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- Title
Melatonin Alleviates Intestinal Barrier Damaging Effects Induced by Polyethylene Microplastics in Albino Rats.
- Authors
El Gazzar, Walaa Bayoumie; Sliem, Rania E.; Bayoumi, Heba; Nasr, Hend Elsayed; Shabanah, Manar; Elalfy, Amira; Radwaan, Shaimaa E.; Gebba, Mohammed A.; Mansour, Heba M.; Badr, Amul M.; Amer, Marwa Fathy; Ashour, Sara S.; Morsi, Heba; Aboelkomsan, El Shaimaa Ahmed Fahmy; Baioumy, Bodour; Sayed, Alaa El-Din Hamid; Farag, Amina A.
- Abstract
There have been concerns about the potential health risks posed by microplastics (MP). The detection of MP in a variety of food products revealed that humans are ingesting MP. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of data about their impacts, as well as their uptake, on intestinal barrier integrity. This study examined the toxic effects of oral administration of two doses of polyethylene microplastics (PE-MP) (3.75 or 15 mg/kg/day for 5 weeks; mean particle size: 4.0–6.0 µm) on the intestinal barrier integrity in rats. Moreover, the effect of melatonin treatment with MP exposure was also assessed. The PE-MP particle uptake, histopathological changes, Alcian blue staining, Muc2 mRNA, proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α), and cleaved caspase-3, as well as tight junction proteins (claudin-1, myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK), occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)) were assessed. Oral administration of PE-MP resulted in apparent jejunal histopathological alterations; significantly decreased mucin secretion, occludin, ZO-1, and claudin-1 expression; and significantly upregulated MLCK mRNA, IL-1β concentration, and cleaved caspase-3 expression. Melatonin reversed these altered parameters and improved the PE-MP-induced histopathological and ultrastructure changes. This study highlighted the PE-MP's toxic effect on intestinal barrier integrity and revealed the protective effect of melatonin.
- Subjects
OCCLUDINS; MICROPLASTICS; ORAL drug administration; POISONS; POLYETHYLENE; INTESTINES
- Publication
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023, Vol 24, Issue 17, p13619
- ISSN
1661-6596
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ijms241713619