Liangliang Niu , Jiamin Liu , Huan Xu , Binghui Liu , Maomao Song , Chunchun Hu , Rui Jiang , Xinghuai Sun , Yuan Lei
{"title":"暴露于颗粒物(PM2.5)会通过下调凝血酶原-1 和紧密连接蛋白来削弱角膜防御能力。","authors":"Liangliang Niu , Jiamin Liu , Huan Xu , Binghui Liu , Maomao Song , Chunchun Hu , Rui Jiang , Xinghuai Sun , Yuan Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117276","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) induces ocular surface toxicity through pyroptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, and inflammatory responses. However, the precise molecular pathways through which PM<sub>2.5</sub> causes corneal damage remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms by exposing human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) to PM<sub>2.5</sub>.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>After the morphology and chemical composition analysis of the PM samples, we conducted both in vivo and in vitro experiments to investigate PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced corneal epithelial damage. We assessed corneal barrier function in HCECs using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assays. To explore the molecular mechanisms of PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced corneal epithelial damage, we performed whole-transcriptome resequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting in vitro. In addition, we analyzed mouse corneas exposed to concentrated ambient PM<sub>2.5</sub> through immunofluorescence staining to observe the resulting changes in corneal epithelial protein expression in vivo.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our results showed significant impairment of corneal epithelial barrier function in PM<sub>2.5</sub>-treated HCECs, as indicated by decreased TEER values. The expression of thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and claudin-1, both key factors for maintaining corneal epithelial barrier integrity, was markedly reduced at the gene and protein levels in both in vitro and in vivo PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure models. Moreover, the levels of tight junction-associated proteins, including occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and ZO-2, essential components of the corneal epithelial barrier, were significantly diminished in PM<sub>2.5</sub>-treated HCECs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure leads to corneal epithelium damage by disrupting tight junction proteins and THBS1 expression. These findings provide insight into potential pathways for PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced ocular toxicity and underscore the need for protective strategies against such environmental pollutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":303,"journal":{"name":"Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety","volume":"287 ","pages":"Article 117276"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) weakens corneal defense by downregulating thrombospondin-1 and tight junction proteins\",\"authors\":\"Liangliang Niu , Jiamin Liu , Huan Xu , Binghui Liu , Maomao Song , Chunchun Hu , Rui Jiang , Xinghuai Sun , Yuan Lei\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117276\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) induces ocular surface toxicity through pyroptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, and inflammatory responses. However, the precise molecular pathways through which PM<sub>2.5</sub> causes corneal damage remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms by exposing human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) to PM<sub>2.5</sub>.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>After the morphology and chemical composition analysis of the PM samples, we conducted both in vivo and in vitro experiments to investigate PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced corneal epithelial damage. We assessed corneal barrier function in HCECs using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assays. To explore the molecular mechanisms of PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced corneal epithelial damage, we performed whole-transcriptome resequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting in vitro. In addition, we analyzed mouse corneas exposed to concentrated ambient PM<sub>2.5</sub> through immunofluorescence staining to observe the resulting changes in corneal epithelial protein expression in vivo.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our results showed significant impairment of corneal epithelial barrier function in PM<sub>2.5</sub>-treated HCECs, as indicated by decreased TEER values. The expression of thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and claudin-1, both key factors for maintaining corneal epithelial barrier integrity, was markedly reduced at the gene and protein levels in both in vitro and in vivo PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure models. Moreover, the levels of tight junction-associated proteins, including occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and ZO-2, essential components of the corneal epithelial barrier, were significantly diminished in PM<sub>2.5</sub>-treated HCECs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure leads to corneal epithelium damage by disrupting tight junction proteins and THBS1 expression. These findings provide insight into potential pathways for PM<sub>2.5</sub>-induced ocular toxicity and underscore the need for protective strategies against such environmental pollutants.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":303,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety\",\"volume\":\"287 \",\"pages\":\"Article 117276\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":6.2000,\"publicationDate\":\"2024-11-15\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"93\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324013526\",\"RegionNum\":2,\"RegionCategory\":\"环境科学与生态学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324013526","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) weakens corneal defense by downregulating thrombospondin-1 and tight junction proteins
Background
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) induces ocular surface toxicity through pyroptosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, and inflammatory responses. However, the precise molecular pathways through which PM2.5 causes corneal damage remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms by exposing human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) to PM2.5.
Methods
After the morphology and chemical composition analysis of the PM samples, we conducted both in vivo and in vitro experiments to investigate PM2.5-induced corneal epithelial damage. We assessed corneal barrier function in HCECs using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) assays. To explore the molecular mechanisms of PM2.5-induced corneal epithelial damage, we performed whole-transcriptome resequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, and western blotting in vitro. In addition, we analyzed mouse corneas exposed to concentrated ambient PM2.5 through immunofluorescence staining to observe the resulting changes in corneal epithelial protein expression in vivo.
Results
Our results showed significant impairment of corneal epithelial barrier function in PM2.5-treated HCECs, as indicated by decreased TEER values. The expression of thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and claudin-1, both key factors for maintaining corneal epithelial barrier integrity, was markedly reduced at the gene and protein levels in both in vitro and in vivo PM2.5 exposure models. Moreover, the levels of tight junction-associated proteins, including occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and ZO-2, essential components of the corneal epithelial barrier, were significantly diminished in PM2.5-treated HCECs.
Conclusion
PM2.5 exposure leads to corneal epithelium damage by disrupting tight junction proteins and THBS1 expression. These findings provide insight into potential pathways for PM2.5-induced ocular toxicity and underscore the need for protective strategies against such environmental pollutants.
期刊介绍:
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety is a multi-disciplinary journal that focuses on understanding the exposure and effects of environmental contamination on organisms including human health. The scope of the journal covers three main themes. The topics within these themes, indicated below, include (but are not limited to) the following: Ecotoxicology、Environmental Chemistry、Environmental Safety etc.