Co-exposure to microplastics enhances the allergenic potentials of house dust mite allergen Der p 1

Abstract

Air pollution is believed to exacerbate the prevalence of allergic diseases. But the underlying processes and mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, the effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) with a diameter of 0.1 μm, 1 μm, and 5 μm were investigated on the allergenic potentials of house dust mite allergen Der p 1. The results reveal that co-exposure to PS-MPs promoted the IgE-binding capacity of Der p 1 by altering the conformation, elevating the ligand-binding activity, and strengthening the aggregation of Der p 1. PS-MPs also exacerbated the damage to airway epithelial barrier by increasing the permeability of bronchial epithelial cells. Ultimately, co-exposure to PS-MPs aggravated the Th2-mediated immune responses and allergic sensitization induced by Der p 1. These evidences indicate that co-exposure to PS-MPs enhanced the allergenic potentials of Der p 1. Moreover, the PS-MPs-induced enhancement of the allergenic potential of Der p 1 is size-dependent, with smaller PS-MPs exhibiting greater promotion on the allergenic potential of Der p 1. Given the ubiquitous occurrence of PS-MPs in the environment, the co-exposure of allergens and PS-MPs should be seriously considered when assessing the allergenic risk of allergens in the real environment, especially for the PS-MPs with smaller size.