Exposure to irregular microplastic shed from baby bottles activates the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, causing intestinal inflammation

Irregularly shaped microplastics (MPs) released from infant feeding bottles (PP-IFBs) may exhibit increased cytotoxicity, in contrast to the commonly studied spherical MPs. This study presents an initial analysis of the thermal-oxidative aging process of plastic shedding from feeding bottles, and investigates the inflammatory response induced by these atypical MPs in human intestinal cells (Caco-2). The PP-IFBs' surface displayed non-uniform white patches and increased roughness, revealing substantial structural alteration and shedding, especially during actions such as shaking, boiling water disinfection, and microwave heating. FT-IR and 2D-COS analyses revealed that oxygen targeted the C–H and C–C bonds of polypropylene molecular chain, producing RO· and ·OH, thereby hastening polypropylene degradation. When human intestinal cells were exposed to MPs from PP-IFBs, oxidative stress was triggered, resulting in lowered glutathione levels, augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS), and heightened lipid peroxidation. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) signified an active inflammatory process. The inflammatory response was notably more intense when exposed to MPs released through boiling water disinfection and microwave heating treatments, primarily due to the larger quantity of MPs released and their higher proportion of smaller particles. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome was identified as critical in initiating this inflammatory chain reaction due to the mitochondrial ROS surge caused by MPs exposure. This was further validated by inhibitor studies, emphasizing the role of the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway in in promoting intestinal inflammation. Therefore, swift actions are recommended to protect infants against the potential health effects of MPs exposure.