Ambient Particulate Matter Exposure Impairs Gut Barrier Integrity and Disrupts Goblet Cell Function

作者：Wanhao Gao, Lin Wang, Miao Tian, Shilang Fan, Sabrina Edwards, Joanne Tran, Yuanjing Li, Xiaoquan Rao · 发表于：Biomedicines · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/biomedicines13081825 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Air Quality and Health Impacts、Dietary Effects on Health、Climate Change and Health Impacts

Background: As a well-known environmental hazard, ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5, aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) has been positively correlated with an increased risk of digestive system diseases, including appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and gastrointestinal cancer. Additionally, PM2.5 exposure has been shown to alter microbiota composition and diversity in human and animal models. However, its impact on goblet cells and gut mucus barrier integrity remains unclear. Methods: To address this, 8-week-old male and female interleukin-10 knockout (IL10−/−) mice, serving as a spontaneous colitis model, were exposed to concentrated ambient PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) in a whole-body exposure system for 17 weeks. Colon tissues from the PM2.5-exposed mice and LS174T goblet cells were analyzed using H&E staining, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and transcriptomic profiling. Results: The average PM2.5 concentration in the exposure chamber was 100.20 ± 13.79 µg/m3. PM2.5 exposure in the IL10−/− mice led to pronounced colon shortening, increased inflammatory infiltration, ragged villi brush borders, dense goblet cells with sparse enterocytes, and lipid droplet accumulation in mitochondria. Similar ultrastructure changes were exhibited in the LS174T goblet cells after PM2.5 exposure. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a predominantly upregulated gene expression spectrum, indicating an overall enhancement rather than suppression of metabolic activity after PM2.5 e...