Sucralose Promotes Benzo(a)Pyrene-Induced Renal Toxicity in Mice by Regulating P-glycoprotein.

Background: Sucralose and benzo(a)pyrene (B[]P) are widespread foodborne substances known to harm human health. However, the effects of their combined exposure on kidney function remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which sucralose and B[]P induce kidney injury through P-glycoprotein (PGP/ABCB1), a crucial protein involved in cellular detoxification.

Methods: C57BL/6N mice were co-treated with sucralose and B[]P for 90 days to evaluate their impact on kidney histopathology and function. In vitro experiments assessed cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and B[]P accumulation by flow cytometry. Molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) were used to determine the binding affinity of sucralose to PGP. Furthermore, PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were performed to analyze the expression of PGP and its upstream transcription factors.

Results: Ninety days of co-exposure to sucralose and B[]P significantly exacerbated renal dysfunction in mice, as evidenced by the elevated level of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen, which could be reverted by ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). In vitro, sucralose promoted cellular accumulation of B[]P, consequently enhancing B[]P-induced cell growth inhibition and ROS production. Consistently, B[]P accumulation was enhanced by PGP knockdown in both HK2 and HEK-293 cells. Mechanistically, sucralose can directly bind to PGP, competitively inhibiting its efflux capacity and increasing intracellular B[]P retention. Prolonged co-exposure further downregulated PGP expression, possibly through the reductions of its transcriptional regulators (, , and ).

Conclusions: Co-exposure to sucralose and B[]P exacerbates renal injury by impairing PGP function. Mechanistically, sucralose inhibits PGP activity, resulting in the accumulation of B[]P within renal cells. This accumulation triggers oxidative stress and inhibits cell growth, which demonstrates that sucralose potentiates B[]P-induced nephrotoxicity by directly inhibiting PGP-mediated detoxification pathways, thus underscoring the critical need to evaluate toxicity risks associated with combined exposure to these compounds.