온라인강의

Long-Term Exposure to Nanoplastics Facilitates the Development and Progression of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
강사명Youngmi Jung 강의시간18분 강의개설일2025-12-10
온라인강의

강의소개

Plastic particles are a global pollution problem, and humans are potentially exposed to them. Ingested plastic particles, microparticles and nanoparticles (NPs), predominantly accumulate in the liver and cause hepatotoxicity through oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction. NPs promote more toxic actions than MPs; however, the mechanisms involved in developing and progressing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) from chronic exposure to NPs remain poorly understood. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling regulates MASLD pathogenesis. Herein, we investigated the pathophysiological effects of NPs in MASLD. Mice were orally administered NPs via drinking water while fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) for 12 weeks. NPs increased lipid accumulation in hepatocytes and apoptosis. Moreover, these actions were enhanced in lipotoxicity-exposed hepatocytes. Chronically exposed NPs accumulated in mice livers and aggravated CDAHFD-induced hepatic damage, especially fibrosis. Activated Hh signaling in the CDAHFD group was elevated by NP treatment. Increased Sonic Hh expression in the hepatocytes of NP-treated mice in the CDAHFD group triggered Hh signaling in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which promoted liver fibrosis. Therefore, these results demonstrate that chronic exposure to NPs increases vulnerability to MASLD progression, suggesting that NPs are a potentially harmful factor in the development and progression of liver disease.

강사소개

Assistant, Associate, Full Professor (2010-Present), Pusan National University, Korea Assistant Professor (2008-2010), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA Research Associate (2006-2008), Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA Ph.D. (2006) University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, USA M.S. (1999) Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea B.A. (1996) Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea