Jute Nanocrystalline Cellulose Relieves Polystyrene Nanoplastic-Induced Acute Injuries by Modulating Gut Microbiota <i>Gilliamella apicola</i>.

Abstract

Natural plant nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC), a nanoscale biomaterial with exceptional physicochemical properties, has been extensively utilized in drug delivery systems. Nevertheless, its potential in mitigating nanoplastic toxicity remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrated that jute-derived NCC (JNCC) effectively alleviated polystyrene nanoplastic (nano-PS)-induced toxicity in honey bees by modulating gut microbiota. Comprehensive analyses, including survival assays, histopathological examination, transmission electron microscopy observation, and apoptosis detection, revealed that nano-PS exposure induced size-dependent cytotoxicity and severe autophagy-apoptosis activation in honey bees. Interestingly, JNCC treatment specifically enriched the core gut microbiota <i>Gilliamella apicola</i> and restored lipid metabolism pathways to attenuate these acute injuries in both the gut and trachea of nano-PS-treated honey bees. Metabolomic analysis further confirmed JNCC-mediated upregulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism, with a marked increase in associated metabolites, including hexadecanamide and glycerophospho-N-palmitoyl ethanolamine (GP-NPEA), which is a regulator of the apoptosis pathway. Colonization with <i>G. apicola</i> significantly inhibited cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by PS nanoplastic treatment in JNCC-treated honey bees, but this obviously restored lipid metabolism to relieve PS nanoplastic-induced acute injuries in the gut. Our findings highlighted the ability of JNCC to mitigate nanoplastic toxicity by regulating microbiota-metabolite networks, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option for environmental pollutant exposure in animals.