyze effluent properties cannot distinguish between bacteria dispersed from biofilms and planktonic bacteria originating from the source water. Quorum sensing (QS) systems—microbial communication mechanisms that regulate gene expression based on population density—are known to be more active in biofilm-associated bacteria than in planktonic cells. We hypothesize that bacteria dispersed from biofilms in DWDS influence QS-related mRNA levels in tap water effluent. Using <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, a common DWDS bacterium, as a model organism, we examined the transcription of the <em>lasI</em> gene, a key component of the <em>las</em> QS system responsible for synthesizing QS signaling molecules. Specifically, the transcriptional activity of <em>lasI</em> was found to be especially elevated at the biofilm surface, where dispersion primarily occurs. Additionally, we quantified <em>lasI</em> mRNA in tap effluent under two conditions known to trigger biofilm dispersion: extended stagnation time and transitions to oligotrophic water quality. These experiments support that the QS-related mRNA in the tap effluent serves as a biomarker of biofilm dispersion within DWDS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110224"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147602856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Personal household air pollution exposure and SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses among women and infants: an analysis within the HAPIN trial","authors":"Lindsay J. Underhill ,&nbsp;Maggie L. Clark ,&nbsp;Dana Boyd Barr ,&nbsp;Kalpana Balakrishnan ,&nbsp;Naveen Puttaswamy ,&nbsp;Ajay Pillarisetti ,&nbsp;Anaite Diaz-Artiga ,&nbsp;Lisa M. Thompson ,&nbsp;John P. McCracken ,&nbsp;Victor G. Davila-Roman ,&nbsp;Lance A. Waller ,&nbsp;Bonnie N. Young ,&nbsp;Michael A. Johnson ,&nbsp;Karthikeyan Rajamani ,&nbsp;William Checkley ,&nbsp;Thomas F. Clasen ,&nbsp;Jennifer L. Peel ,&nbsp;Kyle Steenland ,&nbsp;On behalf of the HAPIN Investigators*","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>While extensive research has linked ambient air pollution to increased COVID-19 infection rates and severity, the role of household air pollution—a major public health exposure affecting nearly 3 billion people globally—remains understudied. Here, we evaluate associations between a clean cooking intervention, personal household air pollution exposure, and serologic evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection using exploratory intention-to-treat and exposure–response analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial randomized 3,200 households in Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda to either continue using traditional solid fuel cookstoves or receive liquefied petroleum gas stoves with continuous fuel supply and behavioral messaging. The current ancillary study leveraged personal exposures to PM_2.5 and carbon monoxide (CO) and dried blood spot (DBS) samples collected in the Guatemala, India, and Peru HAPIN sites to study the association between personal air pollution exposures and COVID-19; Rwanda was excluded due to low COVID-19 prevalence at the time of collection. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies were measured from DBS samples to define serology-based infection status and quantify immune response. Analyses included exploratory intention-to-treat and observational exposure–response analyses of associations between personal air pollution exposure and serology-based SARS-CoV-2 infection status and antibody levels.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>While the intervention effectively reduced household air pollution exposures, no significant differences in COVID-19 infection or antibody levels between intervention and control groups were found. However, exposure–response analyses were suggestive of potential inverse associations between PM_2.5 exposure and antibody levels, diverging from most studies of ambient air pollution.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings suggest that household air pollution may influence SARS-CoV-2 infection and immune response through mechanisms distinct from those described for ambient air pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110180"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147384125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microplastics released from dental materials induce oral inflammatory bone resorption and apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction","authors":"Minhui Yao ,&nbsp;Huiting Guo ,&nbsp;Yuchen Fang ,&nbsp;Yan Chen ,&nbsp;Yue Liu ,&nbsp;Shanshan Liu ,&nbsp;Jingyao Guo ,&nbsp;Ziqi Guo ,&nbsp;Jieshu Qian ,&nbsp;Qian Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110226","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110226","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that are associated with many diseases including atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Alzheimer’s. The oral cavity is the primary point for the uptake of MPs by human, where MPs could pose risks to oral and even system health. Various polymer-based materials have been used as dental materials in oral treatment, however, the assessment of MPs in dental treatments remains limited and the processes and mechanisms by which MPs affect human health through the oral route are elusive. Here, we report the assessment of the risks and sources of MPs in dental clinics, the establishment of the relationship between MPs and oral inflammatory disorders, and also the elucidation of underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that commonly used therapeutic dental materials could generate MPs in dental clinics with proportions significantly higher than those in office areas and outdoors. As a representative, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) MPs showed significant toxicity to human oral keratinocytes (HOK), human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLCs), and THP-1-derived macrophages. Mechanistic investigations of apoptosis and inflammation processes revealed that MPs could lead to mitochondrial stress and autophagy and trigger the Notch signaling pathway and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. Mice experiments showed that prolonged high-dose MPs exposure induced periodontal inflammatory reactions and even led to inflammatory bone resorption. This study provides a scientific basis for the oral health risks by MPs in dental practice and addresses the need for the development of dental materials with higher biocompatibility and environmentally sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110226"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147602922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CircRNA0052011 modulates DNA damage and repair via FEN1 ubiquitination to mitigate polystyrene nanoplastics-induced genotoxicity in the lung","authors":"Meiqi Lan ,&nbsp;Chenghui Zhong ,&nbsp;Xiaole Xu,&nbsp;Mengnan He,&nbsp;Lieyang Fan,&nbsp;Wenfeng Lu,&nbsp;Liqiu Qiu,&nbsp;Jingwen Fang,&nbsp;Jiajing Wang,&nbsp;Shaojuan Wang,&nbsp;Zhizun Deng,&nbsp;Yingxin Chen,&nbsp;Lan Qiu,&nbsp;Xinyu Chen,&nbsp;Yiguo Jiang,&nbsp;Yun Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) are one type of environmental pollutants that can penetrate biological barriers and accumulate within cells due to their small particle size. This characteristic raises concerns about their potential respiratory toxicity. However, the impact of PS-NPs on genomic stability and the underlying molecular mechanisms remained unclear. We established an <em>in vitro</em> model of PS-NPs-induced DNA damage based on exposure levels detected in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In this study, we identified a significantly downregulated circRNA, circRNA0052011, and investigated its regulatory role in PS-NPs-induced DNA damage in the lung. We found that exposure to 20 nm PS-NPs significantly downregulated circRNA0052011 expression, leading to impaired DNA repair and increased γ-H2AX expression, a hallmark of DNA damage. Mechanistically, circRNA0052011 directly interacted with flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1), a key enzyme in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, modulating its ubiquitination and enhancing its protein stability, as revealed by high-throughput sequencing of circRNAs and proteomic analyses. Overexpression of circRNA0052011 effectively mitigated PS-NPs-induced genotoxicity by preserving FEN1 stability and promoting DNA repair. Furthermore, <em>in vivo</em> experiments validated the protective role of circRNA0052011 against PS-NPs-induced lung injury. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of nanoplastics-induced DNA damage and suggest circRNA0052011 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for environmental pollutant-related diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"210 ","pages":"Article 110211"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147501783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}