Combined Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Gentamicin Promotes Liver Toxicity Through Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Apoptotic Pathways: In Vivo and In Silico Studies.

Human exposure to nanoplastics and antibiotics is increasingly recognized as a major public health concern; however, the potential impacts of their combined exposure on human health remain poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the hepatotoxic effects of polystyrene nanoplastics (PsNPs) and gentamicin (GEN), administered alone or in combination, and investigated the underlying molecular mechanisms using both in vivo and in silico approaches. Our findings demonstrated that co-exposure to PsNPs and GEN induces combined treatment response in liver by triggering oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis responses, associated with a dysregulation of genes related to oxidative stress (NRF2), inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β), and apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9, and caspase-3). Molecular docking analyses further supported these observations by revealing strong binding affinities of nanoplastics with key proteins involved in oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. Our results revealed that co-exposure of adult rats to PsNPs and GEN induces an adverse effect on hepatic function. This study provides new evidence on the combined toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics and pharmaceutical pollutants on liver function, suggesting a potential co-exposure-associated effect interaction between these contaminants.