Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in the atmospheric and the human respiratory system, indicating that the respiratory tract is a significant exposure route for MPs. However, the effect of inhaled MPs on cognitive function has not been adequately studied. Here, a C57BL/6 J mouse model of inhalation exposure to polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs, 5 µm, 60 d) is established by intratracheal instillation. Interestingly, in vivo fluorescence imaging and transmission electron microscopy reveal that PS-MPs do not accumulate in the brain. However, behavioral experiments shows that cognitive function of mice is impaired, accompanied by histopathological damage of lung and brain tissue. Transcriptomic studies in hippocampal and lung tissue have demonstrated key neuroplasticity factors as well as cognitive deficits linked to lung injury, respectively. Mechanistically, the lung-brain axis plays a central role in PS-MPs-induced neurological damage, as demonstrated by pulmonary flora transplantation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intervention, and cell co-culture experiments. Together, inhalation of PS-MPs reduces cognitive function by altering the composition of pulmonary flora to produce more LPS and promoting M1 polarization of microglia, which provides new insights into the mechanism of nerve damage caused by inhaled MPs and also sheds new light on the prevention of neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants.