This dataset includes the images published in the paper "Polylactic Acid Nanoplastics (PLA-NPLs) Induce Adverse Effects on an In Vitro Model of the Human Lung Epithelium: The Calu-3 Air-Liquid Interface (ALI) Barrier." Specifically, it contains: TEM images characterizing the Calu-3 barrier establishment. Air liquid Interface lung epithelial images specifying the different observed characteristics. A SEM image of the PLA nanoparticles used in the study (PH_PLA). Confocal images illustrating particle internalisation at different time points. 3D images of Calu-3 barriers untreated and treated to PLA-NPLs for 24 h and 2 weeks, respectively. Orthogonal views demonstrating the presence of PLA-NPLs inside the cell cytoplasm. 3D images with cross-sectional views demonstrating the presence of PLA-NPLs in the nuclear compartment. PLA-NPLs, cell nuclei, and ZO-1 junctions are seen in green, blue, and red, respectively. Confocal images of immunostaining of tight junctions after PLA treatment. Images of untreated, and 24 hours and 2 weeks treated Calu-3 barriers with 2.5 µg/cm2 PLA-NPLs. In blue the cell nuclei and in red the tight junction ZO-1. Inverted light microscopy images of Calu-3 barriers stained with Alcian Blue and hematoxylin-eosin, highlighting mucus, cellular nuclei, and cytoplasm.

See methodology in research article: García-Rodríguez A, Gutiérrez J, Villacorta A, Arribas Arranz J, Romero-Andrada I, Lacoma A, Marcos R, Hernández A, Rubio L. Polylactic acid nanoplastics (PLA-NPLs) induce adverse effects on an in vitro model of the human lung epithelium: The Calu-3 air-liquid interface (ALI) barrier. J Hazard Mater. 2024 Aug 15;475:134900. Epub 2024 Jun 13. PMID: 38878440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134900

Nanoparticles used from PlasticHeal project: PH_PLA and PH_PLA-FLG

Figure 6: Analysis of the ZO-1 intensity by ImageJ software.