Natural Tremella Polysaccharide Mitigates DEHP-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis via Dual Regulation of Survival and Antioxidant Pathways.

Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), a common environmental plasticizer, induces oxidative damage and cell apoptosis without efficient treatment. Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs) are known natural antioxidants, yet their protection against DEHP toxicity remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of TFP against DEHP-induced toxicity using both human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and Caenorhabditis elegans models. The results demonstrate that TFPs significantly alleviated DEHP-induced cytotoxicity in HUVECs by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and inhibiting mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, which may contribute to the activation of antioxidant systems mediating via Nrf-2. In C. elegans, TFP improved survival rates under DEHP stress and reduced ROS accumulation. This protection was associated with the modulation of the insulin-like pathway and skn-1 gene to increase the expressions of antioxidant genes. Our findings reveal that TFP exhibits protection against DEHP-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis through the synergistic regulation of survival and antioxidant pathways, highlighting its potential as a natural dietary intervention for environmental toxicant-induced health risks.