BioProject

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the dysfunction and progressive death of cerebral and spinal motor neurons. More...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the dysfunction and progressive death of cerebral and spinal motor neurons. Preliminary epidemiological research has hinted at a relationship between environmental risks and the escalation of ALS, but the underlying reasons remain mostly mysterious. Here, we show that nano-size polystyrene plastics (PS) induce ALS-like symptoms and illustrate the related molecular mechanism. When exposed to PS, cells endure internal oxidative stress, which leads to the aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43), triggering ALS-like characteristics. Additionally, the oxidized heat shock protein 70 fails to escort TDP-43 back to the nucleus. The cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 facilitates the formation of a complex between PS and TDP-43, enhancing TDP-43’s condensation and solidification. These findings are corroborated through in silico and in vivo assays. Altogether, our work illustrates a unique toxicological mechanism induced by nanoparticles and provides insights into the connection between environmental pollution and neurodegenerative disorders. Overall design: To investigate the effects of the environmental particle pollutant polystyrene nanoplastics on brain damage, we established a mouse inhalation model by continuously intranasally exposing male C57BL/6J mice. We then performed gene expression profiling using RNA-seq data from whole brain tissues of mice in the unexposed and exposed groups. Comparative gene expression profiling analysis of RNA-seq data of whole brain tissues of mice in unexposed and exposed groups. Less...