Jute Nanocrystalline Cellulose Relieves Polystyrene Nanoplastic-Induced Acute Injuries by Modulating Gut Microbiota Gilliamella apicola

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 Gilliamella apicola 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 G. apicola 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.